Legislative Activity

This act, the Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Access Act, amends the Small Business Act to officially include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the federal microloan program. This change expands access to crucial microloans for small businesses operating in the CNMI. The bill also includes a minor technical correction to the existing statute.

The Territorial De Minimis Exemption Act establishes an $800 duty-free import limit for articles originating from covered U.S. territories, including the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. It also expands the existing bona fide gift exemption to include the Northern Mariana Islands. Furthermore, the bill requires the President to consult with relevant Secretaries to avoid negatively impacting territory commerce when making broad trade policy changes.

This bill, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa Criminal Justice Support Act, updates federal law to clarify the inclusion of the Northern Mariana Islands within the definition of "State" under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The primary change involves simplifying the statutory language to ensure accurate and streamlined reference to the territory. This technical amendment supports consistent application of federal criminal justice provisions.

The Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare (TRAVEL) Act of 2025 authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to assign existing physicians as traveling doctors to provide essential healthcare services in U.S. territories and possessions for up to one year. These traveling physicians will receive special relocation or retention bonuses in addition to their regular salary. Furthermore, the bill extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until December 31, 2032.

The UNITY Act aims to improve federal disaster response and workforce stability in geographically isolated, noncontiguous communities. It mandates studies by FEMA on retaining staff in these remote areas and by the GAO on improving disaster recovery coordination compared to mainland areas. Additionally, the bill establishes a pilot program for FEMA to test new technologies for preliminary damage assessments in these hard-to-reach locations.

The CNMI Ferry Act updates federal law to ensure the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is eligible for infrastructure funding dedicated to ferry services. This legislation broadens the definition of "ferry service" and explicitly designates all areas within the CNMI as "rural areas" for funding purposes. The Act mandates that funding rules must now include provisions for establishing and operating eligible ferry services within the CNMI.

The Heroes Owning and Materializing Equity (HOME) Act of 2025 aims to improve VA home loan processes for veterans. It mandates clearer guidance for lenders on veteran residual income and establishes voluntary financial counseling options. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to create a database of pre-adapted homes for sale and mandates proactive outreach to veterans residing in U.S. Territories regarding their benefits.

The Medicaid Improvement for Insular Areas Act of 2025 aims to significantly boost healthcare funding in U.S. territories. This bill eliminates the existing federal spending caps on Medicaid for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Effective in fiscal year 2025, this change ensures these territories receive full federal Medicaid support without current funding restrictions.

The Marianas Air Service Improvement Act amends existing federal aviation law to specifically exempt locations in the Northern Mariana Islands from certain air service requirements. This change aligns the Northern Mariana Islands with Alaska and Hawaii, which already benefit from this exemption. Essentially, the bill adjusts federal regulations concerning air service for the territory.

The "Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act" amends the Wagner-Peyser Act to include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa in key provisions, such as the definition section, unemployment compensation law requirements, and allotment provisions. Beginning in the first fiscal year after 2025, if funding exceeds 2025 levels, both the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa will receive allotments equal to half the amount allotted to Guam.