Kimberlyn King-Hinds
U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds is urging President Donald Trump to “consider segmenting the review of federal assistance programs in the U.S. territories” to allow them to continue operating in light of his executive order halting their funds.
The first Republican and female CNMI delegate to the U.S. Congress, King-Hinds also told Trump that it was an honor to stand alongside her fellow Republicans during the president’s inauguration.
In her letter, she highlighted the “unintended consequences of federal assistance reviews in the territories.” She requested Trump’s support in streamlining the national review process for federal financial assistance programs affecting the CNMI.
She stressed the importance of recognizing the relative scale of federal obligations in the CNMI. In fiscal year 2024, she said, the Commonwealth received $645.5 million in federal funds, primarily supporting Medicaid and the Nutrition Assistance Program. This amount represents 0.01% of the total $4.9 trillion obligated nationwide, she added.
“While this funding is a minute fraction of total federal expenditures, [its] impact on the CNMI is immediate and profound,” King-Hinds said.
Funding delayed
She said Northern Marianas College’s NextGen Scholarship program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s NextGen Workforce Initiative, removes financial barriers for students who pursue degrees in food, science, agriculture, natural resource management, and related fields, ensuring they have access to higher education and career opportunities in industries vital to both the CNMI and the nation.
However, she said she has been informed that critical funding for the program has been delayed, impacting students currently enrolled in institutions across the U.S.
She said this scholarship program has been a lifeline for students, and disruptions in funding threaten their ability to continue their education.
“These students applied for and received assurances from [the National Institute of Food and Agriculture] that their expenses would be covered, and the sudden delay has immediate and severe consequences for their academic future and financial ability. It also places NMC in a difficult position, as it administers the program and ensures its success,” King-Hinds said.
She noted that Trump’s clarification on the federal review process clearly stated that federal scholarship programs such as NextGen should not be affected by administrative actions under his executive orders.
“The challenges faced by the CNMI in accessing these funds highlight an opportunity to simplify the implementation of federal reviews and prevent unintended disruptions to essential programs,” she said.
“Your administration has already identified areas where federal programs do not align with your policy objectives — many of which involve billions of dollars in assistance. By contrast, programs serving U.S. territories like the CNMI are relatively small in scale, but often governed by unique legal provisions that can complicate broader federal policy reviews,” she added.