GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios last week appointed Senate President Dennis James C. Mendiola and Rep. Malcolm J. Omar to the CNMI America250 Commission, which will plan for the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of America’s Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.
Mendiola, in turn, appointed Sen. Corina Magofna to serve on the commission.
“It is with utmost honor that I am hereby designating you to serve as a representative on the CNMI America250 Commission. This designation is placed forward with confidence in your qualifications and aptitude to effectively uphold the Commission’s mandates,” the Senate president told Magofna in a memorandum issued on Tuesday.
These appointments, which do not require Senate approval, will enable the appointees to serve on the commission until March 30, 2027.
In his memo to Mendiola and Omar, the governor said he and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang are confident that “with your qualifications, you will effectively fulfill the Commission’s mandates. Your willingness to serve on this Commission is most appreciated.”
The governor said the CNMI America250 Commission has “the firm mandate to plan and implement a robust series of events and activities in the CNMI” that will commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence “in a compelling and impactful manner.”
America250 is the official nonpartisan entity charged by the U.S. Congress with planning the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
When the bicentennial or the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was commemorated on July 4, 1976, the Northern Marianas was not yet part of the U.S.
