Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone was elected to the executive committee of the National Congress of State Legislatures, according to a press release issued by his office.

The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that provides research and technical assistance to the state and territorial governments.

According to its website, the goal of NCSL is to improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures, promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures and ensure state legislatures a strong cohesive voice in the federal system.

In what he termed a “highly competitive process,” Malone was elected by other members to the 60 member executive committee.

The NCSL has approximate 7,500 members and 35,000 to 40,000 staff members.

Malone is the first representative from any U.S. territory to serve on the executive committee. He said he looked forward to bringing a diversity of ideas and opinions to the organization.

“I am grateful for the confidence my counterparts from across the country displayed in me and I look forward to highlighting the issues that most impact residents of U.S. territories,” he said.

“I am particularly interested in working with the various members of NCSL on the issues of health care, education, economic development and border protection. I also hope to exert some influence in seeing that a major meeting of the NCSL is held in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” he continued.