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By Rolynda Jonathan
Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. is pushing for the passage of the renewed Compact of Free Association agreement amid challenges in the U.S. Congress.
Remengesau said that the Compact agreement is facing challenges in terms of seeking offsets for the $250 million dollar package in light of automatic budget cuts practiced in the U.S. among other domestic issues.
The President further disclosed at his weekly press conference on June 19 that the agreement was “not on the priority list.”
He said the trip to Washington D.C. helped to elevate the importance of the pending agreement.
During the four-day visit, viagra 60mg Remengesau, story his Press Secretary, discount the Chief Compact Negotiator, Senator Whipps Jr, Delegate Isechal and Ambassador Kyota met with several Republicans and Democrats from the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate to further push the passage of the agreement through.
Although former Senators Akaka and Inouye, who were “champions for Palau”, are no longer in the Congress, the President says there is a strong bipartisan congressional support to find ways to overcome challenges that have held up the approval of the renewed Compact.
Currently, the compact agreement is attached as a rider to the Helium bill that earlier passed the House of Representatives and now pending in the Senate.
