Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia

Special Session launches busy month for Congress

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Congress): August 21, 2009 - To launch the busy month, the First Special Session of the Sixteenth FSM Congress has been called to convene on August 31st and continue through September 3rd in Palikir, Pohnpei.

According to Speaker Isaac V. Figir's letter of August 12th to President Emanuel 'Manny' Mori, the purpose of the special session is to address funding needs for the special election for the at-large or four-year representative of the State of Pohnpei to the 16th FSM Congress. His letter further urged the President to submit, at the earliest, an appropriation bill for the special election.

Following the Special Session, the Congress will host the Micronesia Legislative Conference (MLC) at the central facilities in Palikir from September 7 thru 9, 2009. At the closing of the last MLC, the legislative leaderships agreed that Yap would host the next conference, but in light of the nation's current financial situations, the MLC will again be held in Palikir, Pohnpei.

Two representatives from each State's respective legislative bodies have been invited by the Congress to participate in the conference. Discussions for the scheduled conference will be on financial issues facing the national and state governments, along with other pressing issues of concern to the nation.

The MLC was established to further strengthen the relationship between the legislative branches of the five governments, and at the same time provide a platform for these legislative bodies to discuss and define solutions for issues of mutual concerns.

To round out the busy September schedule, the Second Regular Session of the 16th FSM Congress which will convene on September 12 2009, for a duration of 20-day unless extended or shortened by a congressional measure.

The Regular Session will take up pressing issues of national concerns and the remaining issues on the 2010 National Government Budget.

By law, Congress holds three Regular Sessions per year, each for the duration of 20 days, unless extended or shortened by legislative measures. The convening dates for the Regular Sessions are January 10th, May 11th and September 12th.

With the three major meetings scheduled back to back, the 16th FSM Congress is preparing for a very busy 30-plus days in September 2009.