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National budget and nominations still pending

Palikir, POHNPEI (FSM Information Services): May 21, 2004 - The Thirteenth Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia went into recess today and will on Monday resume its intensive deliberations of the national budget and other urgent national issues.

The national budget serves as the fiscal policy of the National Government and therefore encompasses the operations of all branches of the National Government, its agencies, programs, grants, subsidies and contributions along with the capital and human resources development budget for the fiscal year 2005.

President Joseph J. Urusemal had transmitted the total appropriation for FY 2005 in the amount of $29,014,930 in accordance to the following:

1. Executive Branch - 13,390,473;

2. Legislative Branch - 2,780,613;

3. Judiciary Branch - 1,028,344;

4. Public Auditors Office - 558,028;

5. National Agencies - 1,506,628;

6. Special programs - 562,949;

7. Grants, Subsidies & Contributions - 1,648,511; and

8. Capital and Human Resource Development - 7,539,384.

Along with the FY-05 Budget, the President had transmitted to Congress nominations for the following vacant posts in the Administration:

• Secretary for the Department of Justice - Laurence Vetter

• Secretary for the Department of Economic Affairs - Andrew R. Yatilman

• FSM Consul General in Hawaii - Tadao P. Sigrah

• Deputy Chief of Mission for FSM Embassy in Washington - James Naich

Other nominations include:

• For the Board of National Oceanic Resource Management Authority: Johnny Meippen (CHK), Nena s. Nena (KOS), Hubert K. Yamada (PNI), Francis I. Itimai (YAP) and Lorin S. Robert (FSM).

• The Board of Regents for the College of Micronesia: John Sound as Chuuk representative and Andrew R. Yatilman representing the national government.

• Also nominated were, William F. Hawley for the FSM Banking Board and Jane Elymore to the Board of Directors of the National Government Employees' Health Insurance Plan.

For further information on this release, please contact:

FSM Office of the President
Public Information: Press, Radio, Video
P.O Box 34
Palikir Station, Pohnpei, FM 96941
Tel.: (691) 320-2548/2092
Fax.: (691) 320-4356
e-mail: fsmpio@mail.fm
http://www.fsmpio.fm/