For more than ten years, Congressman Miller and his colleagues have repeatedly pressed for reform of the laws governing the Northern Mariana Islands to end abuse of garment workers and threats to America’s security. Hearings have never been held in the House of Representatives on this issue during all that time. Last year, Miller intensified his effort to gain a hearing in Congress as additional information about the role of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Rep. Tom Delay on this matter came to light. Miller called for an investigation into potential wrongdoing regarding Abramoff, members of the House of Representatives and their staff, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Below is a timeline of that effort.

April 14, 2005: Representative George Miller's initial request for an investigation by the House Resources Committee.

May 9, 2005: Resources Chairman Richard Pombo responded, requesting a “full and complete document log” in a “three-ring binder, annotated.”

May 11, 2005: Rep. Miller renewed his request for an investigation, including extensive documentation.

June 30, 2005: Chairman Pombo and Rep. Nick Rahall referred the request to the Department of Justice.

July 18, 2005: Representative Miller wrote to the Department of Justice, expanding on the Resources Committee’s referral.

October 6, 2005: Representatives Miller, Conyers, Delahunt, Bordallo and Rahall wrote to the Department of Justice, requesting an outside special counsel to investigate whether Jack Abramoff prevented the release of a review of CNMI immigration issues.

November 14, 2005: Department of Justice reply to lawmakers on outside counsel request, assuring them that the Office of the Inspector General had initiated an investigation.

December 6, 2005: Representative Miller wrote again to the Resources Committee, renewing and expanding of his request that the Committee immediately open an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing involving Mr. Abramoff, his associates, and their relationship with members of Congress, their staff, and federal agencies.

January 11, 2006: Representatives Miller, Conyers, Delahunt, Bordallo and Rahall again wrote to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales with their concern that only an outside counsel investigation could determine the extent of Jack Abramoff’s wrongdoing.

June 9, 2006: Tom DeLay’s Final Day in Congress

June 29, 2006: Jack Abramoff begins his time in jail for convictions on conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion.

Immigration loopholes and human rights abuses: A timeline of Congressional inaction

We post many documents in .pdf format. Please visit Adobe to download the free viewer if you do not already have this capability.