PALIKIR, POHNPEI. October 5, 2018– The recent session of the 20th Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia adjourned on October 2 with two confirmed nominations and the approval of grant resolutions for the various health, education and social programs of the Nation.
Convened on September 17, the Fifth Regular Session of the 20th Congress adjourned last week with the adoption of the following Congressional Resolution (CR): CR 20-122, which confirmed Albert Falcam to serve as a the National Government representative on the FSM Social Security Board of Directors; and CR 20-121, which confirmed Jesse John Salalu as the National Government representative on the College of Micronesia-FSM Board of Regents.
On a nomination related note, the Congress adopted CR 20-141 to authorize the President’s resubmission of the nomination of Tulensru E. Waguk to serve as the Kosrae representative on the Board of Regents of the College of Micronesia-FSM. Waguk was defeated during his first voting round.
The Congress adopted CR 20-138 to express the Member’s collective gratitude to Allison Laffen for her continued and dedicated services as staff attorney to the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia since 2009.
Day two the 5th Regular Session, the Congress set the ceiling for the budget appropriations as prescribed by law with the adoption of Congressional CR 20-128, this sets $201,117,120 as the ceiling of the total funds estimated to be available for appropriations from the FSM General Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. Of which, 5,252,250 is available under the amended Compact Sector Grants for infrastructure and $1,612,620 is available for the Supplemental Educational Grants as managed by the College of Micronesia – FSM.
The FSM is eligible to apply for US Federal Grants in its pursuit to support and improve the Nation’s educational system. In the same vein, the US Federal Grants for health are also available to the FSM to support and improve its delivery and development of health care for its people.
And as such, during its recently adjourned session the Congress approved CR 20-129 for $128, 625 and also approved CR 20-130 for $147,000 as US Federal Grants for the Maternal and Child Health Program in the FSM
Congressional Resolution CR-127 approved a grant of $950,624 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMH) to support the project entitled, “FSM Department of Health and Social Affairs SPF-PFS Project.” The SPF-PFS Project, Strategic Prevention Framework- Partnerships For Success project, is a grant program intended to prevent the onset and reduce the progression of substance misuse and its related problems while strengthening prevention capacity and infrastructure at the state, tribal and community levels.
Similarly under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Congress adopted CR 20-137 to approve a grant of $666, 397 to provide funding to the FSM Department of Health and Social Affairs for the prevention and treatment services related to substance abuse for the budget period from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019, including all the terms and conditions of the assistance.
The Congress adoptedCR 20-131 to approve a grant of $693,970 and CR 20-136 to approve a grant of $160,875 both from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including all terms and conditions of the assistance.
Also for the Health sector, the Congress adoptedCR 20-140 to approve a grant of $240, 000 from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services to support and fund the FSM Family Planning Program. Similarly, CR 20-134 approved a grant of $160, 875 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration, to fund the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Project in the FSM.
And finally for US Federal grants, CR 20-124 was adopted to approve a grant of $922,587 from the U.S. Department of Education, Division of Special Education Program for the Federal Fiscal Year 2018 fund under Part B of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including the terms and conditions of the assistance.
Last but certainly not the least, the Congress adopted CR 20-133 for a grant of $290,386 from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to fund and support the Global Fund Project for HIV/TB in the FSM.
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