DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM House skips action on appropriation bills, again

Is it because their term is about to end or is it just because of pure laziness is a question that conscience of each lawmaker has to answer.

For the second time in a row, the House of Representatives postponed on Friday passage of critical appropriation bills after it failed to get enough members to satisfy the quorum requirement.

House Speaker Diego T. Benavente called off the 1:30 P.M. session an hour later when it was apparent that at least two more members were not going to arrive as hoped for by 12 representatives who were already in the chamber.

The House needs to have at least 14 members to meet the required three-fourth votes of the 18-seat chamber for the lameduck Legislature to pass appropriation legislation, including the much-delayed $50.8 million in capital improvement projects.

Mr. Benavente, however, was quick to defend his colleagues, especially those who failed to get re-elected in the last Nov. 6 midterm polls, saying some of them were just busy with other concerns.

“This is not really a matter of whether there’s a loss of interests…among those who lost in the elections,” he said in an interview. “Some of the members were tied up, but they called to say they would try to make it. Some of them were in the hospital and several were off-island.”

Aside from Mr. Benavente, others present during the scheduled session were Representatives Jesus T. Attao, Ana S. Teregeyo, Frank G. Cepeda, Melvin O. Faisao, Heinz S. Hofschneider, Herman T. Palacios, Karl T. Reyes, Bennett Seman, Manuel A. Tenorio, Rosiky Camacho and Malua T. Peter.

Reps. David M. Apatang and Oscar M. Babauta were reported to be in the hospital, while Rota Rep. Alejo M. Mendiola and Tinian Rep. Jose A. Hocog were given notice just a day earlier. There were no reports on the whereabouts of Reps. Dino M. Jones and Timmo Olopai.

While acknowledging that Friday’s session was eleventh-hour decision, Mr. Benavente maintained that in the past most House members have appeared even with a one-day notice.

“I am not going to make any statement or any judgment on any of the members at this time. I will call for another day” of session, probably tomorrow, he said.

Ms. Teregeyo also said that they may hold two sessions this week to pass 19 bills that are pending in the House calendar.

The House was expected to pass the CIP bill setting aside the recent $30 million loan secured from Bank of Guam and $20.8 million in federal construction grants provided through Covenant 702 funding agreement.

Last Friday’s session was the second attempt to gather 14 House members following the Nov. 26 session in which the chamber deferred action on critical bills, including the latest CIP package, as only 13 members were present at that time.

The Tenorio administration is hoping to expedite passage of the measure to immediately begin use of the money for infrastructure plans on the three islands as well as refinancing ongoing projects for their completion.

There are less than 30 days left before the inauguration of the 12th Legislature, which will see nine new members in the House and one in the Senate.