The committee released the following statement:
“Steele is trying to replay the same old mainland talking points wherever he goes, but he is clearly out of touch with realities here in the NMI.
“Steele’s remarks while on a touch-and-go mission to Saipan to collect money and support for his run for re-election as GOP chairman reveal a man who doesn’t know what it’s like to live without 24-hour drinking water. Steele never had to pay a CUC bill with rates four times the national average.
“The stimulus plan that Congressman Kilili voted for and that passed the U.S. House without a single Republican vote has already created 375 jobs in the Northern Marianas, according to ARRA czar Michael Ada in a speech to the Saipan Chamber of Commerce last month.
“ ‘We don’t see the jobs,’ Steele was quoted as saying.
“Steele should have taken time off from his fundraiser to visit one of our commonwealth public schools. He would have met some of the 100 teachers there whose jobs were saved by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“And because of the ‘edujobs’ bill that Congressman Kilili and 20 other Democrats co-sponsored in March and that finally became law — without one Republican vote, PSS gets another $8.3 million this month. That money will pay PSS payroll just when local school funds are disappearing.
“The Recovery Act is fixing our kids’ classrooms, so they’re cool, well lit, and conducive to learning. It’s putting laptops in the hands of 5,200 students. Recovery Act money is laying new waterlines. And hundreds of homes are being weatherized to help people cut their CUC bills.
“2,500 of our manamko’, veterans, and SSI recipients got a $250 check to help them through these tough times. And food stamp recipients are receiving extra benefits when they most need help putting food on the table — thanks to Congressman Kilili.
“That’s the kind of help we need. It fulfills the Covenant promise to make us part of the American family.
“It’s true that Republicans here in the CNMI have a long and proud tradition.
“But we don’t want our congressional delegate in lock-step with Washington Republicans, who just say ‘no’ to the kind of economic development funding our commonwealth needs.
“We have to re-elect Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan. He’s independent enough to make the case for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands no matter who controls Congress.
“And Kilili has proven he knows how to get things done in Washington to make life better here at home.”
