TRAVEL REQUEST DISPUTE Legislators, finance officials set meeting

The House of Representatives and the Department of Finance are expected to meet this week to try to resolve disagreement over use of legislative funds, which has evolved into an issue of separation of powers in the government.

House members believe the dispute does not only concern failure by some legislators to file their travel vouchers on time, but also the apparent administration’s interference with the functions of the Legislature.

Finance Sec. Lucy DLG Nielsen last week defended her department from mounting criticisms triggered by the conflict, saying lawmakers must comply with the requirements before they can draw down from their respective accounts.

But House Speaker Diego T. Benavente said following the regulations, such as submitting travel vouchers, is not the problem, although he acknowledged that some members owe the government large amount of unpaid balance from their previous official off-island trips.

“While I would support her efforts in trying to collect those money… I believe that her withholding per diem checks is interfering with members of the Legislature and the legislative branch’s ability to function and perform their responsibilities,” he told in an interview.

If DOF is concerned that there is huge backlog of unsettled accounts by lawmakers, Benavente said the department could withhold payment of salary, instead of stalling approval of the travels, particularly those for Washington D.C. to attend the oversight hearing by the Congress.

“Efforts should be made to collect money that is owed,” he explained. “Efforts should be made to file reports and this could be in the form of withholding salary, but the Constitution provides very clear guidelines as to the separation of powers.”

Benavente added guidelines are in place to remove any possibility that any branch of the government would hold back the ability of any one of the branches to perform its functions.

The House Ways and Means Committee has been tasked by Benavente to iron out differences with DOF on this issue, which has continued to crop up in the last two years.

Last year the department came under fire from the Legislature due to its alleged failure to reimburse members expenditures, including rental payment of tents that are usually provided for community activities such as wake and wedding.

The dispute over the use of public funds prompted them to enact a measure intended to set clear-cut policy on the phrase “public purpose” since legislators considered these community events as part of that definition.

It only became law last month, but the DOF still has to draft rules and regulations to implement the new policy.