Shortly after World War II, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, not including Guam, was created and administered by the United States. In the 1970s work began to dissolve the Trust Territory as the districts voted to end their trustee status. The last district to gain political independence was Palau in 1994. The Northern Mariana Islands is now a US Commonwealth and its people US citizens. The Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau negotiated Compacts of Free Association with the United States. Consequently, Guam's northern neighbors, all much more recent members of the American family, have the right to determine issues on a local level, including issues such as minimum wage and immigration, whereas the residents of Guam do not. He served six terms, until he was defeated for re-election in 1984 by Republican Ben Blaz.