PALIKIR, POHNPEI.  September 06, 2024 –A supplemental budget to address the various sector grants of the amended Compact along with resolutions of the same nature are the results of the 3rd Special Session of the 23rd Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.

To appropriate the Compact grant awards to be used within the budget of the FSM Government, the Congress passed Congressional Act (CA) 23-123, for a supplemental budget of $7,992,157 from the FSM General Fund and from the Compact Grant funding approved by JEMCO for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. The supplemental budget is for the operations of all branches of the National Government and its agencies, Grants, Subsidies, and Contributions; and Capital and Human Resources Development; Infrastructure Sector Grants for all governments of the FSM; to make technical amendments; and for other purposes.

The Compact funds appropriated for operations of the National Government are to reimburse domestic revenues already expended for those purposes. Meanwhile, the $3,273,709 in Infrastructure Grants was appropriated for operations of the National Government Project Management Unit (PMU) and the state Project Management Offices (PMO) pursuant to the grant award and the allottees of the state funds are the respective state governors.

While the supplemental budget was the only Act passed by the Congress during its 3rd Special Session, over 20 resolutions were adopted to fund ongoing programs in the Nation and other urgent issues, beginning with the ongoing Emergency Declaration.

Through Congressional Resolution (CR) 23-213, the Congress extended Emergency Declaration which address the severe the drought situation that swept across the Nation at the beginning of the year to end on September 30, 2024.

In addition to the Emergency Declaration the Congress adopted the following resolutions for the various programs and areas of development currently underway in the Nation, resolutions which included:

CR 23-185, which accepted a $247,650 grant from the Government of New Zealand through the International Development Cooperation Programme and the Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme (CFCSP), to fund the Federated States of Micronesia Nationally Determined Contributions Inception Workshops;

CR 23-186, accepted a $137,591 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to provide support to the FSM Office of National Archives, Culture and Historic Preservation activities for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025;

CR 23-190, accepted a $200,000 grant from the United States Department of Education to fund and support the FSM Special Education Program and the Certificate in Educational Leadership Policy and Practice Project,

CR 23-192, accepted a $180,000 grant from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to fund the implementation of the Montreal Protocol Institutional Strengthening Phase IX Project;

CR 23-209, accepted an $18,000,000 grant from the Asian Development Bank, to provide additional funding for the Chuuk Water Supply and Sanitation Project-Additional Financing;

CR 23-212, accepted a $1,588,831 grant from the United States Department of Education, to fund the FSM Special Education Program and its related services; and finally

CR 23-206, set the ceiling of the total funds estimated to be available for appropriation from the FSM General Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.

The remaining resolutions were focused on the Nation’s ongoing health programs enabled through funding from the various sectors under the umbrella of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), and those programs are in the following resolutions:

  1. CR 23-191, accepted a $324,956 grant from the US DHHS – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to fund the FSM Comprehensive Cancer Control Program for the budget  period from June 30, 2024, to June 29, 2025 ;
  1. CR 23-193, accepted pproving and accepting a $2,004,565 grant from the US DHHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to fund the FSM Immunization and Vaccines for Children Program;
  2. CR 23-195, accepted a $102,742 grant from the US DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to support and fund the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Program for the budget period from April 01, 2024, to March 31, 2025
  3. CR 23-196, accepted a $147,320 grant from the US DHHS, Office of the Secretary, to support and fund the FSM Department of Health and Social Affairs Family Planning Program;
  4. CR 23-198, accepted a $126,440 grant in the amount of from the US DHHS – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to accelerate the prevention and control of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease, and Tuberculosis in the FSM;
  5. CR 23-197, accepted a $170,460 from the US DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, to fund the FSM Maternal Child Health Program and its services, for the budget period from March 9, 2024 to June 30, 2024, to improve the health and well-being of mothers, families, and children in the FSM;
  6. CR 23-199, accepted a $217,754 grant from the US DHHS, Office of the Secretary, to fund the project entitled: “Creating Equity by Improving Service Quality and Reach of Family Planning Services in the Federated States of Micronesia”;
  7. CR 23-200, accepted a total of $779,821 in grants, from the US DHHS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, to provide funding support for the FSM Behavioral Health and Wellness Program, and its related activities and services;
  8. CR 23-204, accepted a $289,591 grant from the US DHHS, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, to fund the FSM Public Health and Hospital Emergency Preparedness Program;
  9. CR 23-205, accepted a $478,510 grant from the US DHHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to fund the FSM Public Health Emergency Preparedness Project;
  10. CR 23-207, accepted grants totaling $391,188, from the US DHHS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, to fund and support community mental health services in the FSM;
  11. CR 23-211, accepted a $132,258 grant from the US DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, to provide funding for the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Program; and lastly

Through CR 23-216, the Congress accepted a $197,088 grant from the US DHHS, Administration for Children and Families, to support the Personal Responsibility Education Program.

With the Congressional Act on the supplemental budget taken care of and the final resolution adopted, the 3rd Special Session of the 23rd Congress adjourned sine-die on August 30, 2024.

On September 12, 2024, the Congress will convene in Palikir for its 4th Regular Session as set by law and is expected to continue for 20 consecutive days.

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