Marianas Visitors Authority

Impasse over Northern Marianas budget

If it is not resolved and the government does not submit a budget within 20 days then the territory risks a government shutdown.

The impasse is over 2.5 million US dollars earmarked for the Visitors Authority, which the Senate hopes to re-appropriate to buy an X-ray machine for the Customs department and pay a portion of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation's debt to the Utilities Corporation.

Both houses have sought a legal opinion from the Attorney General's Office.

They have also adopted a budget sum of $145,829,375, after the deductions of earmarked funds.