Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, who sponsored Senate Resolution 17-03, said “it would be an extraordinary privilege for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands to have President Obama visit the commonwealth during his upcoming trip to Southeast Asia.”
“In light of the recent federalization of immigration in our islands, the leaders of the CNMI would be humbled by the presence of President Obama and grateful for the opportunity to discuss the ramifications of federalized immigration in the commonwealth…the ongoing military buildup on the nearby island of Guam will have a profound effect on the people of the commonwealth, and a personal visit by the president would bring considerable attention to our islands and to the opportunities and economic challenges the CNMI currently faces,” the resolution stated.
“The CNMI”s unique political status has created social and economic concerns distinct from those on Guam, and may warrant a special visit by the president to discuss our exceptional circumstances,” it added.
The House of Representatives, which is scheduled to hold a session today, is also expected to introduce and adopt a separate resolution inviting the president to make a brief stopover on Saipan.
House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, said he intends to sponsor the resolution.
