But Yap Speaker Charles S. Chieng was advised there is a new and burdensome change now that FSM students can only apply for U.S. Social Security if they are physically in the U.S. or its territories for at least 10 day and in that way they can apply starting the 11th day.
In reaction to this new requirement, the speaker asked the chairman of the Government, Health and Welfare Committee to look into the matter.
Chairman Jesse Raglmar-Subolmar sent a letter to the FSM Department of Foreign Affairs asking for advice on this issue especially because there is nothing that would require a change, especially when the change is only a new burden on FSM citizens, especially those who do not have the financial means to take or send their kids to the U.S. or its territories to stay for 10 days in order to apply for the required U.S. Social Security before they can apply for financial assistance for which they are entitled under the Compact.
He asked Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lorin Robert whether “this is written in stone or is there still the possibility that after authentic proof [of FSM citizenship] a person can then apply as before while in the FSM?”
He also asked whether there could be some reasonable exception to allow those citizens who clearly do not have the financial ability to physically travel to be in the U.S. or in its territories to apply while in the Federated States of Micronesia.
