On the recordMarch 15, 2011
today I join with my colleague and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Lisa Murkowski, in re-introducing, by request, legislation to convey certain submerged lands to the Commonwealth of the North Mariana Islands, CNMI, that would give that territory the same benefits in its submerged lands as Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa have in their submerged lands. This bill is identical to H.R. 934 that was considered in the 111th Congress and which passed the House on July 15, 2009 and was reported by the Committee on May 6, 2010. Enactment of this legislation is time-sensitive because there is currently no Federal or local administrative regime in place to manage the lands from the mean high-tide line out to 3 miles surrounding the 14 islands of the CNMI. As a result, development and other near shore activities are on hold, or are conducted under a cloud of legal uncertainty.
