The Senate on Friday rejected the House version of the measure.
House Committee on Ways and Means chairman Del. Jonathan Isechal said that it is expected that the Senate will not approve the budget.Sen. Tommy Remengesau said the budget was rejected to give both House and Senate conferees the opportunity to meet and discuss further the budget.He said that he agrees mostly with the amendments made by the House in the budget especially the provision rejecting the request of the Executive Branch for a pay hike. The House version of the bill authorized the appropriation of $55,023,500 and appropriated the sum of $53,773,500.The House put in money to fund the Southwest Island Field Trip in the amount of $25,000 and to fund the renovation of the courtroom to accommodate jury trials as mandated by law.The amount appropriated was $150,000.The House version of the bill also reduced the budget for the Legislative Branch.The House version also returned the authorization and appropriation of the block grants to the states.The House also removed appropriations for the low income household assistance, the amount is supposed to $1,500,000.This amount the House said can be earmarked through a supplemental budget.The amount proposed for the Micronesian Games to be held in Palau on 2010 will also be put on hold unless the source of the money can be identified.The amount is set at $600,000.The House version also struck out the Senate version repealing the green fee to be collected from tourists. The fee that is supposed to be collected will be increased from $20 to $30.The House said since the government is already preparing to promulgate regulations on this matter, repealing it is waste of resources.The Senate version of the budget authorized the appropriation of an amount of $56,315, 718. President Johnson Toribiong’s budget proposal was $55,809,000.The Senate however appropriated the sum of $53,709,000, same amount with President’s version.
