Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Oversight And Investigations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senator raises discrepancies in CNMI ARPA reporting; committee to review documents
Summary
A senator cited inconsistent ARPA balance reports and said the Committee on Federal Relations and Military Affairs will review documents obtained under open-records requests and subpoenas to determine what transpired.
Senator Carl raised concerns on April 25 about inconsistencies in Commonwealth reporting of American Rescue Plan Act funds and said the committee on federal relations and military affairs will review documents and decide next steps.
Senator Carl told the Senate he reviewed submissions the CNMI made to the U.S. Treasury and described differing figures: he said an initial submission listed an ARPA balance of about $124,600,000 as of Dec. 31, 2022; a later submission in March listed about $97 million; and media statements by the administration had described an $80 million deficit. Senator Carl characterized the discrepancies as “alarming” and said the committee will assess documentation obtained under open-government requests and subpoenas to determine the actual ARPA balance and recommend any action.
The presiding officer added that the key public interest is ensuring the public is informed about what transpired with ARPA funds, and he urged the committee to pursue clarity. The Senate did not record a floor vote on this matter; Senator Carl said the committee will meet to decide how to handle the documents and next steps.
