SAIPAN — Governor David M. Apatang and the CNMI’s Section 902 Consultations Team continued negotiations with the federal government in Washington, D.C. this week, with the administration urging immediate regulatory changes and financial support as the Commonwealth faces what it described as a fiscal crisis.
In a release dated February 19, the Governor’s Office said Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds and representatives from multiple federal agencies attended the meeting, including the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, Transportation, and Treasury.
The Governor’s Office also said Apatang met with Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao, described in the release as the Department of War’s senior defense official for Guam and the Marianas.
“The Commonwealth does not need a hand out from the federal government, it needs a hand up,” Apatang said, adding that the CNMI delegation was seeking partnership and asking that the Covenant be honored.
The administration said this round of Section 902 consultations is focusing on four issue areas: budgetary support, tourism and transportation, access to labor, and Department of War activities in the Commonwealth. The release said the delegation emphasized three priorities: preserving EVS-TAP, securing continued federal tax cover-over payments, and pursuing administrative reforms aimed at strengthening the CW-1 visa program.
The Governor’s Office said Apatang planned additional meetings throughout the week with senior officials from the Department of War and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as key congressional committees on Capitol Hill.
