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Senate

Legislative Session

2026-07-16 Issue 116 Showing 1–2 of 2

Official Congressional Record ↗

Jeff Merkley

Democrat

“I want to say some nice words about a new senator. I hope people will work with him. That's my whole speech.”

Martin Heinrich

Democrat

“I don't like this bill. It will hurt the Northern Mariana Islands. They need tourism. We already have a program to check visitors. It is very hard for people from China to visit now. Only 18 people came last year. Our program is good for security and good for the islands. This bill would make things worse. I want to work on security. But I don't want to hurt the islands. So I say no to this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, in reserving the right to object, this bill will needlessly punish the Northern Mariana Islands and significantly--or I should say further--harm its tourist economy, which is the islands' largest source of revenue and jobs. There is a current program in place. The current program requires any visitors who come to the Northern Mariana Islands through this program to undergo a two-step vetting process by the Department of Homeland Security, including having an in-person interview. That program has already reduced visitation from the PRC from over 185,000 visitors down to 18 in 2026--not 18,000 but 18. The purpose is to ensure that visitors do not pose any risk to the United States but allow the islands' economy to grow. The current visa program was put in place after a long and thoughtful consultation between the United States and our territory the Northern Mariana Islands. It successfully balances both our national security needs and supports the economic vitality of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Northern Mariana Islands are more than just an American territory; they are one of our most important partners in the Pacific to actually counter China's influence in this critical theater. We can't ask them to further decimate their tourism economy. This legislation, as well meaning as it is, would certainly undermine the stability of our partner and American territory. We should not abolish the program. Instead, we need to ensure the Department of Homeland Security is doing sufficient screening to prevent visitation that poses a risk. The Northern Mariana Islands do not have a voice in the Senate, and that is why I am objecting today in support of our partner in the Pacific. While I oppose the passage of this bill, I do stand ready to work with Senator Scott and others to support the security of our Nation in a way that does not harm the people and government of the Northern Mariana Islands. So I object to the request.

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