By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-53-195.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.53.195) on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 10:41 am: Edit Post |
Marshall Island President asks for restoration of the Peace Corps program
Marshall Island President asks for restoration of the Peace Corps program
President's Washington Trip Helps Marshall Islands' Agenda
The Marshall Islands has many supporters on the Hill, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle told Kessai H. Note, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The President's Washington visit last week was "very helpful," said Daschle. On Thursday, President Note met with Daschle and House Speaker Dennis Hastert seeking support on the Change Circumstances Petition (CCP), 177 Health Care Program (HCP), educational funding, and the restoration of the Peace Corps program to the RMI.
President Note was informed that the $6.1 million Supplemental Education Grant (SEG), authorized under the Compact, but missing from the Administration's FY'05 budget proposal, was added to the House appropriation bill. "If this amount is not included, it would cripple the RMI’s education program," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerald M. Zackios.
Representative Ralph Regula (Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and Chairman of Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education) indicated the SEG was included in the House version. The Senate is still working on appropriation to include the $6.1 million in their budget. The SEG replaces some programs with cash in the amount of $6.1 million that the RMI will use to fund programs that were terminated under the Compact, as Amended.
President Note, Minister Zackios and RMI Ambassador Banny deBrum also met with the 4 Atoll leaders, Congress members John Duncan (Resources Committee), Richard Pombo (Chairman of the Resources Committee), Jeff Flake (International Relations), Sen. Pete Domenici in a follow-up meeting, and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (Senior Member of the Senate Energy Committee).
In Thursday’s meetings, the importance of the CCP and the 177 HCP to the people of the Marshall Islands, especially the affected islands, was emphasized.
The RMI is asking that the Congress include $2 million in this year’s appropriation bills to fund the HCP until the CCP is in place. Thus far, the support to include the funding was positive from both Houses.
The Congress is currently awaiting the Administration’s review on the CCP. The President received commitments that hearings will be held early next year on the Hill if the CCP review is received before the end of the year.
"The urgency to hold a series of hearings was well received," said Note. “We will now follow up on the commitments to hold CCP hearings early next year."
During a visit to Peter W. Rodman (Assistant Secretary of Defense), President Note said,“We have citizens in the U.S. military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Note. “These are some of our best and brightest citizens.”
The President also met with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez who was very optimistic that the Peace Corps will return to the RMI pending increase in funding.
On Wednesday, President Note, had met with Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Congressmen Tom Udall (Resources Committee), Jim Saxton (Chairman of the House Armed Service Committee), Senator Byron Dorgan, and Secretary of Interior Gale Norton.
Rep. Faleomavaega told the President, "We will do what we can to hold hearings early next year. I will encourage my colleagues to support a hearing."
President and First Lady Note attended a dinner with the International Registries Inc.’s (IRI) top management on Wednesday.
Further visits by President Note, Minister Zackios and Ambassador deBrum were to ROC’s representative to the U.S. C.J. Chen.
President Note arrived in Majuro, the Marshall Islands' capital, on Tuesday.