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President Kessai Note announced Monday a major breakthrough
in the United States Congress following word from the RMI’s
Embassy in Washington that the US Congress passed three
important funding measures for the RMI.
These include:
$6.1 million for Supplemental Education Grant (SEG), $1
million for the 177 Health Care Program (HCP) and $1 million
for payments to replace the Prior Service Trust Fund.
In a radio address Monday, the President said that he was
pleased to share the information with the Marshallese
people.
“I am pleased this morning to announce to the Marshallese
people that the US Congress has approved our request for
funding of the SEG, 177 HCP and the Prior Service Trust
Fund,” said President Note. “These will allow us to move
forward with our goals of improving our important sectors of
education and health.”
The appropriation, passed late Saturday afternoon by the
House of Representatives and the Senate, states that the RMI
will receive:
• $6.1 million to carry out Supplemental Education Grants
(SEG) program and will allow up to five percent of the
amount to administer the SEG programs and to obtain
technical assistance.
• $1 million to assist health care programs in the RMI
(proposed by the Senate) for the people of Enewetak, Bikini,
Rongelap and Utrik.
• $1 million for payments to replace the Prior Service Trust
Fund. The bill will provide: (a) the pension systems of RMI,
Palau, FSM and CNMI to assume responsibility for the
enrollees of the Prior Service Benefits Trust Fund; (b) the
allocation of potential future US funding, if appropriated,
among these four pension systems and payment of their
benefit; (c) a reasonable transition overhead rate; (d)
appropriate changes in benefits, if any, and; (e) for the
termination of certification and enrollment of new
beneficiaries by March 31, 2005. The funding will also
direct that the $1 million in funding should be reprogrammed
for general technical assistance uses if no agreement can be
reached.
The funding for the programs follows discussion during a
working visit to Washington in June by President Note,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerald Zackios, and Compact
negotiator Bobby Muller accompanied by Ambassador Banny
deBrum.
While in Washington, the President met with members and
leaders of both Houses of Congress and with top
administration officials from the Departments of Interior,
State and Defense.
President Note and Minister Zackios are expected to visit
Washington next year to meet with high-level US government
officials and members of the Congress on the Changed
Circumstances Petition seeking additional nuclear test
compensation. |
