Senate committee holds off acting on House budget bill
The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee will hold off acting on the House of Representatives’ budget bill for fiscal year 2024 until the bicameral conference committee reaches a mutually agreed figure in the proposed budget’s ceiling.
The House passed the budget legislation, House Bill 23-66, last Aug. 11 and it was transmitted to the Senate that same day. Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) subsequently referred the bill to the Fiscal Affairs Committee that same day.
Speaking at a special session yesterday, committee chair Sen. Donald M. Manglona (Ind-Rota) said his committee will not be acting on this legislation until the bicameral conference committee can agree on a ceiling in the anticipated revenues/resources.
“We are currently in discussions in the conference committee,” said the senator, adding that the committee convened yesterday and will resume its meeting today, Friday, to go over some of the points that some of the members have brought up.
Manglona chairs the Senate conference committee, while Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan) chairs the House conference committee.
The Senate and House leadership formed the conference committee after the House rejected the Senate’s amendments to the House concurrent resolution that reduced the administration’s anticipated revenue in fiscal year 2024 from $172.5 million to $163 million.
The Senate has yet to finish the draft of their version of the budget bill.
Donald M. Manglona
