Legislature of the Marshall Islands


The Legislature of the Marshall Islands has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The last election was November 18, 2019. Elections in the Marshall Islands are officially nonpartisan, but most members of the Nitijeļā are affiliated with one of the four active political parties in the Marshall Islands: Aelon Kein Ad, Kien Eo Am, United People's Party, and United Democratic Party.

History

The legislature was established in 1979 and was preceded by the Marshall Islands Congress, which was established as a unicameral legislative body in 1958. The congress was chaired by Dwight Heine in 1963 and 1964, and members were elected for a 4-year term.

Speakers

The salary of the speaker is set to 35,000 USD annually.
NamePeriodNotes
Atlan Anien1979 - 1988
Kessai Note1988 - 1999
Litokwa TomeingJanuary 10, 2000 - 2007
Jurelang ZedkaiaJanuary 7, 2008 - October 26, 2009
Alvin JacklickNovember 2, 2009 - January 7, 2012
Donald CapelleJanuary 7, 2012 - January 4, 2016
Kenneth KediJanuary 4, 2016 - present

Members of

The twenty-four electoral districts into which the country is divided correspond to the inhabited islands and atolls. There are four political parties in the Marshall Islands: Aelon Kein Ad, Kien Eo Am, United People's Party, and United Democratic Party. Control is shared by the AKA and the KEA.
ConstituencyMemberTitleParty
Ailinglaplap AtollAlfred Alfred Jr.Minister of Resources and DevelopmentKEA
Ailinglaplap AtollChristopher LoeakSenator, former President AKA
Ailuk AtollMaynard AlfredSenatorKEA
Arno AtollJejwarick AntonVice SpeakerKEA
Arno AtollMike HalfertyMinister of Transportation and CommunicationInd.
Aur AtollHilda C. HeineSenator, former President Ind.
Ebon AtollJohn SilkMinister of Foreign AffairsKEA
Enewetak AtollJack AdingSenatorAKA
Jabat IslandKessai NoteSenator, former President UDP
Jaluit AtollDaisy Alik-MomotaroSenatorInd.
Jaluit AtollCasten NemraSenator, former President Ind.
Kili IslandEldon NoteSenatorUDP
Kwajalein AtollAlvin JacklickSenatorKEA
Kwajalein AtollMichael KabuaSenatorAKA
Kwajalein AtollDavid PaulMinister in Assistance to the PresidentKEA
Lae AtollThomas HeineMinister of JusticeAKA
Lib IslandJerakoj BejangSenatorAKA
Likiep AtollLeander Leander Jr.SenatorAKA
Majuro AtollKalani KanekoMinister of HealthKEA
Majuro AtollDavid KramerSenatorKEA
Majuro AtollTony MullerMinister of Public WorksKEA
Majuro AtollSherwood TibonSenatorKEA
Majuro AtollBrensan WaseMinister of FinanceKEA
Maloelap AtollBruce BilimonSenatorAKA
Mejit IslandDennis MomotaroSenatorUPP
Mili AtollWilbur HeineMinister of EducationAKA
Namdrik AtollWisely ZackhrasSenatorUDP
Namu AtollTony AiseiaSenatorAKA
Rongelap AtollKenneth KediSpeakerKEA
Ujae AtollAtbi RiklonSenatorAKA
Utirik AtollAmenta MatthewMinister of Internal AffairsKEA
Wotho AtollDavid KabuaPresidentAKA
Wotje AtollLitokwa TomeingSenator, former PresidentUPP

Committees

The Nitijeļā has 7 permanent standing committees with oversight authority and legislative authority. All committees have 9 members.
CommitteeChairDuties
AppropriationCasten Nemraconsiders and reports on all legislation relating to public expenditure or financial administration, both federal and local, including budget estimates and supplementary estimates referred to it
Public AccountsBruce Bilimonconsiders the public funds and account of the Marshall Islands, in conjunction with the report of the Auditor-General on them; reports to the Nitijeļā any excess/unauthorized expenditures and the reasoning for it; proposes any legislation it deems necessary to ensure public funds are properly and efficiently spent and accounted for; reports to the Nitijeļā on any audit of public accounts
Health, Education, and Social AffairsAlvin Jacklickconsiders all legislation relating to the education, health, condition of labor, and well-being of the people of the Marshall Islands
Ways and MeansSherwood Tibonconsiders all legislation relating to the revenue of the federal and local governments, including matters relating to the administration of revenue laws
Judiciary and Governmental RelationsDaisy Alik-Momotaro
Resources and DevelopmentDavid Kramer
Foreign Affairs and TradeMaynard Alfred

Staff

The Nitijeļā is supported by various staff.

Clerk of the

The Clerk is the administrative head of the legislature, with authority to approve related matters. The Clerk prepares the Nitijeļā's business and serves as the legislature's secretary, keeping minutes and publishing them.
The current Clerk is Morean Watak, and Carl Alik is her Assistant Clerk.

Legislative Counsel

The Office of the Legislative Counsel was established in 1981. He or she gives legal advice to MPs and the Speaker, as well as providing legislative drafting services. The Legislative Counsel also serves as the Commissioner of the Marshall Islands Revised Code if the Cabinet has not appointed a Commissioner.
The current Legislative Counsel is Joe Lomae.