PALIKIR, POHNPEI. August 28, 2024.  The 23rd Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia convened the Third Special Session on August 27, 2024, to address urgent matters pending before the Body including JEMCO, Emergency Declaration, supplemental funding, and resolutions on grants and nominations.

Following the formalities to convene a session, Speaker Esmond B. Moses appointed Floor Leader Quincy Lawrence to head the Committee to Wait on the President with members comprised of Senators Joseph J. Urusemal; Perpetua S. Konman and Yoslyn S. Sigrah to inform the President and the Executive that the Congress is in session and ready to transact business.

With the President attending the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Tonga, Vice President Aren B. Palik and his Cabinet along with heads of the various offices and agencies of the National Government welcomed the Committee with an agenda of priority areas. While the agenda listed supplemental budget, grants and nominations as issues of discussion, the Vice President indicated that the key focus of the Administration is implementation of the Compact and understanding of its related issues. He noted that the Sector Grants for Fiscal Year 2024 have been received and appropriated in the supplemental budget transmitted to the Congress.

Along with the Supplemental Budget, Vice President Palik highlighted three urgent items that require Congress action:

  • The first item, are the 16 pending grant resolutions with an aggregate amount of $25 million in funding for the ongoing US federal programs along with regional and international programs underway across the Nation. The Vice President emphasized five grants of urgency as they affect personnel and operations of certain programs;
  • The second item, are the 14 pending nomination resolutions, including those nominations that were defeated and approved by the Congress for re-submission Vice President Palik urged favorable consideration by the Body; and
  • Finally, the Vice President flagged a proposed measure on infrastructure that was born from the recently concluded State National Leadership Conference (SNLC). The proposed Bill called for the decentralization of the Compact infrastructure funds from the national Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Communications and return the management and control of their infrastructure projects to the states.

Aside from the Compact, the Vice President indicated to the Committee that the Administration remains focused on internal matters including the Nation’s GDP, exports, and trade imbalances. To close out issues from the Administration, he shared the ongoing challenges of the 50% reduction on fishing fees and its overall effects on operations of the Executive Branch.

Chairman Lawrence of the Committee to Wait, thanked the Vice President for the Administrations concerns and are also shared some areas of concern to the Congress:

  • Firstly, Chairman Lawrence requested the executive to provide a brief summary of governmental expenditures thus far in regards to the relief efforts for the Emergency Declaration on the drought and advice on its extension;
  • Another concern raised was availability of the Compact Sector Grants. The representatives from JEMCO reported the approval of the FY2024 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) with the sector grants issued and awaiting disbursement through the supplemental budget; and
  • The Congress’ final concerns were the reprogramming towards the FestPAC in Section 9 of the Budget and the proposed changes in the MiCare regulations. Both matters were discussed and the Administration agreed to submit further explanations to the Congress.

With their concerns placed and discussed the meeting concluded with mutual agreement to move forward on the above issues in a timely and cooperative manner.

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