Congress Approves Funding for FSMTCC- Open Access Entity (OAE) and the 2023 Special Election

PALIKIR, POHNPEI. May 10, 2023 (CFSM- Pohnpei Delegation Office)– The 22nd Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia concluded its 8th and final session with the passage of eight proposed measures along with the adoption of eight resolutions. The proposed measures passed are:

Congressional Act 22-209,intends to appropriate the sum of $700,000 from the General Fund of the Federated States of Micronesia for fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, for the purpose of funding the FSMTCC – Open Access Entity (OAE), and the 2023 Special Election.

Congressional C.A. 22-208,is an act to further amend section 108 of title 4 of the Code of the Federated States of Micronesia (Annotated), as amended by Public Laws Nos. 19-166 and 21-246, to increase the salaries of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the Federated States of Micronesia.

CA. 22-210, CD1,intends to further amend , to increase the salaries of the Speaker and Members of Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Act (CA) 22-211, CD1, to further amend existing laws, to increase the salaries of the President and Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia.

The remaining Acts were projects and social programs in the states of Chuuk, Kosrae and Pohnpei, to make either changes to the use of funds previously appropriated or to make changes to the allottees of those funds.

The Congress passed C.A. 22-207 and CA 22-204, CD4 to change the use of funds previously appropriated to fund public projects and social programs for the people of Chuuk State.

The Congress also passed C.A. 22-206, which intent to change the use of funds previously appropriated for the purpose of funding priority infrastructure projects and other projects and programs in the state of Kosrae, and for other purposes.

Finally, the Congress passed CA 22-205, to change the use of funds previously appropriated for the purpose of funding public projects and social programs for the people of Pohnpei and Chuuk.

In regards to resolutions, the Congress adopted Congressional Resolution (CR) 22-222, a grant in the amount of $138,311 from the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services, to support the FSM National Archives, Culture, and Historic Preservation Office.

A grant in the amount of $4,759,708 from the United Nations Children’s Fund was adopted through C.R. 22-221, to support and fund the implementation of the FSM-UNICEF Programme of Cooperation 2023-2027.

The Congress also adopted C.R. 22-220, a grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in the amount of $193,663, to fund the Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant Project.

The Congress also adopted C.R. 22-219, CD2, which expressed the profound appreciation of the Twenty-Second Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia to the family of the late Mr. James T. Stovall III, for his distinguished service to the Federated States of Micronesia and conveyed its sincere condolences and sadness to the family of the late Mr. Stovall on his passing.

The Congress adopted C.R. 22-218, which set the ceiling at $147,610, the total funds estimated to be available for appropriation from the General Fund of the Federated States of Micronesia for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023.

To allow a Member-elect to take the oath of office in person or remotely if the member elect is physically unable to travel at the first session of each new Congress, the Congress adopted C.R. 22-217, CD1.

And for nominations, the Congress adopted C.R. 22-205 which confirmed Shaun Suliol to serve as a board member of the Office of the Telecommunications Regulation Authority of the Federated States of Micronesia; and C.R. 22-198, to confirm Suzanne Lowe Gallen to serve as a member of the College of Micronesia Land Grant Board, representing the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Eight Special Session which was held from May 05 to 09, 2023 was the final session of the 22nd Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.

 

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