HOUSE AGENDA

The House of Representatives yesterday lashed out anew at the Department of Finance for its hardball approach in reimbursing account expenses of its members, particularly the plan by some legislators to travel to Washington D.C. for the forthcoming hearing in Congress.

House Speaker Diego T. Benavente instructed the Ways and Means Committee to meet with finance officials to resolve differences over handling of legislative funds, noting that it has been a long-standing problem between the Legislature and the DOF.

Aside from this issue, the House passed two measures during the three-hour session, including House Bill 11-455 which is an amendment to a recently-signed law that set aside nearly $30 million to several infrastructure projects of the Public School System. (See related story on Page 1)

But members rejected a proposed law under HB 11-438 that would seek reduction in the fees of firearms license in the Commonwealth due to its impact on financial standing of the government as well as possible proliferation of guns here.

The following bills and resolutions were approved:

• HB 11-456 – amending existing laws to allow new homesteaders ample time to comply with all conditions prior to being granted the deed of conveyance (for Senate action);

• House Resolution 11-171 – to request the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation Board of Directors to assist the indigent residents of the CNMI in subsidizing the cost of their utility bills by utilizing part of the fees collected from new power connections and re-connections;

• HR 11-172 – to confer upon High Priest Kansho Kayaki of the Sanpo-en Self-Enlightenment Organization, Tokyo, Japan, the status of Honorary Citizen of the CNMI as a token of gratitude and appreciation for helping to promote and foster the spirit of friendship between the Japanese and the people of the CNMI through mutual cultural awareness;

• HR 11-173 – to request CUC and the Department of Public Works to begin initial steps toward the construction of a new sewage treatment plan on Tinian;

• HR 11-174 – to commemorate the first annual American Cancer Society “Relay for Life;” and

• HR 11-175 – to request the governor to delay the implementation of the new rules and regulations by the Scholarship Office and to further request that they be implemented beginning with the high school graduating class of year 2000.