SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands — President Bush's proposal to establish a marine monument in the Northern Mariana Islands has run afoul of lawmakers in the U.S. commonwealth.

The commonwealth's House of Representatives voted yesterday to approve a resolution calling on Bush to drop the proposal to designate the waters around the three uninhabited islands of Maug, Asuncion and Uracas a monument.

House Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho said most residents oppose the proposal, fearing their access to the islands would be restricted.

"I don't doubt that there are people who support it," Camacho said. "But the majority of the people that I talked with, average citizens, the ones that I see in rosaries, novenas and barbecue parties, who don't always write letters to the editor, those who don't read the blogs, are not in favor of the proposal."

Supporters of the resolution said the commonwealth stands to lose access to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone surrounding the three islands, which could mean the loss of economic opportunities.

"The designation of the CNMI marine monument will limit access to these islands to researchers, tourists or whoever else as determined by a federal agency, which will serve to exclude a majority of the people of the CNMI and their descendants from access to this area in perpetuity," the resolution said.