After governor’s veto of pet projects Reyes wants thorough review of CIP infrastructure plan

Apparently still irked over the governor’s line-item veto on the initial CIP bill, Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes yesterday put his foot down on a request from the administration to hold a back-to-back session in the Legislature to vote on critical legislation.

He prodded members of the Senate to withhold action on any bill coming from the House of Representatives until they have reviewed the pending measure.

A session being held simultaneously in the Senate and in the House to pass immediately an administration-sponsored bill is “not a very good practice,” Reyes told reporters.

“We need to review legislation. We cannot be receiving legislation without sufficient time to review it and discuss among the leadership,” he said.

Reyes was responding to questions whether the upper house would hold a session to vote on the new measure appropriating more than $24 million in capital improvement project funds after the initial bill was vetoed by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio.

Senators were dismayed over the decision to exclude pet projects they inserted at the last-minute, including infrastructure plans on Rota and Tinian. Only the new prison and the completion of Marianas High School Gymnasium were approved by the governor.

Administration officials have in the past asked the Legislature to fast-track passage of important legislation by holding back-to-back session. Lawmakers usually have given in to their request.

But Reyes maintained this practice must stop now since the Legislature can’t count anymore on the administration’s support on bills they deem significant.

“If they want us to do a back-to-back session, then get us involved from the very start,” he explained. “I resent the fact that we are going to be called to a back-to-back session because they have decided that this is good and they didn’t bring us in to air our concerns.”

Reyes likewise called on his colleagues during a committee meeting yesterday to consider for voting only those bills that have been deliberated by the members.

“We will allow members to review the legislation. We have done that in the past and members have expressed great concern that members are not given time,” he said.

As Senate floor leader, Reyes has the authority to prioritize bills which the upper house acts on during a session.

“I have no plans now or in the future to be putting on calendar for action legislation that we have not sufficiently reviewed,” vowed the senator.