Gregorio Sablan

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the Northern Marianas Family Assistance Act. This legislation will make long overdue amendments to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (``TANF'') program to include the Northern Mariana Islands. The TANF program provides a lifeline to low-income families with children to meet ongoing needs. Benefits such as childcare, workforce education and training, and food assistance gives families a chance when times get tough. But the benefits of this block grant program are not available in the Marianas. My bill addresses this inequity. As we continue to address the economic challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, inclusion in the TANF program would ensure that working families with children in the Marianas can continue to put food on the table and have a roof over their head.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 447. Apprenticeships are well recognized as a way to help local economies grow by providing career opportunities for young people. However, the current national apprenticeship system does not adequately support the creation of apprenticeships in the Marianas and other insular areas. That inequity ends today. H.R. 447 incorporates my bill, the Outlying Area Apprenticeship Expansion Act, which I introduced in the last Congress. My bill provides $2.5 million over 5 years for the Marianas to create and expand apprenticeships, and it provides more than $11.2 million for the insular areas in total. Our island schools already equip students with the skills employers seek. With these additional funds and participation in the national apprenticeship program, we will be able to build that connection between what was learned in the classroom and real-world work. With widespread unemployment due to the coronavirus, that link is needed now more than ever. I thank Chairman Scott for including the outlying areas in this program and for his work to update this law first enacted in 1937. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from the Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers. [From AWFS, Jan. 29, 2021] AWFS Stands in Support of National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 Anaheim, CA.--The Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS), a national trade association for the wood industry and owner/operator of the AWFSFair trade show, is in support of the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. AWFS has officially signed on as a supporter of the Act. ``Our industry, comprised primarily of small businesses, is experiencing a skills gap,'' says AWFS Executive Vice President Angelo Gangone. ``We need to utilize all tools and resources available to us to attract and train new talent, including apprenticeships.'' The expanded opportunities to Registered Apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships made available through the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 will help small wood manufacturers who lack the capacity to create an apprenticeship on their own. Congressman Robert Scott (D-VA- 3), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor has introduced the bill (H.R. 447), an amendment of the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937. According to Rep. Scott, the Act ``will begin to bring America's investments in apprenticeship more in line with countries around the world'' as ``our peer industrialized nations spend roughly six times as much as a share of GDP on apprenticeships as the U.S.'' ``There are multiple successful U.S. apprenticeship models comprised of companies collaborating together and with local school and community partners.'' says Gangone. ``This is a critical element that will help us solve the workforce gap and strengthen our industry into the future.'' The Act's encouragement for employers, industry associations, labor and joint labor-management organizations, education and training providers, credential providers, and apprentices to work together to establish and expand apprenticeships will have a meaningful impact on the skilled workforce and the future of industry careers.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Assuring You Uniform Dietary Assistance (AYUDA) Act, making the Northern Mariana Islands part of the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). My bill ensures individuals and families in our islands who rely on this help to put food on the table are treated equitably and receive similar levels of assistance available in other parts of our nation. Inclusion in SNAP for the people I represent remains a priority goal for me. I first introduced the AYUDA Act in the 112th Congress. And in the years since, a pilot program has demonstrated the feasibility of including the Northern Marianas in SNAP. Taking this action will avoid future disruption in vital food aid. And it will relieve the administrative burden on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to manage a one-off, block grant for our islands when right next door in the U.S. territory of Guam SNAP works perfectly well. The current block grant approach to food aid for the Northern Marianas continues to reduce assistance to those in need compared to other Americans. Because the arbitrarily capped block grant funds do not automatically respond to changing economic conditions, families in need face the prospect that their benefits will be reduced or cut off completely. In fact, just last October, the Commonwealth government stated it had no choice but to remove households from eligibility for the new fiscal year due to insufficient funds. Moreover, benefits were substantially cut by 25 percent on October 1, 2020. The time has now come to right the disparity that keeps the majority- minority community I represent excluded from this critical safety net program that has kept millions of Americans from going hungry during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when the Marianas economy continues to be shut due to the coronavirus crisis, I urge my colleagues to support this bill so that those in need are not treated differently simply because of where they live in America.