CELEBRATING COVENANT DAY

CELEBRATING COVENANT DAY

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 55 (Tuesday, March 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 24, 2026)] [House] [Page H2638] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING COVENANT DAY (Ms. King-Hinds of the Northern Mariana Islands was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. KING-HINDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 50th anniversary of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in political union with the United States of America. I do so thinking about the generations before me. My grandmother's generation, a generation that came through war and hardship, lived in a time when survival, not opportunity, was the priority. They experienced conflict, uncertainty, and change in ways that shaped how they understood the world around them. They did not grow up debating policy, yet they were raised to deal with the consequences of it. From that experience, they made a clear decision about what kind of future they wanted. Fifty years ago, the people of the Northern Marianas chose that future. On March 24, 1976, the Covenant became law following years of negotiation between our leaders and the United States. Those negotiations were deliberate and sustained, resulting in a political union that reflected the will of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. Nearly 79 percent of our people said yes. They chose to join the United States because they believed in its system of government, in its institutions, and in the opportunities that relationship could provide. That decision placed the Northern Mariana Islands within the broader American story. As this country approaches 250 years, we reflect on its founding as well. That history has continued to develop as new lands, communities, and people have chosen to join and contribute to it. The Covenant is part of that history. It established a relationship unlike any other. The Northern Mariana Islands remain the only U.S. territory to enter into this kind of voluntary, negotiated political union with the United States. It reflects a union grounded in mutual consent and a shared commitment between the Northern Marianas and the United States. Mr. Speaker, for 50 years, our people have carried that commitment forward. Our people serve in the United States Armed Forces at one of the highest rates in the Nation. They contribute through public service. They live and work in a region that remains central to the future of this country. This anniversary also invites us to look at where things stand today. The purpose of that union was to create a future where people in the Northern Marianas could build stable lives with access to opportunity, security, and economic growth. Back home, any honest assessment shows that outcome is not yet fully realized. Our people chose to be a part of this country and the vast seas of opportunity it represents because it stood for freedom and the ability to determine their own future. Federal policy has too often stood in the way of that goal, limiting growth and holding back the very progress that choice was meant to achieve. Our people continue to face real challenges. The economy is still recovering. Families are making the decision to leave in droves. Conditions on the ground do not always reflect what people expect from life in the United States, and Federal policy does not always respond to those realities but instead work as barriers. Honoring the Covenant requires continuing the work set in motion 50 years ago. Our people made a choice to become part of this country. Today, Congress has a choice as well: to show what American ideals actually look like in practice and what is possible when people are given the room to build, grow, and reach for opportunity no matter where they live. {time} 1230 It means strengthening the ability of the Northern Mariana Islands to build a stable economy, sustain our islands, and give families a real opportunity to remain at home and build their lives. That was the intent behind the decision made by our people, and it remains the work in front of us as we mark 50 years as Americans. On this day, I look back to the strength of my grandmother's generation and to the leaders who forged this union. I recognize and express my appreciation to the negotiators of the Covenant, including Pedro A. Tenorio and Vicente T. Camacho who remain with us today and to all those who continue to carry forward the vision that they set in motion. ``I salute you beautiful Northern Marianas''; ``Mit beses yan Mas. Hu Saluda hao. Gatbo na Islas Marianas.'' Thank you. May God bless the United States of America, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and this union we commemorate today. ____________________