WITH only 10 days left to pass a balanced budget for the next fiscal year, the House Ways and Means Committee is ready to work with its Senate counterpart to avoid a partial government shutdown, Rep. Donald Manglona said.
The FY 2023 budget measure, or House Bill 22-116, was passed by the House on Aug. 27, 2022 and has been referred to the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee.
The new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
In a media briefing on Friday, Manglona, the Ways and Means chairman, said he also hopes that Gov. Ralph DLG Torres will work with both the House and the Senate “if there are things that we need to address [in the budget bill] so when it gets to the governor’s desk he can sign it without any concerns.”
Manglona said the House will “try to see where we can meet in the middle,” referring to the Senate, which is expected to pass an amended version of the budget bill.
Manglona said his committee has been following the Senate budget hearings “so we are, in a sense, prepared for some of the stuff that they might be doing…on their end.”
For her part, Rep. Corina Magofna, the Ways and Means vice chair, said, “Every single one of us here takes our job very seriously and we will do the responsible thing and do whatever it takes, roll up our sleeves, work with the Senate and the governor to ensure that this budget is passed before deadline.”
House Floor Leader Ralph N. Yumul said they are willing to work with the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chairman, Sen. Victor B. Hocog.
“I am very confident we can sit down with the chairman of Fiscal Affairs and hash everything out,” Yumul said.
Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao said the Senate and the House may differ on the 100% reprogramming authority of the governor and how local revenue is allocated.
He said the Fiscal Affairs chairman “is a veteran in this game, he understands the process and he as well as other senators, are well aware of the finances of the government as they have been around for a long time.”
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Donald Manglona speaks during a House session.
