U.S. Senate Debate Centers on CNMI Visa Program

At the U.S. Senate today, Senator Rick Scott spoke about the Northern Mariana Islands while seeking unanimous consent to pass his One Nation, One Visa Policy Act, which would end visa-free travel for Chinese nationals to the CNMI.

Senator Martin Heinrich objected to the bill's passage, arguing that eliminating the current visa waiver program would harm the CNMI's economy and that existing safeguards already balance national security with the islands' economic needs.

Heinrich also said the Electronic Visa System for Travel Authorization (EVS-TAP) should remain in place and noted that he was speaking up because the CNMI does not have representation in the U.S. Senate.

Watch the full exchange from the U.S. Senate floor.

This is a developing story on Marianas Press.