April 3,2020

The Honorable Wesley W. Simina Speaker Twenty-First Congress Federated States of Micronesia Palikir, Pohnpei FM 96941 Dear Speaker Simina: I am pleased to transmit the following congressional act, which I have signed into Public Law No. 21-104:

Congressional Act No. 21-94, entitled: "AN ACT TO FURTHER AMEND CHAPTER 6 OF TITLE 55 OF TFIE CODE OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA (ANNOTATED), AS AMENDED, BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 609A, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY TOURISM SECTOR MITIGATION RELIEF FUND TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ECONOMIC LOSS FELT BY THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WHO WERE LAID OFF DURING THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."

I wish to thank the 2U' FSM Congress for the passage of this act.

Sincerely,

David W.Pdn President

Xc: Chief Justice, FSM Supreme Court

CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA P.O. Box PS 3

Palikir, Sokehs Pohnpei State, FM 96941 Tel: (691) 320-2324 /2338 Fax: (691) 320-5 122

Office of the Chief Clerk

March 2020

His E x c e l l e n c y David W. Panuelo P r e s i d e n t Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a P a l i k i r , Pohnpei FM 96941

Dear P r e s i d e n t Panuelo:

I have t h e honor t o t r a n s m i t h e r e w i t h Congressional A ct No. 21-94, "AN ACT TO FURTHER AMEND CHAPTER 6 OF TITLE 55 OF THE CODE OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA (ANNOTATED), AS AMENDED, BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 609A, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY TOURISM SECTOR MITIGATION RELIEF FUND TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ECONOMIC LOSS FELT BY THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WHO WERE LAID OFF DURING THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.", which was passed by t h e T w e n t y - F i r s t Congress o f t h e Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a , F o u r t h S p e c i a l Session, 2020, by a t w o - t h i r d s v o t e o f a l l t h e S t a t e d e l e g a t i o n s as r e q u i r e d and as d u l y c e r t i f i e d .

S i n c e r e l y yours..

L i w i a n a Ramon l o a n i s Chief C l e r k , Congress o f t h e Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a

Enclosures

(CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO. 21-163, C.D.I, C.D.21

TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA

FOURTH SPECIAL SESSION MARCH 5 - 9, 2020

(EXTENDED BY C.R. NO. 21-125, ADOPTED 03/7/20)

An Act TO FURTHER AMEND CHAPTER 6 OF TITLE 55 OF THE CODE OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA (ANNOTATED), AS AMENDED, BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 609A, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY TOURISM SECTOR MITIGATION RELIEF FUND TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ECONOMIC LOSS FELT BY THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WHO WERE LAID OFF DURING THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR: WESLEY W. SIMINA DATE: MARCH 6, 2020 REFERRED TO: COMMITTEES ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH

AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS WITHDRAWN - MARCH 6, 2020

FIRST READING: - MARCH 6, 2020 SECOND READING: - MARCH I I , 2020

Liwiana Ramon loSnis Chief Clerk, FSM Congress

A I

CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA P.O.Box PS 3 Palikir, Sokehs

Pohnpei State. FM 96941 Tel: (691)320-2324 /2338

Fax: (691) 320-5122

ACT NO. 21-94

(CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO. 21-163, C.D.I, CD.2)

We hereby c e r t i f y t h a t on March 11 t h e f o r e g o i n g a c t passed

Second and F i n a l Reading o f t h e T w e n t y - F i r s t Congress of t h e

Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a , F o u r t h S p e c i a l Session, 2020,

by a t w o - t h i r d s v o t e o f a l l t h e S t a t e d e l e g a t i o n s as r e q u i r e d

under a r t i c l e IX, s e c t i o n 20, o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e

Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a .