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, President-elect Biden has pledged to address the healthcare disparity in minority communities that the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare. One longstanding disparity is that our national Medicaid program does not reach all Americans with full coverage. The Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are subject to a hard, statutory limit on federal Medicaid support, unlike the states and the District of Columbia. This cap means that preventative care and treatment for the poorest Americans in the insular areas will always be less available than for Americans elsewhere. The final Obama-Biden administration budget proposal, for fiscal year 2017, addressed this systemic inequity by proposing an alignment of insular area Medicaid programs with the rest of the nation, first by removing the cap on Medicaid funding, so that it would no longer operate as a block grant in any insular area. Congress has also acknowledged this inequity. We acted to provide more Medicaid funding for the insular areas by substantially lifting the cap through P.L. 116-94, Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020. Provisions in P.L. 116-127, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act created equity between the states and the insular areas with respect to the increase in the federal-local match for Medicaid. Families First, also, provided additional federal dollars for the insular area Medicaid programs. But our actions were temporary. These funding increases expire at the end of fiscal year 2021. Now, Congress must act again. And in doing so, we must create an enduring policy that safeguards the health of the poorest Americans in our insular areas. To achieve that goal, I am introducing the Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act. My bill aligns with President-elect Biden's pledge to address healthcare disparities in minority communities by repealing the arbitrary cap on Medicaid for Americans in the insular areas. By repealing the cap, we will be doing more than just ensuring there are sufficient resources to face the coronavirus crisis. We will be setting up the healthcare systems in the insular areas to respond to the next public health challenge, whatever it may be. Most important of all, we will ensure that day-after-day and year-by-year those with the smallest incomes and no access to other insurance receive the care that will keep them healthy and help ward off debilitating disease. We will, also, be providing a level of certainty to healthcare providers--in the public and private sector--that will encourage investment in the health industry in the insular areas, which by any measure lags the rest of the nation. And by doing so we will create a virtuous cycle of rising quality of care powered by rising access that will benefit all at every income level. The pandemic has brought home this truth: none of us can truly remain well, while some of us are ill. Now it is time for Congress to fully commit to making sure the poorest in the insular areas are treated equitably. I thank my colleagues who joined me in introducing this legislation-- Chairman McGovern, Chairwoman Velazquez, Chairwoman DeLauro, Chairman Nadler, Mr. Cleaver II, Mr. San Nicolas, Ms. Radewagen, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Lee, Ms. Moore, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Sires, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Garcia, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Carson, Mr. Case, Ms. Clarke, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Napolitano, Ms. Norton, Ms. Meng, Mr. Castro, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Trone, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Gonzalez-Colon, Ms. Kelly, and Ms. Chu.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7105, the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, includes my bill helping get more funding for operations and maintenance to locally-run, veterans cemeteries nationwide. My legislation, H.R. 5487, increases the amount the VA can grant for this purpose each year from $5 million to $10 million. As more veterans choose to be buried close to their home, more states, territories, and tribal governments are applying for funding from the VA to help cover the costs of operating and maintaining local veterans cemeteries. And, while the list of applications grows, the amount the Department can award has not. Under current law, no more than $5 million can be awarded per year to meet the needs of over 100 cemeteries. H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act updates that authorization by a modest $5 million. The Act will help veteran cemeteries in every state, territory, and tribal nation, remain the dignified and well-maintained resting places our veterans deserve. I know in my own district, the Northern Mariana Islands, the veterans cemetery, built with federal funds, faces challenges in this respect. Veterans' families have come to me for help and this bill responds. I know my co-sponsor, Representative Steil, shares this concern for the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in his district, as do other Members for the cemeteries that serve their constituents. And I know the members of this House are committed to honoring our nation's veterans and their families, who have sacrificed so much to ensure our country remains safe and free. I thank Chairman Takano and Senator Tester for all their support to include into H.R. 7105 this important measure. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 7105.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, the conference report to accompany H.R. 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act, includes my bills ensuring my district, the Northern Mariana Islands, and other insular areas are included in additional federal programs as well as improving career education for military spouses. Businesses in the Marianas will have further access to federal Small Business Administration programs under the terms of my Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act, included in the final version of the NDAA. My bill, H.R. 6021, makes the Marianas eligible for funding to establish a Small Business Development Center Lead Center. With additional funding, small businesses on Saipan, Tinian and Rota will have improved access to free or low-cost services such as incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs, business planning, operations, and other areas required for small business start-up, growth and success. It will, also, provide technical assistance from the Federal and State Technology program to Marianas small businesses interested in seed funding from the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The NDAA also includes the two bills I authored to expand education opportunities in our islands. H.R. 6786 includes the Marianas in the Defense Department's STARBASE education program, which aims to improve students' skills in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). STARBASE partners military installations with schools having high proportions of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. Additionally included in the NDAA is my bill, H.R. 4614, adding the Marianas and other insular areas to the national AMBER alert system for finding missing children. AMBER alerts mobilize the community via radio, TV, and text messages and have helped locate almost one thousand children, since the system was created in 1996. My AMBER Alerts Nationwide Act will give law enforcement in the Marianas the financial and technical resources from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation to implement AMBER alerts in our community, hopefully saving lives. My bill also seeks to close gaps in coverage nationwide by specifying airports, seaports, and border crossing areas. And H.R. 7112, the Military Spouse Career Education Act, will help the spouses of service members finish their college degrees more quickly and get the training needed to re-license in their professions, when they must move to a new location under military orders. The spouses will be able to have the costs reimbursed for national tests like CLEP providing college credit and for required continuing education courses to maintain their career credentials. I urge the adoption of the conference report, so we can be sure that military spouses have more support in starting and maintaining careers, more small businesses in our country can fully benefit from the SBDC and FAST programs, more students can benefit from STEM education, and more lives can be saved with the help of AMBER Alerts. I thank Chairman Smith, Chairwoman Velazquez, Chairman Nadler, Chairman DeFazio, Senator Hirono, Senator Schatz, and Representatives Gabbard, Houlahan, and Banks for all their support to include into the NDAA these important measures. I ask my colleagues to support adoption of the conference report to accompany H.R. 6395.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, the Titus amendment is simple. It includes hospitality and tourism as an eligible industry for expansion of registered apprenticeship opportunities. The hospitality and tourism industry is a major source for the Marianas. The GAO's February 2020 report on Economic and Workforce Trends in the Marianas found that hospitality and tourism account for 45 percent of GDP. We are not unique. The industry is critical to many communities across the Nation, but it is considered a nontraditional industry for apprenticeships and has been unable to take full advantage of the apprenticeship system. The Titus amendment fixes that. As I stated earlier, for 83 years, the National Apprenticeship Act has helped local economies grow by providing career opportunities to young people. The Titus amendment guarantees that H.R. 8294 will build on that success by ensuring that the apprenticeship system is modernized to address the workforce needs of the 21st century. I support the Titus amendment and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' I also am grateful that the ranking member is supportive of the Titus amendment. I thank everyone for their consideration, and I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the American Hotel and Lodging Association. American Hotel & Lodging Association, November 18, 2020. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Republican Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy: On behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the sole national association representing all segments of the U.S. lodging industry, including iconic global brands, hotel owners and franchisees, lodging real estate investment trusts (REITs), hotel management companies, independent properties, bed and breakfasts, state hotel associations, and industry suppliers, I write in support of H.R. 8294, National Apprenticeship Act of 2020. This important legislation would expand the national apprenticeship system to include nontraditional apprenticeship industries and create a grant program to support registered apprenticeship, pre- apprenticeship, and youth apprenticeship programs. AHLA also strongly supports the bipartisan amendment offered by Representatives Dina Titus (NV-1) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) that would specifically identify the hospitality and tourism industries as a nontraditional apprenticeship industry under Sec. 201 of the Act. Prior to the pandemic, filling service positions was one of the hospitality industry's most significant challenges. According to the Department of Labor (DOL), it was estimated that nearly one million job vacancies remained unfilled. In order to meet the needs of the industry, AHLA and the AHLA Foundation, the charitable giving arm of the association, are developing innovative programs that invest in our workforce and are designed to open opportunities for underprivileged communities, build careers, and strengthen the lodging industry. The National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 would enable our Foundation to achieve this mission through grant programs specifically targeted to our industry. Additionally, the legislation updates the National Apprenticeship Act to provide the flexibility we need to reflect modem practices while maintaining the high standards set forth by DOL. On behalf of the more than 33,000 small business hotels, which represents over half of hotels in the country, and the millions of associates they employ, I urge the House of Representatives to swiftly pass H.R. 8294 and provide nontraditional apprenticeship industries, like the hospitality and tourism sectors, an avenue to continue to grow our workforce and support our communities. Thank you for your consideration of this critical matter. Sincerely, Brian Crawford, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8294. For 83 years, the National Apprenticeship Act has helped local economies grow by providing unprecedented career opportunities to young people. However, the National Apprenticeship Act has not supported apprenticeships in the Northern Mariana Islands and other insular areas. That inequity changes today. H.R. 8294 incorporates my bill, the Outlying Area Apprenticeship Expansion Act, investing more than $11.2 million over 5 years to create and expand apprenticeships to the insular areas. Our schools already provide students with the skills employers seek. But we need to build the connection between the classroom and real-world work. Apprenticeships provide that link. I thank Congresswoman Davis and Chairman Scott for their leadership on apprenticeships and for working with me to include a technical fix to fully include the insular areas in the act. With widespread unemployment due to the coronavirus, we need to help people get to work. H.R. 8294 will help accomplish that goal. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8294. I am going to miss Chairwoman Susan Davis as well.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I am introducing the Outlying Areas Apprenticeship Expansion Program, so the benefits of the National Apprenticeship Act are available to the people of the Northern Mariana Islands as in the rest of the United States. The National Apprenticeship Act has proven its value over the last 83 years, helping grow local economies and ushering young people into successful careers. Yet the Act does not support apprenticeships in the Marianas and other insular areas. My bill fixes that inequity, providing the annual funding necessary to support the creation of, and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs in the Marianas, and the rest of the smaller insular areas. Apprenticeship programs foster opportunity and innovation in fields affecting the well-being of people across the Nation, and help communities prepare for the future by developing workforces in crucial fields, like telecommunications and healthcare. I have every reason to believe that apprenticeship programs will similarly lift up the hardworking people of the Marianas, and other insular areas. I urge all my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, my legislation, H.R. 6021, ensures the 1,700 small businesses in my district can receive assistance through grants from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program and through FAST, the Federal and State Technology program. The Northern Mariana Islands is the only place in the U.S. not included in these Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, which help small businesses access the knowledge and capital needed to grow and compete successfully for federal contracting opportunities. H.R. 6021, the Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act, would correct that by ensuring Marianas businesses access to these SBA programs on the same basis as their counterparts across the nation. The Small Business Committee unanimously reported the bill favorably in March. Under my legislation, the Marianas can apply to establish a Lead SBDC, which would make available renewable funding to expand the reach and capacity of the existing SBDC service center on Saipan. With additional funding, small businesses on Saipan, Tinian and Rota will have better access to free or low-cost services such as incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs, business planning, operations, and other areas required for small business growth and success. H.R. 6021 would also help our small businesses participate in federal research and development opportunities. The legislation does this by including the Marianas in the SSA's FAST program which funds outreach and assistance to small businesses interested in competing for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. I want to also express my support for H.R. 6079, the Microloan Improvement Act, being considered by the House. The Act includes a provision from my bill, H.R. 2603, which provides Marianas small businesses owners access to the SBA's Microloan program. SBA microloans provide up to $50,000 typically not offered by banks for working capital or the acquisition of materials, supplies, or equipment. The program also provides marketing, management, and technical assistance to assist the women, low-income, veteran entrepreneurs in my district. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 6021 and H.R. 6079, so we can be sure that all small businesses in our country can fully benefit from the SBA's programs, regardless of where in our nation they happen to operate.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Insular Area Liquidity Act, which requires any department or agency of the federal government, awarding a grant to any of the four smaller insular areas, to provide at least 50 percent of the award amount up front in an advance payment as defined in 2 CFR 200.3. My bill will also require the awarding department or agency to provide enhanced grant management assistance and technical assistance to the recipients to assure the advanced funds are properly used. Unlike most states, the insular areas have limited cash flow. Our districts generally rely heavily on a single economy, tourism, that is highly sensitive to natural disasters and the economic fallout that follows. When that happens, and even in the best of times, insular government have little or no fiscal cushion. Of course, I am very grateful for the many grants the Marianas receives to shore up the limited resources of our islands and, of course, especially now to help respond to the coronavirus crisis. But many grants awarded require that the awardee spend their own capital up front to be reimbursed later. One result is that federal funds are slow to be spent and the projects and programs those funds are intended to support wait to be implemented. The legislation I am introducing today addresses this problem by providing an advanced payment of at least 50 percent of any grant awarded. Projects and programs would be less subject to delay. This advance award is not a new concept. Some federal grant programs already provide for an advance payment to recipients. The FEMA Public Assistance Grant program, to name one, under section 428 of the Robert T. Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288 provides a 100 percent advance on project cost estimates, thereby removing the burden of capital availability from the awardee. In the Marianas, we are still recovering from the devastation caused by 2018 Super Typhoon Yutu. And now we have the coronavirus pandemic, which has ground our tourism reliant economy to a halt and left our government short of funds. But capital limitations are not unique to the Marianas--it is a challenge shared by all of the insular areas. That is why I introduce this bill today, alongside my colleagues Mr. San Nicolas, Ms. Plaskett, and Mrs. Radewagen. I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the STEM Educator Awards Equity Act to ensure educators from the Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa are represented in the annual Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Established by Congress in 1983, the Presidential Award is the highest recognition that an elementary or secondary school mathematics or science teacher may receive in the United States. Over 4,800 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. Unlike the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Department of Defense schools, each of which may recognize a STEM educator, no more than two awards in total can go to teachers from the four insular areas: the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. This limitation has resulted in many years in which no teacher from one of those four areas is selected. No teacher from the Marianas, for instance, was selected this year. And this lack of recognition defeats the purpose of the program, which is to inspire excellence within each area and provide a role model for other local STEM educators to emulate. These statutory limits, also, unfairly deny deserving educators in the insular areas the national recognition and professional development opportunities we provide to STEM educators elsewhere in our nation. My bill provides a more equitable process by requiring awards to at least one teacher from each of the four areas. By ensuring teachers from all parts of America are represented, more students and schools will benefit from the expert-led training programs and collaboration opportunities available to awardees during their visit to our nation's capital. The gentlewoman from American Samoa, Mrs. Radewagen and the gentleman from Guam, Mr. San Nicolas, are original cosponsors of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, my amendment No. 330, which is included in the en bloc amendment No. 2, ensures the 1,700 small businesses in my district can receive assistance through grants from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program and through FAST, the Federal and State Technology program. My district, the Northern Mariana Islands, is the only place in the U.S. not included in these Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, which help small businesses access the knowledge and capital needed to grow and compete successfully for federal contracting opportunities. My bipartisan amendment would correct that by ensuring access on the same basis as their counterparts across the nation. The amendment is the text of my bill, H.R. 6021, the Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act. The Small Business Committee unanimously reported the bill favorably in March. Under my legislation, the Marianas can apply to establish a Lead SBDC, which would make available renewable funding to expand the reach and capacity of the existing SBDC service center on Saipan. With additional funding, small businesses on Saipan, Tinian and Rota will have better access to free or low-cost services such as incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs, business planning, operations, and other areas required for small business growth and success. The amendment would also help our small businesses participate in federal research and development opportunities. The legislation does this by including the Marianas in the SBA 's FAST program which funds outreach and assistance to small businesses interested in competing for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. I urge the adoption of my amendment, so we can be sure that all small businesses in our country can fully benefit from the SBDC and FAST programs, regardless of where in our nation they happen to operate. The gentlelady from American Samoa, Mrs. Radewagen, is a cosponsor of the amendment. I ask my colleagues to support the en bloc No. 2.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, I want to highlight how H.R. 2 helps America's schools. Schools began the coronavirus crisis already in significant need of repair, but revenue shortfalls caused by the virus are causing local governments to cut teaching staff. They cannot afford to invest in facilities. So H.R. 2 includes the Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act, a $100 billion plan of Federal investment from the Education and Labor Committee. Funds are front-loaded to address emergency needs to reconfigure schools to meet CDC guidelines. Our bill also helps the 16 million students nationwide without online access gain reliable, high-speed internet for digital instructions. And there is a special $500 million set aside for insular area schools, which are particularly challenged. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman DeFazio for this time to speak and also for adding the Marianas to the AMBER Alert system, which I asked for and is included in H.R. 2. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for H.R. 2, and the Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Military Spouse Career Education Act to help military spouses access the education they need to enter and excel in careers that require government-recognized credentials. My bill would help military spouses achieve their career goals by covering the costs of exams awarding college credit and continuing education units needed to maintain professional licenses and certifications. Military spouses participating in the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship Program would be able to finish their degrees faster by earning credit through exams such as the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST). CLEP and DSST award credit recognized by thousands of schools for a wide range of courses needed for degrees in health care, education, business, technology and other in-demand fields. Access to these alternatives to traditional classes provides spouses the ability to achieve their educational goals at their own pace while saving limited MyCAA funds for other expenses. Maintaining licenses and certifications would also be easier for MyCAA participants and spouses moving with their service member under permanent change of station orders. The Defense Department currently covers the cost of spouses' relicensing fees when relocating with their families. States and territories that do not recognize credentials from other jurisdictions may also require additional training. The Military Spouse Career Education Act reimburses spouses for the costs of continuing education units needed to keep their credentials and continue careers in their new place of residence. The gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Banks, is an original cosponsor of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce legislation to include the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa in the Department of Defense STARBASE Program. STARBASE is a grant program aimed at improving math and science skills through partnerships between military installations and schools with high proportions of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. STARBASE students participate in hands-on activities and real-world applications of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) led by military personnel in these career fields. The program primarily focuses on fifth graders including those historically underrepresented in STEM fields to attract and prepare them at an early age to pursue and succeed in related coursework and careers. STARBASE 2.0 focuses on middle school students in an after-school, mentor program format. Such a beneficial educational experience should be available to all students in our country including the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. The law establishing the STARBASE program currently defines ``state'' to include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. My legislation would ensure all U.S. territories are included in this definition. The gentlewoman from American Samoa, Mrs. Radewagen, is an original cosponsor of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, the coronavirus pandemic is exposing the gaps in our national healthcare system like never before. One of those gaps is that our national Medicaid program does not reach all Americans with full coverage. We have already acknowledged that deficiency, in part, with provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that created equity between the states and the territories with respect to the federal-local match for Medicaid. Families First, also, provided additional federal dollars for the territorial Medicaid programs. But the territorial programs still operate under an absolute cap for Medicaid assistance. No matter how many fall ill, no matter how costly or prolonged their treatment, that cap will always limit care in the territories. Now, as never before, we have also come to understand that, while some areas of our nation are ill, no area of our nation can be well. So, the time has come to repeal the cap on territories' Medicaid. The bill I am introducing does just that. By repealing the cap, we will be doing more than just ensuring there are sufficient resources to face the coronavirus crisis. We will be setting up the healthcare systems in the territories to respond to the next public health challenge, whatever it may. Most important of all, we will ensure that day-after-day and year-by-year those with the smallest incomes and no access to other insurance receive the care that will keep them healthy and help ward off debilitating disease. We will, also, be providing a level of certainty to healthcare providers--in the public and private sector--that will encourage investment in the health industry in the territories, which by any measure lags the rest of the nation. And by doing so we will create a virtuous cycle of rising quality of care powered by rising access that will benefit all at every income level. Today, we are confronted by a terrible health crisis. We can beat back the coronavirus, I am sure. But we can also do more. We can use this time to recognize that we are one nation, one people, who must work together not only to overcome the coronavirus, but also to create a system for tomorrow that safeguards the health of all Americans. Full-fledged membership in the national Medicaid program was a goal of the territories long before I came to Congress. Now the time has come for action. Because nothing exposes the gaps in our healthcare system more than a disease like coronavirus. I thank my colleagues who join in introducing this legislation-- Chairman Grijalva, Chairwoman Velazquez, Mr. San Nicolas, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. Garcia, Mr. Espaillat, and Mr. Serrano.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, the legislation we are considering to stop the coronavirus is not perfect. No legislation ever is, and we have more work to do. But even amid the crisis, we should not forget to say thank you. For the third time, Speaker Pelosi has led this House to respond forcefully to the coronavirus, to give healthcare providers resources, to give families financial aid, and to support workers and businesses. Throughout this unprecedented time, always the Speaker and her leadership team remembered that the United States of America includes the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for that I am grateful.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, even amid crisis--and particularly in these days of social distancing--we should not forget to say thank you. For the third time in as many weeks Speaker Pelosi has led this House to respond forcefully to the coronavirus. To give healthcare providers the resources they need to heal and halt the spread of this disease. To give families the financial aid they need to weather the crisis. And now to support the workers and businesses that are the heart of our economy. Throughout this unprecedented effort, negotiated at lightning speed late into many nights, with ideologies at loggerheads and the eye of history upon them, always the Speaker and her leadership team remembered the United States of America includes the people of the Mariana Islands. And for that I am grateful. The legislation we have enacted to stop the coronavirus is not perfect. No legislation ever is. We have more work to do, until we defeat this disease and revive our nation. But I can work every day confident in the knowledge the people of the Marianas are considered every bit as much a part of this battle as every other American--not to be left behind, not forgotten. And for that I am grateful.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Disabled Veterans Education Relief Act, which would reinstate VA education assistance for disabled veterans in vocational rehabilitation and employment (VR&E) training in the event their school closes or courses are disapproved. Section 109 of the Forever GI Bill law extended these protections to students using GI Bill benefits but did not include students using education benefits under the VR&E program. By extending these protections to the over 100,000 veterans who participate in the VR&E program every year, our nation will ensure that all veterans can access relief when their studies are disrupted by school closures or disapproved courses through no fault of their own. The bill requires the VA to protect VR&E students on the same basis as their counterparts using GI Bill benefits as mandated by section 109 of the Forever GI Bill law. These protections include the restoration of benefits for those affected by school closures or the course was disapproved as a result of a modified policy, regulation, or law. In addition, my legislation authorizes the VA to continue paying subsistence allowances to VR&E students through the end of the academic term during which such closure or disapproval occurred. VA will also be required to notify affected students of imminent and actual school closures and inform them how the closure will affect their VR&E benefits. The Act has the support of the Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Student Veterans of America, AMVETS, Association of the U.S. Navy, Military Officers Association of America, National Military Family Association, and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. The gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Bost, is an original cosponsor of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Northern Mariana Islands Coronavirus Emergency Assistance Act which would provide $100 million to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to respond to the severe loss of revenues for government operations resulting from the coronavirus' impact to our tourism industry. The funds will help avert the disruption of essential health and other public services to the people of my isolated district. The coronavirus outbreak has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and disrupted commerce worldwide but its impact has hit tourism- dependent jurisdictions like the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands particularly hard. Major hotels have less than 30 percent occupancy. Airlines serving our islands have cut routes. As a result, less funds will be available to provide health and other public services for the people of my district. Our Commonwealth's governor, Ralph Torres, declared a state of significant emergency on January 29 and implemented across-the-board budget cuts and austerity measures including a 20 percent cut to teachers' salaries and a 4-day school week. Last week, Acting Governor Arnold Palacios extended the state of emergency for another 30 days. Today, Governor Torres declared a price freeze on food, water, clothing, emergency supplies as well as fuel. Due to forces beyond our control, the people of my district are facing an emergency that requires me as their sole representative in Congress to act now and provide emergency assistance measures to ensure their health and safety. Yesterday, the House passed an $8 billion emergency supplemental funding bill that will help every part of our country respond to the coronavirus. However, these funds cannot be used to support general government operations such as public education. This is why I am introducing the Northern Mariana Islands Coronavirus Emergency Assistance Act to provide $100 million in fiscal support to ensure all members of my community, especially our seniors and children, can continue to access the care and education essential to their health, safety and families' well-being. The bill is fully paid for using sales from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve which was valued at an estimated $42 billion according to the Government Accountability Office. I urge my colleagues to support Northern Mariana Islands Coronavirus Emergency Assistance Act.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. I have been working for the last dozen years to make the transition to Federal immigration policy in the Marianas as least difficult as possible. In 2018, with Chairman Rob Bishop's essential help, we protected the rights of U.S. workers against the unfair competition from foreign workers in the Marianas' economy with Public Law 115-218. Last year, President Trump signed Public Law 116-24 and helped us convert about 1,000 people living under administrative parole into residents with a permanent legal status in the Marianas only, not eligible for any public charge at all. Just last week, the administration issued the necessary guidance to allow those 1,000 people to begin the application process, and I am very grateful to the President and to everyone at USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security for their support. Today's bill, H.R. 560, continues this work of smoothing over the rough places in the application of national immigration law to my isolated district. H.R. 560 provides the same permanent status--in the Marianas only-- that President Trump approved for parolees in June. This time, we want to give stability to a small group of investors who were in the Marianas even before Federal immigration. They have been holding on with short-term visas ever since, never certain from year to year about their business investments. We want to give the same certainty to a group of long-term workers-- some of whom have been in the Marianas for 40 years--and to the businesses that employ them. The Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on H.R. 560 last February. Our Republican Governor, the Honorable Ralph Torres, testified in favor of the bill. The Trump administration did not take a position, but their witness said: ``Without a sustained labor force, projected investment in the CNMI likely will wither.'' Well, we can do something to avoid that consequence by passing H.R. 560. Again, this bill is Marianas only. It has bipartisan support. Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop are both cosponsors, for which I am grateful. Madam Speaker, I ask all Members now to vote in favor.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, I thank the chairwoman for yielding. Madam Chair, I cannot imagine. I come from a district where we are the typhoon alley. A little over a year ago, the second largest storm since 1935 that hit the United States hit my island, and that was subsequent to another typhoon that hit my island just a year before that. But for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, for Puerto Rico in particular, two major storms hit the islands, and before the people even had a chance to truly get their lives back in order, earthquakes. Those homes that were not destroyed by the storms are now destroyed by the earthquakes. Madam Chair, in a previous administration, I was a Special Assistant for Management and Budget, and we did an analysis of what it would be like to apply the U.S. Internal Revenue Code fully to the Marianas. We would lose more money if we change Federal taxes than if we don't. So I support the bill, and I ask for its passage.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act, which helps get important operations and maintenance funding to locally-run veterans cemeteries nationwide faster by increasing the amount of grant funds the Department of Veterans Affairs can award for this purpose each year from $5 million to $10 million. Our nation's veterans and their families have sacrificed so much to ensure that our country remains safe and free. While we may never fully repay these men and women for their sacrifices, we must do more to ensure their final resting place, whether in a national cemetery or a locally-run veterans cemetery like the CNMI Veterans Cemetery on Saipan, is operated and maintained with the high standards their families expect and deserve. As more veterans choose to be buried closer to home, more states, territories and tribal governments have applied for funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs to help cover the increasing costs of operating and maintaining their own veterans cemeteries. While the list of pending applications grows, the amount of grants the Department can award each year by law has not. Under current law, no more than $5 million in operations and maintenance grants can be awarded per year. The Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act updates the $5 million cap to $10 million so more cemeteries can receive the funding they need to keep up with the rising cost of maintaining them. Increasing the cap to $10 million is critical as the need for operations and maintenance grant funding grows consistent with the growth of new and expanded cemeteries. The Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act will help expedite federal support for the over one hundred veteran cemeteries across our country operated by states, tribal nations and territories including my district, the Northern Mariana Islands. The Act has the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion. The gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Steil, is an original cosponsor of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.