By Emmanuel T. Erediano
emmanuel@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE House of Representatives will convene at 1 p.m. today, Monday, Dec. 29, to act on the Senate version of House Bill 24-74, which appropriates $1 million in public land income to the Public School System and the mayor’s offices of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
Authored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao and introduced by the entire House as a committee of the whole, H.B. 24-74 was originally intended to fund the Nutrition Assistance Program for the November distribution of food stamp benefits, shielding recipients from the impact of a federal government shutdown.
The source of the funds is the trust interest income due to the general fund, remitted by the Marianas Public Land Trust.
When the federal shutdown ended on Nov. 12, 2025, Gov. David M. Apatang informed the Legislature that the money to address the NAP fund shortfall was no longer needed. He recommended allocating the public land income to the Public School System, Marianas Visitor Authority, and the municipalities of Tinian and Rota.
The Senate version of the bill, which the House is expected to pass today, appropriates the funds as follows:
• $250,000 for PSS
• $100,000 for Saipan Mayor’s Office operations
• $325,000 for Tinian Mayor’s Office public programs
• $325,000 for Rota Mayor’s Office public programs
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