L i w i a n a Ramon l o a n i s Chief C l e r k Congress o f t h e Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a

Office of the Speaker

TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA

FOURTH SPECIAL SESSION, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO. 21-163, C.D.I, CD.2

AN ACT

To f u r t h e r amend chapter 6 o f t i t l e 55 of t h e Code o f th e Federated S t a t e s o f Mi c r o n e s i a ( A n n o t a t e d ) , as amended, by adding a new s e c t i o n 609A, f o r t h e purpose o f e s t a b l i s h i n g a temporary t o u r i s m s e c t o r m i t i g a t i o n r e l i e f f u n d t o a l l e v i a t e some o f t h e economic l o s s f e l t by t h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y and i n d i v i d u a l s w o r k i n g i n t h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y who were l a i d o f f d u r i n g t h e c o r o n a v i r u s epidemic, and f o r o t h e r purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA:

1 S e c t i o n 1. Chapter 6 of t i t l e 55 o f th e Code o f t h e

2 Federated S t a t e s o f Mi c r o n e s i a ( A n n o t a t e d ) , as amended, i s

3 hereby f u r t h e r amended by adding a new s e c t i o n 609A, t o read as

4 f o l l o w s :

5 " S e c t i o n 609A. Tourism Sector M i t i g a t i o n Fund.

6 (1) There i s c r e a t e d a Tourism Sector M i t i g a t i o n Fund

7 t o be used t o p a r t i a l l y o f f s e t t h e economic losses o f

8 t h e businesses i n t h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y and i n d i v i d u a l s

9 work i n g i n t h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y who were l a i d o f f i n t h e

10 Federated States o f Mi c r o n e s i a d u r i n g t h e c o r o n a v i r u s

11 epidemic.

12 (2) Moneys f o r t h e Tourism Sector M i t i g a t i o n Fund

13 s h a l l be d e r i v e d from a p p r o p r i a t i o n s by th e Congress o f

14 t h e Federated S t a t e s o f Mic r o n e s i a and th e S t a t e

15 l e g i s l a t u r e s . U n i t e d S t a t e s g r a n t s , funds d e s i g n a t e d f o r

16 such purposes from i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s and from

17 any and a l l o t h e r a p p r o p r i a t e sources.

CBL 21-170

CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO. 21-163, C.D.I, CD.2

1 (3) Tourism s e c t o r businesses o p e r a t i n g i n t h e

2 Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a seeking r e l i e f from t h e

3 Tourism Sector M i t i g a t i o n Fund must show t a x r e t u r n s

4 from t h e p r e v i o u s year i n o r d e r t o e s t a b l i s h t h e i r

5 losses claimed under t h i s f u n d . I n d i v i d u a l s i n t h e

6 t o u r i s m s e c t o r , who are seeking compensation f o r l o s t

7 wages due t o being l a i d o f f as a r e s u l t o f t h e economic

8 downturn, must submit t h e i r l a s t paycheck stub and a

9 statement from t h e i r employer i n t h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y ,

10 who l a i d them o f f , e v i d e n c i n g t h e i r unemployment. The

11 P r e s i d e n t s h a l l i s s u e r e g u l a t i o n s f o r e q u i t a b l e

12 compensation f o r a f f e c t e d businesses, i n c l u d i n g a

13 p o s s i b l e cap on t h e amount o f a v a l i d c l a i m .

14 (4) The d i s t r i b u t i o n s from t h e funds s h a l l be managed

15 and a d m i n i s t e r e d by a committee named by t h e P r e s i d e n t

16 c o m p r i s i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e Departments o f

17 Resources and Development; Finance; J u s t i c e ; and

18 Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Management.

19 The committee s h a l l r e p o r t q u a r t e r l y t o Congress on t h e

20 s t a t u s o f t h e fund and d i s t r i b u t i o n s t h e r e f r o m .

21 (5) For t h e purposes o f t h i s fund t o u r i s m s e c t o r

22 businesses s h a l l i n c l u d e h o t e l o p e r a t o r s , c a r r e n t a l s ,

23 t o u r o p e r a t o r s , r e s o r t s , d i v e shops, a i r l i n e s o r any

24 o t h e r t o u r i s t s p e c i f i c business not mentioned above.

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(6) The Tourism Sector M i t i g a t i o n Fund s h a l l e x p i r e

a t t h e end o f f i s c a l year 2021. Any unexpended funds

s h a l l lapse i n t o t h e D i s a s t e r R e l i e f Fund."

S e c t i o n 2. This a c t s h a l l become law upon a p p r o v a l

by t h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Federated S t a t e s o f M i c r o n e s i a o r

upon i t s becoming law w i t h o u t such a p p r o v a l .

2020

David W. Panuelo P r e s i d e n t Federated S t a t e s o f Mi c r o n e s i a

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