131 



COMMONWEALTH OF 



THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS 



Statement of Jesus C. Borja 



June 1, 1995 



District of Guam, except that in the case of American Samoa, the 

 appropriate court is the United States District Court for the 

 District of Hawaii." 42 



The District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands has the 



43 



jurisdiction of any District Court of the United States. " There 



is no reason why it should not have jurisdiction over Magnuson 

 Act cases arising in the waters surrounding the Northern Mari- 

 anas. 



CONCLUSION 



Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, a little over 

 twelve years ago I sat downstairs in this building discussing 

 these same issues. As a member of the Northern Mariana Islands 

 Commission on Federal Laws, it was my honor to discuss what prop- 

 er fisheries policy in the Northern Mariana Islands would be with 

 my colleagues on the Commission, including, among others, such 

 notables as the late Honorable Phillip Burton, of California, and 



42 18 U.S.C. sec. 1861(d) 



43 48 U.S.C. sec. 1694a. 



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