House joint resolution endorses a new stimulus plan, expanded premium pay

Rep. Christina Sablan (D-Saipan) has introduced a bipartisan House joint resolution to strongly encourage and endorse the issuance of a new local stimulus payment of $500 per resident and $500 per dependent. Eligibility guidelines would remain the same as the previous federal stimulus packages; households that meet adjusted gross income guidelines of up to $75,000 per individual or $150,000 for married couples.

The joint resolution strongly urges the new local economic impact payment to be made directly to qualified households instead of limiting spending options to local vendors that accepted Visa debit cards, as with the previous local stimulus distribution.

“This stimulus package is meant to provide recipients with the flexibility and freedom to choose how they wish to apply these funds, expand the pool of small businesses that will benefit from increased consumer spending, and reduce overhead costs of administration,” Sablan said, who chairs the House Health and Welfare Committee. “There are many other individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth who are in serious need of financial relief, including thousands of Commonwealth residents who remain unemployed or underemployed and still await long-overdue payments of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Commonwealth Covid-19 Emergency Rental Assistance.”

Premium pay expansion

The joint resolution also proposes to expand the scope of the premium pay “bonuses” of $1,000 and $5,000 to include other essential workers throughout the government, including autonomous agencies such as the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., as well as essential workers in the private sectors.

Gov. Ralph DLG.Torres previously announced his plan to distribute premium pay to certain frontline government employees of the Executive Branch, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

“Throughout the pandemic, our community was served by front-liners in the public and private sectors who risked their well-being and the well-being of their friends and family when they reported to work. They overcame their fears through a sense of duty to our community and now it is our responsibility to acknowledge their service,” Sablan said.

The joint resolution is co-sponsored by House Speaker Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), vice speaker Blas Jonathan Attao (R-Saipan)), floor leader Ralph Yumul (R-Saipan), and Reps. Celina Babauta (D-Saipan), Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan), Joel Camacho (R-Saipan), Edwin Propst (D-Saipan), Corina Magofna (D-Saipan), John Paul Sablan (R-Saipan), Richard Lizama (D-Saipan), Donald Manglona (Ind-Rota) Leila Staffler (D-Saipan), and Denita Yangetmai (D-Saipan). (PR)