Senate, House panel chairs named

Edmund S. Villagomez

Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) and House of Representatives Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) have appointed the Senate and House committee chairpersons.

In a memorandum yesterday, Sen. Paul A. Manglona (Ind-Rota) was named chairman of three committees: the Committee on Rules and Procedures; Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communication; and Committee on Federal Relations.

Sen. Donald M. Manglona (Ind-Rota) was appointed chairperson of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs and Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare.

Sen. Corina L. Magofna (Ind-Saipan) now chairs the Committee on Resources, Economic Development, Programs and Gaming.

Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) was appointed chairperson of two committees: the Committee on Judiciary, Government and Law, and Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations.

At the House, Villagomez appointed Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan) as chairman of two standing committees: the Committee on Ways and Means and Committee on Gaming.

Villagomez appointed Rep. Vincent S. Aldan (Ind-Saipan) as chairman of the Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications.

Rep. Marissa Renee Flores (Ind-Saipan) was appointed chairwoman of the Committee on the Judiciary and Governmental Operations.

The Cannabis Committee goes to Rep. Diego Vincent F. Camacho (D-Saipan), while the Education Committee is now chaired by Rep. Manny T. Castro (Ind-Saipan).

Rep. Malcolm Omar (Ind-Saipan) was appointed chairman of the Committee on Health and Welfare, while Rep. Angelo A. Camacho (Ind-Saipan) gets the Committee on Natural Resources.

Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) was retained as chairman of the Committee on Federal and Foreign Affairs and Rep. Julie Marie A. Ogo (Ind-Rota) was appointed as chairwoman of the Committee on Commerce and Tourism.

Villagomez said yesterday that some of House members were appointed to appropriate committees as they have the necessary backgrounds and have made it one of their platforms to take on some of these issues.

For example, Villagomez said, Aldan was a good candidate to be the PUTC chairman as he’s been very vocal about that. He said Yumul has been in the House for a long time and had previously worked with the Ways and Means. Castro comes from the Northern Marianas College, he said, while Ogo has been in the private sector, Triple J, for the longest time.

“So I think we’re in good hands. And, of course, we’re all here to work together to tackle the issues. So I think it’s a good setup,” Villagomez.