Tenorio urges more funding support for IGIA

The CNMI’s resident representative to Washington, D.C. has hailed the work of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas, saying the group could do more with funding support.

Resident Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, in a congressional hearing on the IGIA’s work, said the U.S. Office of Management and Budget should be more involved in the IGIA’s efforts to ensure the group’s plans get proper funding.

The IGIA is a consultative body tasked with obtaining advice and information on policy issues that the insular areas face individually and collectively. Formed in May 2003, the group consists of the heads of the executive departments and the heads of agencies designated by the Interior secretary.

The House Subcommittee on Insular Areas, chaired by U.S. Virgin Islands Rep. Donna Christensen, conducted an oversight hearing on July 17 to receive testimonies on the “successes and challenges” of the IGIA.

Tenorio, one of the witnesses at the hearing, said the IGIA was instrumental in developing two plans that could have helped the Northern Marianas address its critical infrastructure needs.

First, Tenorio said, the IGIA developed an implementation plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ report on the improvement of water systems throughout the Commonwealth. Even though the IGIA’s plan identified funding sources, no money for CNMI water system improvements were included in the President’s budget submission or in the final appropriation.

“While water volume production has increased due to appropriations by Congress in FY2004 and 2005 budgets, not a drop of water from the Saipan water system is potable. Saipan’s water system is unhealthy causing residents to purchase expensive bottled water for drinking and cooking. It also greatly increases the cost of doing business by investors,” he said.

Also with the IGIA’s help, a bill creating a U.S. territories bond bank was drafted. The idea was to create a bank that pools the resources of the insular areas and issues combined debt in the form of tax-exempt bonds. Guam Rep. Madeleine Bordallo introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, but the bill, according to Tenorio, was derailed by a lack of OMB support.

“In concept, I believe the IGIA is crucial to increasing the communication about and the advocacy for insular areas within the federal government. I would like to see our next President again form the IGIA, and would recommend that it include a greater involvement by the Office of Management and Budget,” Tenorio said.

Douglas W. Domenech, acting deputy assistant secretary of the Interior, also called for the continuation of the IGIA’s work.

“We believe the IGIA is a useful forum for the leaders of the territories to speak directly and frankly to the leaders of federal agencies,” Domenech said in his testimony. “One of the main advantages of this dialogue is educational. As both the federal agencies and the territories learn more about each other’s issues and how things work in the other’s domain, they will be able to develop deeper understanding of each other’s needs and how to resolve common problems. The IGIA members have taken on some big issues, and we hope this work will continue.”