Compromise with feds sought on cockfighting ban, labor

The chairman of the House Federal and Foreign Affairs Committee hopes that a unified stand among elected officials of the CNMI and Guam would convince the federal government to compromise on issues relating to cockfighting and the H-2B workers visa program.

Rep. L.J. Castro (R-Saipan) met with members of the 35th Guam Legislature—Speaker Tina Muna-Barnes and Sens. Amanda L. Shelton and Joe S. San Agustin—in late January to talk about mutual concerns.

“We had the chance to meet with [Guam lawmakers] in regards to coming up with a position on the ban on the H-2B workers [from the Philippines] as well as [Public Law 115-334], which include a cockfighting ban on territories,” said Castro.

P.L. 115-334 or the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, signed into law by President Donald Trump in December last year, bans cockfighting in all U.S. jurisdictions, including U.S. territories. Previous farm bills excluded U.S. territories from the ban.

“I know [P.L. 115-334] is an issue on both the municipal and central government side throughout the Marianas—CNMI and Guam. We are addressing that and I have heard from [cockfighting] practitioners,” said Castro. “Whether be it through delegation legislation or through a resolution, we’re looking at those avenues. It is something that being the [committee] chair that I’m actively keeping an eye on.”

He said House Speaker B.J. Attao and some members of the CNMI Legislature are also keeping an eye on the issue

He said that it is not only the CNMI and Guam but also Puerto Rico that are hoping to be exempted from the ban. “They must look at it from our standpoint, not just the CNMI and Guam but as far as Puerto Rico that also have a very active stance against it.”

“It was, I guess, a decision that we were not really consulted about. They kind of overlook, not only the cultural standpoint but also the economic side of it. Just like Puerto Rico, the CNMI stands to be affected from this.”

Castro said the Saipan Mayor’s Office, which issues licenses and permits for cockfighting events, also wants the CNMI exempted from the ban. “We know how all the mayors stand on it. Another factor is we know how our neighbors in the south feel about it.”

“In my capacity as chair, I touched base with my counterparts to see how we can address that. I know that we already took a stand with the H-2B issue and in the next session we will be acting on a [joint resolution] with the Senate on the [cockfighting] ban.”

He added that both the CNMI and Guam governments remain optimistic. “I hope that, in working with our leaders, we can come to a resolution that would benefit us and hopefully have some compromise as well. We hope that our issues can [enlighten] the federal government [as to] how detrimental these decisions are.”