84
deletion of section 104 as duplicative and unnecessary. Quite apart
from the considerations described above, we think the section as
drafted contains inherent ambiguities. If the section is to be con-
strued to mean that the legal eligibility of the Trust Territory for
Federal programs shall not cease without congressional approval,
then section 104 is a restatement of existing law and is unnecessary.
If, on the other hand, this wording is construed to mean that ‘Trust
Territory participation in applicable, discretionary, Federal pro-
grams may not cease without the approval of Congress, then we
strongly oppose the section. As of December 30, 1977, the Trust Territory was tegally eligible for 482 Federal programs; its participated
in 166. We think the Trust Territory Government and this Department ought to retain the authority to decide which discretionary programs should be implemented in the Trust Territory, and which ones
Should not.
,
-
erns Mariana Islands. The Admunistration supports this section.
The salary and expenses of the government comptroller of Guam
are paid by this Department and curently the Northern Mariana
Islands are underhis jurisdiction. We recommend the specific inclu-
sion of the Northern Mariana Islands in the statute that extended
the authority of the comptroller to the Trust Territory of the Pacilic
Islands (48 U.S.C. 1681b). Present application of existing law would
not change, but an amendment would insure continued application
of the statute to the Northern Mariana Islands (which will become a
part of the United States whenit assumes fully the status of the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Marianas) at such time as the trusteeship
over Micronesia is terminated. We recommend the following amendmentto the Act of June 30, 1954, as amended by the Act of September 21,1973 (48 U.S.C. 1681b) :
;
(1) strike the words “governmentof the Trust Territory of the
Pacitic Islands” wherever they appear and insert in Neu thereof
the words “governments of the ‘Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands or the Northern. Mariana Islands,” ;
(2) after the words “High Commissioner of the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands” insert the words “or Governor of the
Northern Mariana Islands, as the case maybe,”;
.
(3) wherever the words “High Commissioner” appear and are
not followed by the words “of the Trust Territory of the Pacific
Istands” insert the words “or Governor as the case may be,”; and
(4) after the words “District Court of Guam” insert the words
“or District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, as the case
miy be”,
SECTION 202
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Section 201 provides that the Department of the Interior shall pay
the salary and expenses of the government comptroller of the North-
* —- see
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SECTION 201
seetion 202 would authorize $24.4 million (indexed to October 1979
prices) for health care services in the Northern Mariana Islands.
eet item rave
The $24,400,000 authorization for health care facilitics for 16,000
people appears to us to be excessive when compared with health care
facility costs in the Virgin Islands and Guam. While we agree that
current facilities are in need of upgrading, their ultimate cost should
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