Lawmakers get more time to review local war claims bill

The expected debate on a local war claims bill failed to materialize at session today. While it topped the agenda, sponsor Speaker Tina Muna Barnes asked to pass it on file for later discussion to give her colleagues more time to review a pair of amendments.

The measure authorizes up to $7.5 million in payments to survivors who've already been vetted by a federal war reparations commission.

But Sen. Jose Pedo Terlaje is among those who are concerned it could impact Congressman Michael San Nicolas' federal legislation to free up war claims funding that now awaits action by the Senate.

"I think it should be known that there is a war claims provision that was introduced by our congressman in Washington D.C., and asking us to delay on bills like this and I appreciate and thank the author for this bill because this is a good bill, but it will totally jeopardize the passage of this bill in congress, and if we do pass this bill we're going to extract some of the funding that we have awarded to the different agencies," he said. 

Legislative session resumes Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m.