General
Fitial Thanks US Policymakers for including federal minimum wage language in Stimulus Bill - 2/11/2009
FITIAL THANKS NATIONAL LEADERS FOR CRITICAL
PRO-CNMI LANGUAGE IN PRESIDENT’S STIMULUS BILL
Singles out Faleomavaega, Inouye, Akaka, Bingaman, and Murkowski for addressing the minimum wage issue
Governor Benigno R. Fitial today thanked U.S. Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa), U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for working to add critical pro-CNMI legislative language addressing federal minimum wage legislation affecting the CNMI. The language was added to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the so-called, Collins-Nelson compromise), often referred to as “the stimulus bill.”
The language calls for a General Accounting Office (GAO) report on the impact of past and future minimum wage increases “that occurred in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2007 and 2008.” (see attached for the CNMI language) userfiles//Collins-Nelson_compromise_(3).pdf
The Governor expressed his deep personal thanks to U.S. Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa). “I especially want to thank my good friend Congressman Faleomavaega, who took it upon himself to successfully champion the American Samoa and CNMI language in the U.S. Senate bill. In the years that the CNMI did not have a Member of Congress, Eni was always a friend to the CNMI and he continues to keep the CNMI in mind when it matters most,” said Fitial.
Fitial further remarked that, “These reports will alert Members of Congress and Administration officials to that which we already know– that during this economic depression in the CNMI, another increase in the minimum wage this year will further harm our businesses and our people as we struggle to rebound from the economic downturn.”
“We ask Congress to take a close look at these reports and consider offering American Samoa and the CNMI a deferment in the next increase in the minimum wage so that the tourism industry and other businesses throughout the CNMI can regain some economic footing in this very challenging economic environment,” said Fitial.
Governor Fitial met with both Congressman Faleomavaega and Senator Murkowski on this issue during his last trip to Washington to witness the Inauguration of President Obama.
The Governor will again travel to Washington later this month and meet with the Members of the House and Senate who were responsible for getting this language included in the stimulus bill.
The Honorable Governor Benigno Fitial