The Senate version reflected the original proposal of President Johnson Toribiong: $53,709,000.
The House version now returns to the Senate.The House appropriated $25,000 to fund the Southwest Island Field Trip as well as $150,000 for the renovation of the courtroom to accommodate jury trials.The House, moreover, reduced the budget for the legislative branch, returned the authorization and appropriation of block grants to the states, and removed the $1.5 million for low-income household assistance.The House said this amount can be earmarked through a supplemental budget.It added that the $600,000 proposed for the Micronesian Games, which will held in Palau in 2010, should be put on hold unless the source of the money can be identified.The House at the same time deleted the Senate version repealing the green fee to be collected from tourists.The fee is supposed to be increased from $20 to $30.The House said since the government is already preparing to promulgate the regulations, repealing the fee is a waste of resources.According to the House, its version is mostly in line with the president’s proposal, and if additional funding is made available then other programs can receive more money through separate legislation.
