Senate amends House concurrent resolution on budget

The full Senate agreed yesterday to amend the House concurrent resolution that approves the expected revenues and resources of the CNMI in fiscal year 2024 by reducing the administration’s anticipated revenue from $172.5 million to $163 million.

The Senate’s amendment decreased the total earmarks from $57,157,358 in the House’s version to $48,008,048. This then brings to $115,407,265 the net local revenue and resources available for appropriations, which is the same amount in the House’s version.

All seven senators voted “yes” to the amendment and passed House Concurrent Resolution 23-2, in the form of Senate Substitute 1.

Sens. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) and Corina L. Magofna (Ind-Saipan) were absent but excused from the regular session, which was held at the Rota Mayor’s Office conference room.

Sen. Donald M. Manglona (Ind-Rota), who chairs the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee, offered the amendments.

Manglona said the earmarks for the Marianas Visitors Authority and Group Health Life Insurance are reduced accordingly, but they’re reinstating $2 million to MVA and $1,416,320 to GHLI.

“This came about after we reduced the anticipated revenue from $172 million down to $163 million,” he said.

Manglona said the committee had agreed to suspend all earmarks, which would in essence increase the net resources available by $3.4 million. He said they took that increase and returned $2 million to MVA and $1,416,320 to GHLI in order to secure these two entities.

Manglona said these funds are important as MVA is tasked with promoting the CNMI and reviving the tourism industry, whilet GHLI payments can be made and benefits will not be hindered.

For the record, Sen. Dennis James C. Mendiola (R-Rota) said he would just like to make sure that funding going to the Rota and Tinian municipalities are the same so that they can push their tourism proposals forward.

Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan) pre-filed Monday a bill that proposes a $115.4-million budget for the CNMI government for fiscal year 2024, as Gov. Arnold I. Palacios had proposed.