So far, the federal government has already given more than $17 million in Federal Emergency and Management Agency aid to some 3,000 households, $6 million to get people back to work, $4 million in loans for businesses, and $3.5 million in emergency food stamps, according to Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP).<\/p>\n
In a presentation yesterday to update members of the Rotary Club of Saipan about typhoon relief initiatives being done by his office and the federal government, Sablan also cited the help provided by the U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, and the U.S. Department of Energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of this assistance comes automatically once our local government requests federal help. But your congressional office alerted federal agencies to expect those requests and made sure they got prompt reply,\u201d Sablan said, \u201cfrom the White House, a disaster declaration in 30 hours, from [Department of] Agriculture, release of food stamp funds in two days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sablan said they pushed FEMA to reconsider when it decided that unemployment compensation could not be offered in the CNMI after the disaster.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now the Commonwealth has put together a proposal, and some people who cannot get work may get temporary financial assistance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sablan also shared with Rotary members what\u2019s going on in the 114th Congress and some of his initiatives there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very glad to get back to the Education Committee this Congress,\u201d Sablan said, where they will be reworking the No Child Left Behind Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cPSS is already getting about $4 million more every year from the Act than when I was first elected. But I want to change that funding formula so PSS does even better,\u201d Sablan said.<\/p>\n
He is also keeping an eye on the food stamp program as well as health care.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepublicans cut food stamp nationwide in last year\u2019s Farm Bill. But as a member of the Agriculture Committee, I was able to get them to add $33.5 million for the Northern Marianas,\u201d Sablan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got an extra $109 million in the Affordable Care Act\u2014Obamacare\u2014for the Commonwealth\u2019s Medicaid program,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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