Palikir, Pohnpei-On May 11th, 2021, the 22nd Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) convened for the first time. Elections of the day included the election of the Speaker and the Vice Speaker of the Congress of the FSM, as well as the election of the Floor Leader. The Honorable Wesley W. Simina won the election for the Speaker of the Congress of the FSM, the Honorable Esmond B. Moses won the election for the Vice Speaker of the Congress of the FSM, and the Honorable Florencio S. Harper won the election for the Floor Leader of the Congress of the FSM. The leadership for the 22nd FSM Congress is consistent with the leadership of the 21st FSM Congress.
Additionally, the various committees of the 22nd FSM Congress were appointed Chairs. The Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means is the Honorable Isaac V. Figir. The Chair of the Committee on Judiciary & Government Operations (J&GO) is the Honorable Robson U. Romolow. The Chair of the Committee on Resources & Development is the Honorable Dion G. Neth. The Chair of the Committee on Health & Social Affairs is the Honorable Ferny S. Perman. The Chair of the Committee on Education is the Honorable Joseph J. Urusemal. The Chair of the Committee on External Affairs is the Honorable Paliknoa K. Welly. The Chair of the Committee on Transportation & Communication is the Honorable Victor V. Gouland. Committee appointments for the 22nd FSM Congress are consistent with the committee appointments for the 21st FSM Congress.
On May 12 , the Committee to Wait on the President met with His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the FSM. Chaired by the Honorable Esmond B. Moses, with members including the Honorable Joseph J. Urusemal, the Honorable Aren B. Palik, and the Honorable Derensio K. Konman, the meeting’s primary topics of discussion were on the resubmission of proposed nominations for various vacancies, the resubmission of priority legislation (e.g. the proposed Foreign Investment Bill, the proposed Tax Reform bill, and the proposed renewable energy mandate bill for FSM PetroCorps/Vital), and updates on the Nation’s social protection programs.
Regarding the latter, President Panuelo advised the Committee to Wait that approximately fifteen thousand (15,000) applications for financial assistance for low-income households have been received by the Department of Finance & Administration. Approximately seven million dollars ($7,000,000) is presently allocated for this purpose, which may not be enough. The President urged Congress to consider submitting additional funding towards this program.
Multiple Senators asked when the financial assistance for low-income households will occur, noting that the Government had originally announced the initiative at the end of 2020 with an intended target date of January 2021 for its implementation. President Panuelo described that the Government has been taking every effort to ensure that the program genuinely reaches those most in need (e.g. subsistence-living farmers and fishers, with an emphasis on those in remote islands and remote communities), and that this has resulted in onsite visits to remote communities across the Nation. As of May 12 , 2021, the Government is in the process of inserting application data into a database which will crosscheck applicants’ information with FSM Social Security and income tax data.
Households whose applications are approved will receive a one-time financial assistance of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with President Panuelo congratulating the members of the 22nd FSM Congress for their elections and appointments, and advising that the Nation’s first repatriation effort scheduled for May 13 , 2021, is proceeding as planned and without delay or hindrance.
