Democratic control of the 110th Congress made tonight’s victory possible.

In 2006 we used the most horrific stories of Saipan sweatshops, brothels and forced abortions to hold many Republicans accountable for their support of Jack Abramoff and the sweatshops of Saipan.

We used the tragedy, horror and personal stories of these workers to WIN seats and take control of Congress and the Senate.

Without his connections to Abramoff, Conrad Burns would still be the Senator from Montana and without the Abramoff/Republican Culture of Corruption we would not have won the House.

I helped in this effort. So did the workers on the CNMI. There were happy to help because they believed that a Democratic Congress would FINALLY bring justice to the Marianas Islands.

We used the stories of these workers. We exploited the stories of their pain and suffering to win control of Congress. We are using their stories again in 2008 as we try to defeat this or that Republican who helped Tom,  Jack and the Pirates of Saipan maintain the system of abuse (see Young, Don and Schaffer, Bob for current examples).

Implicit in our use of their pain, their horror, their shame and suffering was a promise to these workers that relief and justice was on the way. Implicit in our use of these stories was a promise to the American people that the Democratic Party would clean up the mess that Republican corruption left on the CNMI.

Passage of Senate Bill 2739 keeps that promise.

In the heat of our internal Primary battles this magnificent victory could easily pass from view. Do Not Let That Happen.

This is what a Unified Democratic Majority could accomplish every day and more Victories like this is the reason we fight for a progressive majority.

Celebrate. Unite. Fight.

The Democrats in the House and Senate were united in their support for CNMI Reform legislation.

Tonight I feel that my Party helped me kept my word as well. My faith, my hope that change could come was renewed tonight.

Make no mistake, the Pirates of Saipan and their allies in Washington did not go quietly into the night. They have tried to block this Legislation at every step and it might have worked if it had not been for the staff of the Senate’s Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. They manage to out flank every maneuver of the Pirates of Saipan.

Soon this will be signed into law and the battle will move to effective implementation. And the Pirates of Saipan are already at work to continue their obstruction of justice. This fight is not over. We will need to pay attention to finally end the abuse and bring justice to the CNMI.

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