Press Release # 12

Palikir, POHNPEI (4^th FSM Con-Con)- Committee Proposal 4-05 passed on Second Reading by unanimous votes of all State Delegations. Committee Proposal 4-05, proposed amendments to Article III of the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia which sets out the requirements for citizenship.

The intent and purpose of the Committee Proposal is (1) to allow a FSM Citizen who satisfies Section 2 of the FSM Constitution to hold dual citizenship. According to Section 2, a person born of parents one or both of whom are citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia is a citizen and national of the Federated States of Micronesia by birth. (2) to restore FSM citizenship to those who lost their citizenship because they failed to renounce their citizenship of a foreign country. (3) to provide a pathway for FSM citizens who knowingly renounced their FSM citizenship to restore their FSM citizenship by meeting such requirements as Congress may provide by law, and (4) to remove sections of Article III for which there are no longer any persons eligible to claim FSM citizenship.

Committee Proposal 4-05 will be heard on Final Reading on Friday, March 13^th.

Press Release #11

Palikir, POHNPEI(4^th FSM Con-Con) – Committee Proposal 4-04 passed on Final Reading by unanimous votes of all the State Delegations during plenary session this morning March 12, 2020. The citizens of the FSM will have the opportunity to vote on this proposed amendment in a referendum.

The proposed amendment is as follow:

To amend Article XIV, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia to lower the percentage of votes cast required in each State to adopt amendments to the Constitution from the current three- fourths of the votes required in three-fourths of the States to two-thirds of the votes in three –fourths of the States.

The intent of this proposal is to lower the threshold from three-fourth (3/4) to two-third (2/3).

Press Release #10

Palikir, POHNPEI (4^th FSM Con-Con 3/10/20)- As news of the corona virus is looming, the Delegates of the 4^th FSM Constitutional Convention are working diligently to complete their task before they adjourn for another recess which may be possible if an emergency issue occur due to the illness. During plenary session this afternoon, the Convention passed on second reading CC-PR-4-46.

 This proposed amendment is seeking to amend article XIV, section 1 of the constitution of the federated States of Micronesia to lower the percentage of votes cast required in each state to adopt amendments to the constitution from the current three-fourths of the votes required in three fourths of the states to two –thirds of the votes in three-fourths of the states. The proposed amendment received affirmative votes of all the four Delegations.

The intent and the purpose of the proposed amendment is to lower the percentage of votes required to be cast in each state to adopt an amendment to the Constitution from the current ¾ of the votes cast to 2/3 of the votes cast.

The current language of Article XIV, Section 1 of the FSM Constitution read as

“Section 1. An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed by constitutional convention, popular initiative, or Congress in a manner provided by law. A proposed amendment shall become a part of the Constitution when approved by ¾ of the votes cast on that amendment in each of ¾ of the states. If conflicting  Constitutional  amendments submitted to the voters at the same election are approved, the amendment receiving the highest number of  affirmative votes shall prevail to the extent of such conflict.”

Palikir, POHNPEI (4^th FSM Con-Con) – The 4^th FSM Constitutional Convention reconvened this morning February 24, 2020 in the FSM Congress Chamber in Palikir, Pohnpei to continue review of the FSM Constitution. The plenary session kicked-off at around 10:00A.M.  after a one month break in which the delegates returned to their respective states to do consultations on the proposed amendments that were introduced before the recess.

 “I welcome you all back to Palikir to our Convention, to continue our deliberation on the proposed amendments that we’ve been tasked to do pursuant to Public Law 21-19,”said President Killion in his opening statement.

“I trust that all of us have had success in our engagement with our people throughout our nation during these past 30 days. These discussions have been very useful in dealing with the proposed amendments that we have introduced so far during the first part of our Convention as well as those that maybe introduced during the remaining days of our Convention,” he added.

President Killion went on to thanked the FSM President David W. Panuelo and his administration for the continue support that they have provided to the Convention, especially the  funding  request to Congress in the amount of $776,000.00 that was appropriated to conclude the Convention. He also thanked the 21^st FSM Congress for their generous support in enacting the appropriation to enable the 4^th FSM Constitutional Convention to conclude their work.

In closing, President Killion thanked all the citizens, especially those people that the Delegates have visited throughout the nation and discussed the proposed amendments with.

During today’s plenary session, one more proposal has been added to the proposed amendments. It’s Delegation Proposal No. CC-Pr-4-63, a proposed amendment which seeks to amend Article X, Section 1,4,5, and 6 of the Constitution to provide for direct election of the President and Vice President. This proposal was introduced by Delegate Asterio Takesy of Chuuk and has been assigned to the Committee on Government Structure and Function, chaired by Delegate Victor Nabeyan of Yap.

Press Release #8

Palikir, POHNPEI (4^th FSM Con-Con) – The 4^th FSM Constitutional Convention will re-convene on Monday February 24,2020  at the FSM Congress Chamber in Palikir, Pohnpei to continue with their review of the FSM Constitution. Before it went into recess on January 22, 2020, the delegates introduced 62 proposed amendments which are related to the proposed amendments adopted by the last Constitutional Convention.

The last constitutional convention was held in 2001. Fourteen proposed Constitutional amendments were adopted but none were approved by the citizens of the FSM in a referendum.

The proposed amendments that would be adopted by the delegates of the 4^th FSM Constitutional Convention will be placed on a ballot for the March 2021 referendum or sooner.

 The Convention will begin at 10:00 A.M. on Monday February 24, 2020 and is open to the general public.

 The Committee Meetings that have been scheduled are as follows:

The Committee on Government Structure and Function will meet on Monday, February 24, at 2:30 p.m. in the FSM Congress Chamber at Palikir.  The Committee will discuss the Standing Committee Report for Delegate Proposal No. 4-11 which seeks to amend Section 2(q) of Article IX of the Constitution to provide for the number of votes required to override a Presidential veto; and an amendment to Delegate Proposal No. 4-15 which seeks to amend Section 8 of Article 9 of the Constitution to (1) add one more at-large member from each of the four states; (2) make the term for all members of Congress four years; and (3) to hold national elections every four years.

The Committee on Civil Liberties and Tradition will meet on Wednesday, February 26, at 8:30 a.m. in the Congress Hearing Room at Palikir. The Committee will discuss all of the proposals on dual citizenship.

The Committee on Public Finance and Revenue will meet on Wednesday, February 26, at 1:00 p.m. in the FSM Congress Chamber at Palikir.  The Committee will discuss National Government Financial Data.  The Secretary of Finance and the FSM Congress Budget Officer have been asked to testify at the meeting.