PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Congress): June 5, 2003 –
Congress got busier than usual the last week of May to
June and adjourned sine-die on June 4. It passed on 2nd and Final Reading
ten bills, three resolutions and deferred action on all standing committee
reports on the proposed FY 2004 Budget.
The bill that would authorize the President to reprogram funds in the
executive branch was top priority and was the first to receive Congress’s
approval. The bill would allow the President to reprogram up to 10 per cent
from the departments and offices in the executive branch to fund the
upcoming July 1, special election in the states of Chuuk and Yap, the
inauguration of the President and the Vice President and a delegation of
athletes, coaches and other officials to the South Pacific Games in Fiji.
The Standing Committees were urged to concentrate more on the authorization
bill and the proposed FY 2004 budget during the 25-day session.
The ten bills approved before the adjournment included the bill to authorize
the President to reprogram funds and one relates to the establishment of
lapse dates for certain funds previously appropriated. The other 8 bills
would change allottees of certain funds appropriated for the Mortlocks
Region in Chuuk and to provide procedure for distribution of funds
appropriated for the Faichuk Area in Chuuk.
The resolution pertaining to the ratification of an amended Treaty on
fisheries between the United States, the FSM and other island nations in the
Pacific was unanimously adopted. Also adopted were a resolution to express
gratitude of the people of the FSM to the Honorable Jack Fritz for his many
years of dedicated services as a member and Speaker of the FSM Congress, and
a resolution to shorten the 1st Regular Session of the 13th
Congress from a 30-day session to a 25-day session.
Discussions during committee hearings throughout the weeks were hectic, but
educational. The discussions surrounding the process of the consolidated
budgets for the national and state governments to and from the JEMCO and the
process to obtain funds under the amended compact sections were often at
length.
Some Members of Congress and other national and state officials are
interpreting the process of the proposed budget as possible compromise of
FSM’s sovereignty. The interpretation is that FSM is an independent nation
and should not be compelled to do things that an outside body or nation
demands. The interpretation pertains to the new physical procedure
negotiated by the negotiators of both parties to be used in disbursing the
funds provided by the United States under the amended compact.
In committee hearings during the past weeks, the Committee on HESA reminded
officials of the Department of HESA that although the functions of education
and health had been transferred to the state governments, the department
still must provide technical and funding assistance to the programs in the
states.
Officials of the College of Micronesia-FSM informed the HESA Committee that
they have been working with appropriate institutions and programs to upgrade
the College of Micronesia-FSM to be a four-year institution in order to
enable the college’s students to enroll in BA degree programs. The college
reported that the four-year plan could not be done unless the Chuuk Campus
meets all the standard requirements provided under the four-year program.
In a joint public hearing with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the
department informed the Committees on External Affairs, Ways and Means and
Judiciary and Governmental Operations that the Cotonou Agreement, which
Congress ratified in 2001, just recently, took effect last April. The
agreement runs for 20 years in a four-year cycle. The department further
informed the committees that the FSM has been awarded $4.8 million for its
new and renewable energy programs and $1.4 million for emergency programs.
On May 27, Senator Isaac Figir wrote to Speaker Peter M. Christian and
President Joseph J. Urusemal. The senator from the state of Yap, chairman
of the Committee on External Affairs and chairman of the Yap State
Congressional Delegation, suggested the two gentlemen review the per diem
rates the government is using. Senator Figir stated in his letter to the
two gentlemen that the proposed amount for government travel in 2004 is
excessive and needs to be reduced. Figir also stated in his letter that a
lot of times “government personnel traveling on official business often
return with leftover travel funds.”
There were few courtesy calls made during the session. The ambassadors of
the United States, India and France to the FSM made courtesy call to Speaker
Peter M. Christian while the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China
made a courtesy call first to Floor Leader Henry C. Asugar and later made
another call to Speaker Christian. Other courtesy calls to the speaker
included officials of the state governments.
On May 28, a group of young men and women visited the Congress. Top students
picked from grades 11th and 12th from all the four states represented the
group, FSM Local Close-Up. The 63 young men and women were given the
opportunity to observe the Congress in session, attend a joint committee
hearing and toured all the congressional office facilities.
