Attao is incoming speaker

Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao (R-Saipan) is officially the incoming House speaker of the 21st Legislature after incumbent and incoming GOP members agreed yesterday to back the former independent lawmaker for the post.

Things will be formalized on Jan. 14, the inauguration of the 21st CNMI Legislature.

Representatives-elect Joel C. Camacho, Luis John Castro, and Antonio SN Borja of Tinian, along with returning Roman C. Benavente and Ralph N. Yumul, and incumbents Ivan A. Blanco, Francisco S. Dela Cruz, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero, Jose I. Itibus, and John Paul P. Sablan backed Attao’s bid for the House’s top post.

Eight House members previously expressed support for Attao, four of them his colleagues in Precinct 3—Blanco, Dela Cruz, Itibus, and Yumul.

Another who was also eyeing the post, vice speaker Janet U. Maratita, is currently off-island to attend to some personal matters.

Attao, the son of former lawmaker and Ways and Means chair, Rep. Jesus Attao, said he appreciates the vote of confidence shown him by the House GOP. “I appreciate the support since we worked hard to get us through the election process, both individually and a team under the GOP family.”

“Now that the election is over, we’re moving to set up the House leadership. I really appreciate the vote of confidence from the members for entrusting me the position of House speaker for the incoming Legislature.”

He added that the bloc that supports him called for the meeting to finalize the House leadership one month before the inauguration. “We called the meeting to finish up the caucus for the leadership of the 21st Legislature so that we can move on and enjoy the holidays with our families and friends.”

“Also, to prepare for the inauguration with the outgoing members to begin packing their things, so incoming members can move in to their offices. So, we don’t have to worry about that heading into the inauguration and…so we don’t need to spend the next two weeks relocating stuff.”

He added that settling the House leadership would give them the chance to begin work soon after Jan. 14. “The main goal of the 13 [GOP House members] is to make sure we solidify our ranks and keep everything within the 13.”

“We can also report that the House is already set and ready to move on. To work with the members of the Senate and the community—both the private and public sectors—the administration, and our brothers and sisters from the region.”

Attao will be the 15th speaker since the first legislature was inaugurated in January 1978 and joins a long list of past leaders of the House that include the late Oscar C. Rasa, former governor Benigno R. Fitial, Oscar M. Babauta, and ex-lieutenant governor Diego T. Benavente.

Benavente served as speaker from the 9th to the 11th Legislature while Fitial (3rd and 14th), Babauta (12th and 15th), Pedro R. Deleon Guerrero (6th and 7th), and Rafael S. Demapan (19th and 20th) held the position twice.

Joaquin I. Pangelinan, Vicente M. Sablan, Jose R. Lifoifoi, Thomas P. Villagomez, Heinz Hofschneider, Arnold I. Palacios, Eliceo D. Cabrera, Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero were the other members that became speakers of the House.

The 39-year-old Attao is a former independent candidate during the 19th and 20th Legislatures but joined the local Republican Party in his bid to win a third term in the general elections last November. The GOP remains the majority in the House with seven members as independents.
 
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Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero was elected as House vice speaker, while J.P. Sablan was chosen to be the floor leader.

“It is a privilege and honor to be offered the position. Now, let’s work together in the 21st Legislature. We’re going to do this smoothly and collaborate with our counterparts in order to make everyone’s lives a lot better,” said Deleon Guerrero.

Sablan added: “Thank you too for the confidence. Like incoming vice speaker [Deleon Guerrero] said, I also look forward to working harmoniously with everyone, together with the members of the minority.”

The incoming House leadership had also chosen the chairman of each of the nine committees. They dissolved two committees and merged it with the previous working groups that was formed in order to accommodate two incoming members of the 20th Legislature.

Guerrero retains the Commerce and Tourism Committee, Roman Benavente is back as Education chair, neophyte legislator Castro gets Federal and Foreign Affairs, Yumul will be the Gaming head. Camacho is the incoming Judicial and Government Operations chair, while Tinian’s Borja will take over as the Natural Resources head. Both are also new House members, along with Castro, the outgoing Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council chair.

The Transportation Committee, previously chaired by Rep. Donald C. Barcinas, will be merged with the Public Utilities and Communications, with Dela Cruz keeping his post. Blanco would take over the Ways & Means committee.