Rep. Heinz Hofschneider, R-Saipan, also noted that the CNMI is becoming litigious without substantiating its claims.
“The point is we don’t have factual knowledge and information to base our arguments against the federal government,” he said in an interview on Thursday. “And if we are fully prepared, like we have the factual information before us, we don’t even have to sue the federal government to articulate our cause — Compact-Impact aid is already required by law.”
He is questioning why Babauta did not pursue the legal route regarding Compact-Impact aid when he was still governor.
“That’s water under the bridge. When you were the governor of the commonwealth and you didn’t do anything, despite having that information, why are you advocating for a lawsuit now. Why wasn’t the argument put forth to the U.S. Congress back then?” he said.
Babauta has said that the CNMI may gain between $25 million and $30 million a year for hosting migrants from the Freely Associated States of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
Under these nations’ Compacts of Free Association, the federal government is supposed to reimburse states or territories that host FAS migrants.
Hofschneider said there is still no accurate information regarding the number of FAS citizens residing in the CNMI.
“How in the world can you say we should get up to $30 million a year when you don’t even know how many Micronesians live here?” Hofschneider said.
This month, the Department of Commerce is conducting a survey on the FAS population in the CNMI.
The Fitial administration is hoping that the federal government will increase the CNMI’s Compact-Impact reimbursement, which is over $5 million a year.
