Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia

Convening Day

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Congress): January 8, 2003 –
Congress convened today and deferred action on four
Standing Committee Reports, which were up for action on its first day of the
3-day special session.

The four reports were deferred before the November 12, adjournment of the
Fourth Regular Session held October-November of 2002. One of them concerns
Congressional Bill No. 12-79, which would provide a Board of Directors to
oversee the National Government Employee’s Health Insurance Fund, one would
change the Social Security Act and one concerns the FSM Language Policy.
The fourth concerns a resolution to adopt the Strategic Plan for the
Improvement of Education in the FSM.

On the agenda and assigned to the Committee on External Affairs for further
study, was a communication from the FSM President informing Congress about
the establishment of diplomatic relations between the governments of the FSM
and Romania.

Floor Leader Joseph J. Urusemal welcomed and introduced members of the
diplomatic corps and members of the president’s cabinet after extending his
and his family’s belated Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all citizens
and friends of the FSM. The Floor Leader also, on behalf of the Congress,
welcomed to Pohnpei the Vice President of the Government of the Republic of
Palau, the Honorable Sandra Pierantozzi, who is here for meeting. He was
appointed by Speaker Jack Fritz to chair the Special Committee to Wait on
the President and instructed to conveyed best wishes of the Speaker and
members of Congress to the president and vice president and their families
and to extend the same wishes to members of the cabinet and all FSM
citizens.

Senators Manny Mori and Resio Moses were also appointed to the same
committee.

With no appointment from Kosrae on the Special Committee, Speaker Fritz
encouraged the three members that the Congress and the whole nation
entrusted the good faith that though the State of Kosrae is not represented
in the committee, they, as one committee, work for only one nation, the four
states.

Congressional Chief Clerk Liwiana Ramon administered the invocation, a new
record for a woman to administer opening prayer for the FSM Congress.

The Kosrae Congressional Delegation was absent due to the over flown of the
Continental flight the delegation would have taken to Pohnpei. Only one of
the four members of the Pohnpei Delegation was present at the convening day.
This is due to funerals in Pohnpei and Chairman Peter Christian being in
Guam.

Congress took to recessed at 11:15 a.m. and will reconvene tomorrow, January
9, at 10:00 in the morning.