Turning Territorial Priorities Into Federal Action
On Wednesday, the Department of the Interior held the 2026 Interagency Group on Insular Affairs (IGIA) Midyear Senior Plenary Meeting virtually, bringing together Governors and Members of Congress from across the U.S. territories to discuss issues affecting our islands and ongoing federal initiatives. During my remarks, I called for IGIA to become more project- and action-oriented. Rather than focusing primarily on broad policy discussions, IGIA can serve as a forum for territorial leaders and senior federal officials to work together on specific priorities identified by the territories and develop concrete steps to move them forward. The proposal received support from participants and the Office of Insular Affairs, which committed to following up on ways IGIA can evolve. I will continue working to ensure federal programs and policies translate into tangible, effective results for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories.