Local food

U.S. Senate aides have asked the Government Accounting Office to sit on their Immigration report for 30 days, according to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial (Saipan Tribune, Marianas Variety)

I don't doubt it for a second, though I wonder why. The Senators, Representatives and staff members behind this bill have fast-tracked federal control of CNMI immigration since day one. No beltway opposition has popped up in public.

We should be surprised that it hasn't passed yet. I've read that the earlier bill was sailing through until Okie Sen. Tom Coburn got a wild hair about guns in National Parks. From the comments I've seen out of Washington, last year's Minimum Wage bill was and is more controversial.

So S.2739 looks like a done deal, but these staffers don't want to take any chances. Who's going to read it anyway? A lot of people in the CNMI, of course, because we're directly affected. U.S. Senators? Not bloody likely unless it's their bill. Try to imagine how many reports they get in one year. They'll read a summary or get a briefing from someone in their office.

Still, we can complain. In the Saipan Tribune or Marianas Variety. That will be read locally and by the Office of Insular Affairs, which drafted the bill. Oh yeah, and probably by some Senate staffers, likely the ones that wanted the report 'suppressed'.

So I guess this is for local consumption. Bota, bota.