By Bryan Manabat
Saipan—Kimberlyn King-Hinds, the CNMI’s delegate-elect, is set to enter the halls of the U.S. Congress at a critical moment amid the territory’s growing role in U.S. homeland defense and power projection in the Pacific region.
“I have committed myself to serving the people of the CNMI in Congress because I have witnessed firsthand the substantial impact of federal policies on our lives,” said King-Hinds, a Republican who won the CNMI’s five-way race for the delegate seat in the Nov. 5 midterm elections.
King-Hinds, a lawyer by profession, will succeed Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan, who decided not to seek another term after representing the CNMI as a non-voting delegate for 15 years. She will inherit the task of advocating for the CNMI’s interests.
King-Hinds noted that the level of federal engagement with the CNMI has significantly increased in recent years due to national security concerns. The CNMI’s strategic role in national and regional defense has prompted increased levels of federal and military investments.
“However, supporting our country’s security should not come at the expense of our ability to grow and develop resources that enable true self-governance,” said the former chair of the Commonwealth Port Authority’s board of directors.
“A weakened private sector has necessitated greater levels of collaboration with the federal government. More than ever, we need to engage our federal government and effectively communicate our needs to ensure that the actions of our government support the growth and well-being of our people,” she added.
But King-Hinds said she cannot do it alone. “Achieving this for the Marianas will require a true partnership, and fostering an open, constructive relationship with the leadership of the executive branch is a critical first step in our work in Congress,” she said. "The job of the delegate is to be your voice and I cannot do it alone. I need everybody's help. I need everybody to come and have a seat at the table to have these conversations.”
King-Hinds campaigned for a stronger economy. Her economic platform is founded on a three-pronged approach: restoring tourism, resolving the labor situation before the CW program ends in 2029, and addressing the utilities issue.
Among her top priorities is the resumption of Annex VI, a halted federal policy that exempted the CNMI from the cap on round-trip flights between the U.S. and China.
"I've been working on it even before this election. We need to open up all markets. Some folks say that nothing is stopping tourists from China from landing now, but the truth is that without direct flights, visitors will not come here,” she said.
Travel agents face difficulties in pitching the Northern Marianas as a preferred destination. “Most of the folks who want to come out here to vacation have to fly eight hours— from wherever their location is— to Korea just to be able to get here. It's not very competitive, right? They're going to shorter destinations where there are more amenities, more things to do, and we just can't compete at that level at this moment," King-Hinds said. “We got to fix and remove the barriers now that are stopping our tourism industry from fully thriving."
King-Hinds is also proposing to either draft a new CNMI-Only Transitional Worker program or extend it.
To boost recruitment of U.S. workers in the CNMI, Public Law 115-218 extended the CW-1 program through Dec. 31, 2029, and established a CW-1 cap for each fiscal year. For 2025, the CW-1 cap is at 9,000.
While an extension may be the fastest route to keep the program intact, King-Hinds prefers a whole new program. “I think what we need to do is revamp it so that it is seen as more friendly,” she said.
The CW-1 visa classification is processed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Chicago.
“These processing times are taking too long. We need boots on the ground to be able to do the temporary labor certifications, and folks are not waiting,” King-Hinds said. “That's just unacceptable.”
Any new policy has to consider the CNMI’s economic conditions and “that conversation needs to be had with our federal partners," King-Hinds said.
Her goal is to empower the local Department of Labor, which works closely with its federal counterpart, to have the labor certifications processed in the CNMI.
"Elections are mandates and the people have decided to pick me as the team captain for the CNMI at the federal level,” King-Hinds said. “That's the game plan, but aside from that, I would like to be a delegate who consistently engages community stakeholders.”
King-Hinds said she will meet with Gov. Arnold Palacios to discuss his administration policy priorities. "This position can assist him to be able to accomplish some of those priorities, and to also assist with the follow-ups for the 902 consultation, and to make sure that it stays as a hot-topic agenda item that needs to be addressed,” she said.
“The election is over. We all work for the people and we have to put politics aside. I'm going to reach across all the aisles to be able to have those conversations,” she added.
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