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US House thumbs down bill allowing US naval vessel repairs in CNMI
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Posted on May 21 2012
Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP) and Gov. Benigno R. Fitial will be meeting today to, among other things, discuss the possibility of re-introducing in the next Congress a newly-defeated bill that will permit the overhaul and repair of U.S. naval vessels in the CNMI.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed Friday the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act without Sablan’s H.R. 4338 that would include the CNMI as a location where military vessels may be repaired.
Fitial and Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo supported Sablan’s bill.
“But we didn’t do that bad. It was a good start. I will be re-introducing this in the next Congress. I will reach out to my Democratic colleagues and hopefully the governor will also reach out to his Republican friends,” Sablan told Saipan Tribune.
He said his HR 4338 does not ask for any money or contract, but some members of Congress raised concern on the bill’s impact on shipyards in their jurisdictions.
“Governor Fitial was successful in getting the Guam governor support this. Guam Delegate [Madeleine] Bordallo also did not oppose it at this time,” Sablan added.
Fitial and Sablan don’t meet eye to eye on a host of issues but Sablan said the passage of the shipyard bill is something that they will work together on.
In an earlier statement, Sablan said with the impending buildup of military forces in the Marianas as the U.S. realigns forces to focus on the strategic importance of Asia and the Pacific, he believes the U.S. Navy should have the option to repair its vessels in any U.S. jurisdiction as H.R. 4338 would allow.
“While much work and public input would be needed before any shipyard is built in the NMI, this industry does have some potential for much-needed economic activity and job creation,” Sablan had said.
Sablan’s other bill, H.R. 985, made it to the Defense Authorization Act. HR 985 requires the display of CNMI and other territorial flags whenever state flags are displayed in U.S. military installations.
