Senator from Oregon The bill S. 256, long title "To amend Public Law 93–435 with respect to the Northern Mariana Islands, providing parity with Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa," is a bill that was introduced into the 113th United States Congress.

[2] The bill would convey ownership of submerged lands to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) from the mean high tide seaward to the point that is three geographical miles from its coastline.

[2] The legislation also would include the CNMI among the islands where the United States may establish a naval defensive perimeter.

[2] Based on information from the Department of the Interior, the CBO estimates that implementing S. 256 would have no significant cost to the federal government.

[4] The explanation given was that wages in the CNMI were rising too quickly and the economy was in too poor a state to handle another $0.50 increase.

[4] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.