Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698750064738.pdf (Micronesia, Federated States of)
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA FIRST REGULAR SESSION, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO.

19-12, C.D.1 P.C.

NO.

19-354 PUBLIC LAW NO.

19-85 AN ACT To establish the Joint Committee on Compact Review and Planning and its Secretariat, for the purpose of coordinating the Nation’s preparation efforts towards effective and smooth post Compact government upon expiration of the Compact in 2023, and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA: 1 Section 1.

Purpose.

In 1986 the Governments of the 2 Federated States of Micronesia and the United States of America 3 entered into a treaty of cooperation styled as the Compact of Free 4 Association.

The treaty acknowledged and declared the terms of 5 financial, economic, and defense exchanged between the Parties for 6 the mutual benefit of the two governments.
In 2023 the economic 7 and financial terms of the Compact of Free Association between the 8 Government of the Federated States of Micronesia and the 9 Government of the United States of America will expire.

Certain 10 terms, including defense and immigration provisions continue 11 indefinitely until one or both parties to the treaty decide to end 12 such terms as well.
It is now incumbent on the Government of the 13 Federated States of Micronesia to prepare for the eventual 14 expiration of the economic and financial assistance from the 15 United States of America.

In anticipation of the termination of 16 the financial provisions of the Amended Compact of Free 17 Association in 2023, there is hereby established a joint committee 18 of the Executive and Legislative branches.

CBL 19-02 P.C.

NO.

19-354 PUBLIC LAW NO.

19-85 CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO.


19-12, C.D.1 1 Section 2.

Establishment of the Joint Committee on Compact 2 Review and Planning.
There is hereby created and established a 3 joint committee to be known as the Joint Committee on Compact 4 Review and Planning (“JCRP”), comprising nine members as 5 follows: one representative from each of the four States, as 6 appointed by the President in consultation with the leadership 7 of each State, and four representatives from the Congress of the 8 Federated States of Micronesia, one from each congressional 9 delegation.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs shall be a member 10 ex officio.
He shall chair the Joint Committee's first meeting, 11 and organize the election of its Chairman and Vice Chairman.

12 Six of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction 13 of business.

Decisions shall be made within the Committee by at 14 least five concurring votes, with each participating member 15 casting a single vote.

16 Section 3.

Meetings.

The JCRP shall hold its first meeting 17 at the call of the acting Chairman.
Subsequent meetings shall be 18 held in accordance with a schedule set by the JCRP covering the 19 entire period between the first meeting and the termination of the 20 Amended Compact in 2023.

21 Section 4.

Mandate.

The JCRP shall carry out the following 22 responsibilities and obligations: 23 (1) In consultation with the Congress, set goals and 24 objectives in anticipation of the termination of the Amended 25 Compact of Free Association; 2 of 5 P.C.

NO.

19-354 PUBLIC LAW NO.


19-85 CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO.
19-12, C.D.1 1 (2) Conduct a thorough analysis of all factors 2 relating the future of the Nation; 3 (3) Develop all necessary strategies and approaches 4 to enable the Federated States of Micronesia to explore 5 alternatives for the future of the Nation; 6 (4) Direct its Secretariat in preparing the 7 documentation necessary to accomplish its responsibilities 8 hereunder; 9 (5) Analyze all economic information available on the 10 Federated States of Micronesia, with the aim of identifying the 11 FSM's continuing requirement for reasonable, fair, and effective 12 financial assistance from all sources from the year 2023 onward; 13 (6) Provide reports periodically to the Congress at 14 each regular session, and to the Office of the President, on all 15 developments, actual or potential, positive or negative, that may 16 be related to the future of the Nation, including but not limited 17 to new information, actions, communications, domestic and foreign 18 policies, bilateral and multilateral plans, as well as periodic 19 surveys exploring the value of net benefits to a foreign nation 20 from an exclusive security prerogative; and 21 (7) Collaborate with the State Governments, the 22 Department of Foreign Affairs, the Congress, and the Office of the 23 President in identifying the nominees for the JCRP whose selection 24 will be subject to Congress's expressed approval; and 25 (8) Use funds for each separate category of expense 3 of 5 P.C.
NO.

19-354 PUBLIC LAW NO.

19-85 CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO.

19-12, C.D.1 1 only up to the aggregate amount of the line-items of the 2 corresponding expense category set out in the associated 3 appropriations bill or bills approved by Congress, and select and 4 hire the personnel needed to staff the Secretariat, as specified 5 in section 6 below.

6 7 Section 5. Financing of the JCRP.


(1) The President shall include the JCRP operations 8 budget in his annual budget to Congress; 9 (2) The departments and agencies of the Executive 10 Branch shall cooperate in providing information and other 11 logistical support to the JCRP upon request; and 12 (3) The expenses of experts and consultants for the 13 governments (state and national) traveling with JCRP shall be 14 borne by their agencies of origin.

15 Section 6.

Establishment of the Secretariat.


There is 16 hereby created and established a full-time Secretariat for the 17 JCRP.

The Secretariat shall consist of an Executive Director, 18 an Administrative Officer, a staff counsel, and a secretary, all 19 based in Pohnpei.

The Secretariat shall have the following 20 responsibilities.
21 (1) Provide all administrative and logistical support 22 to the JCRP, and shall (a) prepare an annual budget for approval 23 by the Joint Committee, (b) transmit an approved budget to the 24 President to submit, with comments, to the Congress of the 25 Federated States of Micronesia; 4 of 5 P.C.

NO.

19-354 PUBLIC LAW NO.

19-85 CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO.
19-12, C.D.1 1 (2) Coordinate with the various departments, offices 2 and agencies of the FSM and State Governments to collect all 3 information and technical input necessary for satisfying its 4 responsibilities; and 5 (3) As directed by the JCRP, hire professionals 6 including an outside developmental economist and other consultants 7 with expertise in security or defense policy to assist the Joint 8 Committee with any aspect of its responsibilities, particularly 9 that are provided under section 4(5) above.
10 Section 7.

This act shall become law upon approval by the 11 President of the Federated States of Micronesia or upon its 12 becoming law without such approval.

13 June 02 , 2016 for /s/ Yosiwo P. George Peter M. Christian President Federated States of Micronesia 5 of 5