Implementation of the Compacts of Free Association Hearing
On Wednesday, I participated in the Natural Resources Committee Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee hearing on implementation of the new Compacts of Free Association (COFA) for the Freely Associated States (FAS) of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The people of the FAS are our family, friends and neighbors, and the success of the new COFA agreements is important for our whole region. I questioned representatives from the U.S. Departments of State and Interior, including our very own Angel Demapan, on implementation on potential threats they see facing the FAS, what they are doing to propel economic development in the FAS, and implementation of the new agreements. I also asked the ambassadors from each of the FAS on what implementation issues were top of mind for them. My bill, H.R. 6652, the U.S. Vets of the FAS Act, which would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to enter into agreements with the FAS to provide telehealth, mail order pharmacy and beneficiary travel payments to veterans of the U.S. armed forces living in the FAS, received widespread support. The VA was authorized to provide these services and benefits under the renewed Compacts, but has yet to do so. My bill would require it to furnish these health services and benefits by given dates. The affairs of our Micronesian family will always be important to the CNMI and be a legislative priority for me.