The Senate overrode the veto on Feb. 11, but House leaders are making sure that they have the 14 votes required for an override.
“One way or another, we have to address this issue,” Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, said yesterday.
The governor vetoed the budget bill because it does not contain provisions reinstating austerity holidays and the legalization of unpaid holidays.
But some lawmakers believe that the governor vetoed the bill because it will restrict his ability to hire new personnel in an election year.
“It’s very hard for me to justify austerity holidays when they’re hiring people that we know shouldn’t be hired,” Palacios said.
Rep. Ramon Tebuteb, R-Saipan, said the executive branch’s hiring practice is questionable.
“The left hand is saying one thing and the right hand is saying another thing,” he said, adding that he will vote for an override.
