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BREAKING NEWS: US House to vote on CW bill Tuesday—Kilili
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) announced today that the UCW bill, officially called the U.S. Workforce Act,has been scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 5.
“The schedule has just been published,” Sablan said. “So, it is official. The reboot of the U.S. Workforce Act, H.R. 5956, that Chairman Bishop and I introduced last week will be up for debate and a vote on Tuesday.
“I am, of course, very grateful for the leadership Chairman Bishop demonstrated to keep us moving forward. Since 2016, his office has been actively involved in developing the policies contained in the Workforce Act. And Chairman Bishop’s personal involvement now to help get us across the finish line is invaluable.”
The orthern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act, passed the Senate on April 23 as a Senate bill, S. 2325. But progress was halted on a point of order in the House. At the request of the Trump administration the Senate bill contained an anti-fraud fee to be paid by employers of foreign workers in the Marianas. The U.S. Constitution, however, requires that revenue-raising measures only originate in the House.
Bishop and Sablan introduced a new, House bill with the Senate language on May 24 to work around that constitutional problem.
The U.S. Workforce Act will be brought to the House floor under suspension of the rules. This parliamentary procedure is commonly used for non-controversial bills. A two-thirds majority of the Members, present and voting, is required for passage, although often a simple voice vote is used.
“Chairman Bishop and I are working our respective sides of the aisle so that we have the necessary support of both the Republican and Democratic caucuses,” Sablan said. “And I am in touch with the Senate, too, so that we can move swiftly, if and when the bill passes the House.” (PR)
