by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - An oversight hearing was held in Washington, DC this morning on the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 establishing the new Guam CNMI Visa Waiver Program. The measure also led to the federal takeover of immigration in the CNMI.

Last week the Government Accountability Office issued a report highlighting the fact that a lack of finalized regulations were hampering the law's implementation. Among those in attendance was Governor Felix Camacho along with Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Tony Babauta.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, who chaired the oversight, says it's clear that greater cooperation is needed within the Executive Branch and between the Department of Homeland Security and the CNMI government in order for the effective implementation of federal immigration control in the commonwealth. She added that progress must also be made particularly with respect to implementing the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program and permanent inclusion of Chinese and Russian visitors.