Transportation and Infrastructure

This week, our office was delighted to welcome a bright and motivated group of students from Fairpoint High School near Rochester, New York.  My staff had a wonderful conversation with the students about U.S. aviation policy and my work on the House Aviation Subcommittee. Their thoughtful questions and keen interest in ensuring safe, reliable air travel were inspiring. I am especially encouraged to see young leaders from across the country engaging with issues that impact communities like the CNMI, helping keep our islands connected and accessible. 

Pacific Coastal Research and Planning has been awarded $4,937,010 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to remove 23 abandoned boats and an estimated 40,000 pounds of derelict fishing gear from the coastal environments of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. The project will support approximately 60 local marine contractor and project coordination jobs while helping restore biologically rich coastal ecosystems and strengthen nature-based tourism economies in the region.

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I had the opportunity to do a ride-along with the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority (COTA) this week on the amazing fixed-route system.

The CNMI and American Samoa are the only two jurisdictions in the United States without a National Guard. The Guard plays a vital dual role, supporting our nation’s military while also serving states and communities during times of disaster.

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On Wednesday, the

Wednesday was a long one. After meeting with Governor Apatang, I was back in the Capitol for a scheduled Committee of the Whole vote on the House Floor at 9:00 pm. This late-night session focused on amendments to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act and was one of the rare opportunities for territorial delegates to cast a vote alongside our colleagues in Congress. We made our vote count and, in the process, I had the chance to connect with fellow Members as the votes were called and tallied.

Regular readers of this newsletter know about our ongoing conversations with Seafix Inc. on the potential for the CNMI to expand its role in ship repair and maintenance. This week, I met again with Andrew Miller, Greg David, and Brian Cain while they were in Washington for meetings with the Department of Defense. Some residents may have noticed fewer prepositioning ships in our waters in recent months. These vessels, vital to our national security, regularly require servicing and repairs, but that work is being done elsewhere in the region.

The Commonwealth is receiving $682,172 in Weatherization Assistance, Readiness, and State Energy Program funds, the