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President Urusemal vetoes additions to Congress

Palikir, POHNPEI (FSM Information Services): October 7, 2004 - President Joseph J. Urusemal has vetoed two Congressional measures intended to create new positions in the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Congressional Acts 13-61 and 13-62, had proposed to add the position of an "Economist" and a "Director of Administration and Budget" to the staff of Congress and exempt the positions from the Pubic Service System.

President Urusemal said the addition of the two positions would be a reversal of current efforts by the government to reduce spending, particularly on operations. His letter to Speaker Peter M. Christian urged that should reorganization be necessary at the Legislative Branch, Congress should "draw on the experience of its existing staff in creating new structure."

Along with the two vetoed measures, the President had also signed six new Congressional measures into Law. They are:

• Public Law (PL) No. 13-47, to allow supplemental appropriations from the general fund;

• PL No. 13-48, to amend Title 55 of the FSM Code, to allow deposit of funds into the FSM Trust Fund account;

• PL No. 13-49 and PL. No. 13-50, both amended previous laws to specify the use of certain funds appropriated and change the allottee of certain funds;

• PL No. 13-51, to amend Title 55 of the FSM Code to clarify that Capital Project Funds of any state distributed between that state and its municipal government shall be transferred to the current account of the respective government, and for other purposes;

• PL No. 13-52 To further amend Public Law No. 12-36, as amended, by amending section1 thereof to designate the uses of certain funds appropriated therein, and for other purposes.