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Congress quits sine die, budget passed

POHNPEI, Palikir (FSM Information Service): June 2000 - The Eleventh FSM Congress in its final day of the Third Session confirmed President Leo A. Falcam's nominations for State Election Commissioners for the March 2001 elections.

Charles Chieng of Yap, Bernell Edward of Pohnpei, Kipier Lippwe of Chuuk, and Kun Olter of Kosrae received the Congressional nod. They will work with National Election Commissioner Max Mallarme, who was confirmed Wednesday, June 14.

The Congress also approved Congress Bill Number 11-103 that provides for the selection of delegates and procedures for the Constitutional Convention, which will occur at the same time as the national two-year Congressional elections.

The bill sets the number of delegates at 14. The membership will be apportioned the same as the Congressional makeup, that is by Congressional district.

This means two delegates will be elected from Yap; two delegates will be from Kosrae. Four delegates will be elected from Pohnpei, of these four one will be from each of the state's three election districts and one will be elected at-large. And six delegates will be elected from Chuuk, of these six, one will be from each of the state's five election districts, and one will be elected at-large.

Only one presidential nominee received confirmation for a seat on the Micronesian Maritime Authority Board this session. Tiser Lippwe will represent the State of Chuuk on the authority. He will join Akilino Susaia of Pohnpei State. Susuaia was confirmed in February during the Special Session.

Also passed this session was the FSM government's FY 2001 budget of $33,838,991 and a FY 2000 supplemental budget of $888,107.

The Congress quit sine die this afternoon, though several senators will be holding hearings tomorrow and will be meeting with Executive Branch Cabinet Secretaries much of next week.