‘It was only the subcommittee that rejected funding request’

The entire $140 million bailout request by the CNMI was not entirely rejected by the U.S. House of Representatives, but only by one of its subcommittee, said Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio.

In a statement, Tenorio clarified that it was only the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies that rejected “some $86 million for government operations and dump closure.”

“The other subcommittees have yet to act on the other ‘bailout’ package request,” said Tenorio.

In an earlier interview, Tenorio had said that the House did not include the CNMI’s funding request for consideration.

Yesterday, Tenorio said that the $140-million package was broken down into different categories and submitted to concerned subcommittees.

Based on the list, $40 million for “CNMI government operations” and $26 million for the Puerto Rico dump closure/landfill construction was submitted to the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.

Other requests include:

* $2.3 million for the Kagman Watershed that was submitted to the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies;

* $4 million for the Commonwealth Health Center’s repair and equipment replacement that is now with the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Resources, Education, and Related Agencies;

* $5.6 million for Public School System repair and maintenance, also with Labor, Health and Human Resources, Education, and Related Agencies;

* $17.5 million for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. fuel assistance, which was submitted to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies;

* $25.5 million for Tinian Harbor Reconstruction, also with Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies;

* $16.2 million for the Rota Harbor reconfiguration, also with Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; and

* $2.3 million for the new prison facility operations, which is now with the Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia Prison operations.

Tenorio said that should all these subcommittees reject the requests, “I will follow up for inclusion in the respective Senate subcommittees.”

“The process takes a lot of time, and this will give me all the opportunities to present our needs on the Senate side,” said Tenorio.

The official submitted the entire package to the U.S. House of Representatives last March.

The Fitial administration has supported the bailout request, acknowledging that the CNMI economy is no longer self-sustaining.