Torres to testify on Kilili’s CW1 bill

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres left for Washington, D.C. yesterday as he is scheduled to testify in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources at 10am on Thursday (Wednesday in the CNMI).

The hearing, which is in connection with Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan’s (D-MP) House Resolution 339, will be streamed live on www.energy.senate.gov at 12 midnight in the Commonwealth.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will preside the hearing being the chair of the committee, which has oversight jurisdiction on United States territories like the CNMI.

Murkowski’s committee will start receiving testimonies on HR 339, Sablan’s bill that would increase the CW1 numerical cap to 15,000 workers for fiscal year 2017.

There are only five months left before FY 2017 ends and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has already began receiving CW1 applications for FY 2018, which starts on Oct. 1.

The administration said Torres’ testimony would be related to previous statements he made to the U.S. House of Representatives and issues discussed during the entire 902 talks that would highlight the CNMI’s need for economic growth and present evidence of an increase in our U.S.-eligible workforce as a result of our growing economy

“Gov. Torres will also be making the case for effectively addressing the impending healthcare professional worker shortage at [the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.], which has been affected by the current CW1 cap,” said the statement.

Torres had made several trips to D.C. in his administration’s continued efforts to inform Washington officials about the CNMI’s issues and concerns, and push for changes to be made in several federal policies.

Torres met with President Donald Trump and White House chief of staff Reince Priebus early this month. He also met with Murkowski in D.C. in September last year and testified in the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular, and Alaskan Native Affairs on Sept. 13.

The subcommittee, which was then chaired by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), is under the House Natural Resources Committee under the overall leadership if Rob Bishop (R-Utah).

Torres, before returning to Saipan, will also attend the 22nd Micronesian Islands Forum hosted by Guam from May 1 to 3. Leaders across Micronesia meet annually to discuss the challenges and problems and think of solutions on issues affecting the region.