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Kilili introduces $100M NMI coronavirus emergency bill
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Posted on Mar 09 2020
Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP) has introduced legislation that would appropriate $100 million for general government operations in the CNMI.
The bill, the Northern Mariana Islands Coronavirus Emergency Assistance Act, which the delegate introduced to the U.S. Congress last Thursday, March 5, sets to address the budget cuts and other austerity measures the Commonwealth is taking, following the negative effects the COVID-19 outbreak is having on the economy.
According to Sablan, his bill is intended to make sure the people of the Marianas, especially the man’amko and the children, to continue to have access to care and education essential to health, safety, and wellbeing.
“The coronavirus will have an economic impact across our nation and the world. But because the Marianas is tourism-dependent and our tourists come from areas hit hard by the coronavirus—China, Korea, and Japan—we are at the frontline,” he said. “My bill calls attention to our immediate need in the Marianas and will help push Congress to act quickly to face the economic effects of coronavirus.”
During the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s dialogue with the House of representatives last week, board member Alex Sablan told of the Chamber’s intention to ask Sablan for help from the federal government.
“We know that that legislation would be required of our delegate and we hope that we could have a meeting in line to discuss this very point [COVID-19 effect on businesses],” Sablan said. “We know that the delegate, in the past, through the support of the administration, has gotten these threads that have helped us in these natural disasters and typhoons.”
Sablan expressed concerns about restrictions and access to markets, China shutting down, and the disruptions to the distribution pipeline.
“Our territories are going to be impacted, especially in the western Pacific. We’re going to be impacted because we’re isolated,” Sablan added.
Last Friday, March 6, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed an $8.3-billion emergency bill to fund federal agencies to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. There are currently 438 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Worldwide, there are 106,162 recorded cases, with 60,190 recoveries and 3,600 deaths.
