U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds honored former Lt. Gov. Diego Tenorio Benavente in the U.S. House of Representatives, paying tribute to his steady leadership and his two decades of public service that helped shape the CNMI.
Benavente served as speaker from the 9th to 12th CNMI House of Representatives before becoming lieutenant governor under Gov. Juan Nekai Babauta. He returned to the House in 2009, serving two terms and later becoming minority leader in 2011.
A local fishing enthusiast, Benavente was also a well-known small business owner before entering public service.
According to King-Hinds, Benavente’s record of service paired principle with practical results. He championed education by co-sponsoring Public Law 10-73, the Educational Tax Credit Act, which encouraged the private sector to support educational institutions.
As lieutenant governor, he advanced stewardship of the Saipan lagoon and its reefs and helped modernize waste management. He advocated for non-commercial mesh-size limits in gillnet fishing as part of a broader effort to protect nearshore stocks while respecting local fishing traditions.
He and Babauta also prioritized the closure of the Puerto Rico dumpsite and the construction of the Marpi landfill, pushing the Legislature to create financing tools such as the Solid Waste Management Revolving Account to support closure, reclamation, and landfill operations.
Upon his return to the Legislature, Benavente further pursued fuller CNMI representation in the federal government, authoring P.L. 16-13, which established the process for the people of the CNMI to elect their representative to the U.S. House.
On behalf of the people of the CNMI, King-Hinds extended her deepest thanks to Benavente, his wife Vicky, and their children for a lifetime of service to the Commonwealth.
