Senate holds session today in Rota

The Senate holds its session today on Rota to pass significant legislation, including appropriation of over $50 million worth of capital improvement projects considered urgent by the Tenorio administration.

Senate President Paul A. Manglona said this is one of the last sessions to be held by the upper house before it adjourns sine die in time for the inaugural of the 12th Legislature next month.

Most of the bills in its agenda are those passed by the House of Representatives last week, such as the CIP measure and a new proposal designating a public cemetery site in Marpi on Saipan.

“We hope that the House will also have a time to entertain bills passed by the Senate,” said Mr. Manglona in an interview.

The lower house postponed its scheduled hearing yesterday when members were supposed to discuss legislation creating free trade zones in the CNMI, which was amended by the Senate last week.

According to Senate Majority Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, the CIP proposal is top priority during today’s session, but he is uncertain whether it will be altered by the nine-member chamber.

“We don’t know if there will be changes,” he told in a separate interview. “The members are looking at the CIP to determine whether they have input or not inserted in the bill.”

The House last week approved the administration-backed proposal seeking to allocate about $50.8 million in both local and federal funds for various infrastructure projects on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.

Offered by Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, passage of House Bill 11-496 had been derailed due to failure by the 18-seat chamber to round up at least 14 members to meet the required three-fourths votes for the lameduck Legislature.

But the measure was altered by representatives, taking some money out of the proposed improvement of utility services in the Kagman homestead to increase funding for their pet projects in other areas on Saipan.

While the funds set aside for Tinian and Rota were left untouched, the Senate has in the past thoroughly checked respective CIP share of each district to ensure that important projects are included.

Under the proposal, Saipan will receive a total of $31.2 million worth of projects; Rota and Tinian will each get $5.2 million.

The third of CIP appropriation passed this year, Mr. Hofschneider’s proposal will use the $30 million loan secured by the CNMI from Bank of Guam to match $20.8 million federal construction grants in Section 702 of the Covenant.

Aside from this appropriation bill, the Senate may also act on a joint resolution that will ask the administration to pursue legal steps against the U.S. military for the contamination of Tanapag with the cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs that has raised alarm on the health of its residents. (BS)