Perman introduces a bill to again increase FSM senator’s salaries by 25 percent and Speaker salary by a third

By Bill Jaynes The Kaselehlie Press

April 8, 2023

FSM— On April 4, FSM Senator Ferny Perman, who will not be returning to Congress when the 23rd Congress takes its seat in Palikir, introduced a bill (C.B. 22-291) to again increase the salaries of FSM Senators.

The proposed bill has not yet received any attention from Congress other than to have been introduced to the current special session of Congress.

If Congress chooses to pass it in its current state, FSM Senators would, after being seated in Congress, be entitled to receive $65,000 per year as salary, up from the current rate of $52,000 annually. The Speaker of the Congress would be entitled to $75,000 per year from the current rate of $55,000.

On May 10 of 2021, just under two years ago, the 21st Congress increased its salary for members with public law 21-251. It was the last Act of the 21st Congress that President Panuelo signed into law on that day.

The new proposed level would represent a salary increase of 25 percent or 13,000 additional dollars per year for 13 senators, a total budget increase of $169,000 for the Senators who are not the Speaker. For the Speaker, the proposed percentage increase is a full third higher than the current rate authorized by PL 21-151.

At press time, the 22nd Congress had not yet voted on Perman’s proposed bill to increase salaries.