The HOD amended President Remengesau’s proposed supplemental budget of over $900,000. the Supplemental budget will cover incurred expenses resulting to the increase in water and electricity rates.
Remengesau’s version of the budget also proposed that a continuing budget authority should be enacted to cover the remaining months until the installation of the next administration.HB 7-213-15, HD1, HD2 will cover government operations for the first six months. The bill does not cover the supplemental budget requested by the president in the original bill.The HOD version has been transmitted to the Senate for action.The new bill still contains the provision earmarking a sum of $200,000 for the Pacific Savings Bank investigation and prosecution.The bill also included an appropriation of $150,000 to fund the inauguration of the 8th Constitutional Government in January 2009.The measure earmarked an additional $20,000 for Dengue Fever eradication.HOD also proposed an additional amount of $15,000 for the Election’s Commission to defray the cost of operating polling places in Hawaii, Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Island (CNMI).The bill however did not specify whether the supplemental budget was included in proposed interim unified budget.The president told reporters that what the country needs is the passage of the supplemental budget to fund the increase in fuel prices. The supplemental budget will cover of water and electricity bills of the government.‘The OEK knows that there is a need for a supplemental budget,” Remengesau said.He said lawmakers is made aware of how the serious the matter will be, adding that there is a need for Congress to identify new revenue generating measures to fund government operations.The president said the Taiwan loan supposedly for the Palau International Airport rehabilitation will be as the source of money to cover the supplemental budget.
