{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sablan.house.gov/compact-renewals-necessary", "Compact renewals necessary", "2020-09-14", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Compact renewals necessary                                           \n              Sep 14, 2020      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    As Natural Resources Committee Vice Chair for Insular Affairs, I hosted a briefing by the Departments of State and Interior on Tuesday to update Congress on the ongoing negotiations on extensions of theCompacts of Free Associationbetween the U.S. and the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Co-Chair negotiators, State Department Ambassador Karen Stewart and Interior Assistant Secretary Douglas Domenech, reported they are hopeful negotiations can be finalized by the end of this year. Economic provisions of the compacts do not expire until 2023 for FSM and RMI, and in 2024 for Palau. However, we want to avoid a repeat of Palau's last compact renewal, which was agreed to in 2010 but not funded until FY2018. The delay raised concerns about the U.S. commitment to our Pacific allies. With foreign powers eager to exert influence in the FAS, we should ensure that the U.S. helps advance their economic development and self-sufficiency, while U.S. national security strategy and diplomacy is maintained in the region. We must also make sure significant additional funding is made available to territories and states to help defray health, education, and infrastructure costs associated with hosting COFA migrants.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sablan.house.gov/compact-renewals-necessary"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4377990737557411, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}