United States President Barack Obama has submitted a $678 million dollar budget for the Office of Insular Affairs for fiscal year 2015.
The budget request includes $92.2 million dollars in annual appropriations and $585.9 million dollars in permanent and indefinite appropriations of fiscal payments to U.S. Territories and the three Freely Associated States of Palau, view Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
Payments under the budget request to FAS states through the Compact of Free Association includes $75.8 million to RMI, $109.8 million to FSM, $41.5 million to Palau and $30 million for Compact Impact.
According to a press release from Washington D.C., the Office of Insular Affairs is not requesting appropriations for Palau compact assistance in 2015 as the renewed Compact agreement valued at $250 million will be enacted prior to the implementation of the 2015 budget.
In September 2010, Palau and the U.S., signed a renewed agreement that included the $250 million dollar assistance through 2024.
The legislation is still pending in the U.S. Congress.
Source: Pacific News Center