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Senate president also opposes lawsuit against federalization
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Posted on Aug 31 2008
Senate President Pete P. Reyes has also expressed opposition for the CNMI pursuing a costly litigation against federalization instead of engaging in a dialogue with the federal government.
“I am not going to do anything unless I am convinced one way or another. Right now I am not convinced that the best approach is litigation,” Reyes told Saipan Tribune on Friday.
He pointed out that there are other cheaper ways to do it and that one of them is request for Section 902 consultation with the federal government.
“If Section 902 consultation is requested and the U.S. denies that then I need to come in that. But that has not happened yet,” the senator said.
With respect to the top leaders of the House of Representatives’ strong opposition to litigation, Reyes pointed out that the House’s statement that public funds are not going to be used “says it all.”
He said the Senate cannot approve funding if the House does not approve it.
The CNM Constitution, the senator noted, requires that any funding or appropriation of money or revenue, legislation shall be initiated and approved by the House.
“If the House does not initiate any legislation to fund the litigation then the Senate has no way of funding it,” Reyes said.
He compared the U.S. and CNMI’s situation to a couple.
“When a husband and a wife argues they don’t take each other to court. They sit down and talk about it,” Reyes said.
The senate president said he is not afraid to throw his support to litigation if he is convinced that it the best approach.
“The bottom line is there is a difference of position. And that difference can be fixed if we are talking to each other. But we are not talking to each other. We’re already saying I’m going to take you to court before we talk,” Reyes added.
House Speaker Arnold I. Palacios and Vice Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero echoed Rep. Diego Benavente’s position that the Commonwealth should engage the federal government in dialogue instead of pursuing costly but uncertain lawsuit. Rep. Christina Sablan was the first lawmaker to express strong opposition to the costly litigation, saying it’s only “a waste of public funds.”
