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$1.02 Million for FY12 Supplemental Budget signed into law

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): December 30, 2011 - Congressional Act 17-28 was signed by President Manny Mori on December 5 to become Public Law 17-28, amending Public Law 17-19 which governs the fiscal year 2012 operational funding for the entire FSM National Government and subsidies for programs and other obligations to the national government.

Prior to the start of the November 17-24 Special Session of the 17th FSM Congress, President Mori submitted a supplemental budget request that proposes an increase of $3.17 million to FY12 budget of $44,251,617. The requested amount includes investment subsidies to the FSM Trust Fund for $1 million and the FSM Social Security Program for $800,000 dollars. Additional operation expenses of approximately $5,716 dollars for the FSM Insurance Board and $10,000 each for the COM-FSM Board of Regents and the Department of Justice were also requested but denied by Congress.

Resulting from Congressional deliberations, what is compiled as supplemental budget in this public law allocates a total of $1,025,436 deriving from recent Compact Grants Awards received by the FSM Government pursuant to JEMCO review and approval and from locally generated revenues. The approved supplemental funding include $121, 321 from local revenues directed to the Department of Health and Social Affairs; $335,172 from local revenue directed to the Department of Education; $360,000 from Compact Grants for infrastructure sector earmarked for a project that would enable the extension of Telecom's ADSL internet connection to some public schools throughout the nation, $200,000 from local revenues to be used to conduct a survey of FSM citizens' impacts upon and contributions to certain United States jurisdictions where they are residing; $10,000 from local revenues to help fund the December 10-12 Micronesian Chief Executive Summit in Kosrae State; and $15,000 also from local revenues to be used for election ID card project undertaken by the FSM National Election office.

According to the Ways and Means Standing Committee Report No. 17-73, an amount of $3.07 million in domestic revenue along with $360,704 from Compact grants were available for appropriation before the start of the session. This is based on information provided in a communication from the Acting Secretary of Finance and Administration received by Congress on November 15.

After the passage of this supplemental budget during the recently adjourned session, at least $2.4 million dollars remains available for allocations when Congress comes to its January regular session or in any subsequent session.

For more information, please contact the FSM Public Information Office at 320-2548, or SBOC Office at 320-6260, or the FSM Congress website www.fsmcongress.fm.