 From 1978 to 2009, in accordance with the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Constitution, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands elected a Resident Representative who had no actual privileges in the House or Senate.They served two year terms until 1990, when the terms were increased to four years.In 2008, with the passage of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 by the United States Government the Resident Representative was replaced by a non-voting Delegate.