Pete A. Tenorio
FORMER Lt. Gov. Pete A. Tenorio said 902 talks are not effective enough in moving CNMI issues in the nation’s capital.
Section 902 of the Covenant provides for consultations between the CNMI and the U.S. on matters that affect their relationship.
A former Covenant negotiator and Washington representative, Tenorio said the federal government chooses which CNMI issues requires its assistance.
“The U.S. said, ‘Well, you’re raising this issue like immigration and other types of things like infrastructure — these are your own problems. Why are we consulting?’ They want to be very picky about [the] issues,” Tenorio said.
“That’s how the U.S. is looking at resolving issues. Frankly I don’t think [the 902 consultation process] is effective enough,” he added during Thursday’s panel discussion at the local courthouse regarding the Covenant.
Enacted into federal law on March 24, 1976, the Covenant established the CNMI in political union with the U.S.
Tenorio said throughout his political career, he has “gone through [the consultation] process many times,” but he does not believe “that there has been any substantive issue that [was] addressed [during the 902 talks] and passed by the U.S Congress.”
He said Section 902 is “not working very well” even though it is a way to “air” the CNMI’s problems.
“Expectation is very low when it comes to real congressional approval,” he added.
Tenorio said the CNMI’s delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives should focus on moving issues at the committee level.
“You don’t address your issues in the entire chamber of the U.S. [House of] Representatives. You do it on the committee and that’s where people will listen to you,” he added. “And they either listen to you because they’re sympathetic, they share the same problems, or are just being good guys. That’s how politics in Washington is conducted — you pat my back and I pat your back.”
In October and November 2023, the CNMI Senate and House of Representatives adopted Senate Joint Resolution 23-5, which urged Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and President Joe Biden to hold Section 902 talks that will address CNMI immigration, workforce, economic and transportation challenges as well as the U.S. military expansion in the region.
Earlier this month, Palacios said he would soon announce the members of the CNMI’s 902 team.
