As explained by Tom Bussanich, the budget and grants management director from OIA, the Joint Economic Management Committee is requesting the legislatures of the FSM states to consider amending appropriation laws to exempt Compact-funded personnel budgets from legislative reprogramming restrictions.
Sen. Clement Mulalap explained that Yap’s only restriction is on personnel due to mismanagement of government spending on seemingly unnecessary purchases. He concurs with the request and said the Legislature will discuss its unified stance sometime in August.
Also discussed were the following: Some educational program for FAS citizens to undertake prior to their entrance to the U.S. to ensure knowledge of their rights and privileges while in the U.S.; long-term medical services such as dialysis and the Compact-Impact effect mostly on the state of Hawaii; reducing the number of FAS citizen migrants and establishing some sort of screening process to determine the ability to support oneself while in the U.S.
The question of the use of Compact funds to purchase dialysis machines were brought up. Bussanich stated that due to the small population of the FSM states, it would not be financially viable. However, a single machine could provide services in one venue where all could go instead of having machines in all four states.
