Lawmakers urge review of Covenant

Calls for a review of the Covenant agreement between the CNMI and the United States echoed through the House of Representatives during its Dec. 5, 2025, session on Capitol Hill.

The Covenant, which established the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in political union with the United States, created a self-governing U.S. commonwealth and outlines the CNMI’s unique political relationship with the federal government.

Rep. Angelo A. Camacho said the changing economic landscape and shifting community needs demand a fresh look at the agreement.

“Economic challenges and shifting community needs are far different from those our leaders envisioned when the Covenant was created. As representatives of the people of the CNMI, it is our duty to ensure that this foundational agreement still works for the CNMI, considering potential modifications. It's not about breaking our relationship with the United States. It is about strengthening it, making sure the terms of our union remain fair, relevant, and responsive to the realities our people face,” he said.

Camacho called for a responsible and open review of Covenant provisions that may require updating.

“This process must include our community legal experts, traditional leaders, and our federal partners. Our goal is simple: to protect the long-term well-being, self-governance, and future opportunities of the people we serve. Let us move forward with clarity, respect, and unity as we examine the Covenant and explore how it better serves the Commonwealth today and future generations to come.”

Rep. Thomas John D. Manglona seconded Camacho’s call, saying that while the Covenant’s intentions were good at the time of its creation, “we are at a turning point in our history.”

“And things are not only changing here, but they're changing globally, and we must move with the times,” he said.

Manglona also urged Gov. David M. Apatang to raise key CNMI concerns at the next round of 902 consultations—the high-level talks between the CNMI and U.S. governments to discuss issues affecting their relationship.

“I think it's very vital that we have a seat at the table as leaders with our federal government to see and discuss our Covenant agreement—what's working, what's not, and how we can improve it. And I think at the very least, we were guaranteed a chance to be economically stable and viable. And at this point in our history, we have not been able to accomplish that fully.”

Floor leader Rep. Marissa Flores tied the renewed interest in the Covenant to the ongoing debate over deep-sea mining, after the federal government issued a Request for Information and Interest for commercial leasing of outer continental shelf seabed critical minerals offshore of the CNMI.

“This deep-sea mining has really sparked conversation, not just about royalties and long-term funding avenues, but the actual premise of the Covenant and what it meant to the founders when they designed the framework,” she said. “It's time that these discussions happen now so that we can protect future generations from missed opportunities or messages that are misconstrued because the Covenant wasn't as clear or didn't really protect.”

She also highlighted the distinction between sovereignty and self-determination.

“Because we have sovereignty as indigenous people. But the fact that we need to self-determine our economic success, our stance in our relationship with the United States—that's a totally different conversation... Not even attorneys and judges can truly define what sovereignty is. The Native Americans are still having a hard time trying to figure that out. But self-determination allows us enough leverage to emphasize our autonomy and who we are as a people of the Commonwealth.”

Flores also cited historical inconsistencies in the 902 process and questioned the impact of past consultations.

“Compilations of the documents from the past 902 consultations indicate that discussions have resulted in U.S. position papers, proposed legislative or regulatory changes, or interagency agreements—period. However, no official or final report to the president or Congress was ever issued. So where did this paper go in 2017 if it didn't make Congress or didn't make the president's desk?” she asked. “We can continue to have these conversations, but until we can move and have these consultations presented to the president, introduced in Congress... And I know Delegate [Kimberlyn] King-Hinds is fighting fiercely and strongly, but also playing friendly and fair because we know it's a lion's den over there. It's not the same as here.”

Flores urged Apatang to include House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez in the next 902 delegation, saying: “I think that for us to have a truly transparent dialogue and be fully accountable to Big Brother, our speaker must be informed with the information that is being passed down from the president to the governor and then to the Legislature through his guidance.”

Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, for his part, said any discussion about renegotiating the Covenant must address the CNMI’s dire workforce shortages.

“The United States is entering a new era now, where data centers are being built throughout the country. And according to the U.S., they are going to need at least 600,000 electricians. So that opens up, I guess, the H-1B or H-2B visas to enter the U.S. We need to look at that carefully and include us—or have the CNMI take control of—guest employees coming into the CNMI, as well as the visa waiver program,” he said, noting that Puerto Rico attracted more than 7 million tourists last year with the help of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

Meanwhile, Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas said the recent challenges involving medically displaced residents on Tinian highlight gaps in how agencies handle off-island care.

San Nicolas noted that a letter from Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. leadership to Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan attempted to clarify CHCC’s position but also underscored issues the Legislature must confront as it considers support for residents forced to relocate for medical treatment.

He said CHCC has stated that long-term housing for displaced patients is outside its mandate and suggested the municipality seek help from other agencies. CHCC also said it can only arrange air travel for Medicaid beneficiaries with existing travel benefits. While acknowledging the hospital’s transparency, San Nicolas emphasized that Public Law 22-33 outlines broader responsibilities.

He pointed to statutory requirements for CHCC’s Health Network Program to help eligible residents obtain care not available on their home islands—an obligation that clearly includes patients from Tinian and Rota who lack access to dialysis and oncology services. The law also anticipates funding shortfalls and directs CHCC to seek supplemental appropriations from the governor and Legislature rather than shift responsibilities to municipal governments.

San Nicolas added that the Off-Island Medical Referral Program was fully transferred to CHCC, and nowhere does the law assign the financial burden of long-term patient housing to the Tinian mayor or municipality. Although the Tinian mayor has pledged continued coordination, San Nicolas said such assistance does not include assuming responsibilities assigned to CHCC by statute.

He reminded colleagues that the Legislature has acted quickly in the past to support CHCC—including adjusting its utility rate classification to ease financial pressures—and said the same level of consideration should be extended to medically displaced residents who leave their islands out of necessity and deserve consistent, compassionate support under existing programs.