No, we don't know what Congressman Michael San Nicolas is talking about. And yes, the checks will be out by the end of the month.

So said acting Gov. Josh Tenorio when providing an update today on the local war claims payments.

Before heading back to Washington, D.C. this week, Congressman San Nicolas claimed at least one member of congress, who he declined to identify, has raised objections to the governor's recent signing of a law authorizing payments for already adjudicated claims. San Nicolas said it could jeopardize his Bill HR 1365, which is corrective legislation that paves the way for Treasury to release millions of dollars in war reparations funding it's been holding on to. Lt. Gov Tenorio says they've seen no such indication.

"I guess it's hard for us to really understand that because we've been getting tremendous cooperation from the Department of the Treasury and all the interaction and discussion our administration has been having with all the people that are involved it doesn't match," he said. "We've always been consistent in supporting the passage of HR 1365. I personally went out there to meet with senate judiciary staff to push it, so I don't think those are valid concerns."

Tenorio says getting the payments out by the end of January is the administration's top priority. But they're still working on an MOU with Treasury to ensure Govguam is reimbursed.

"We have daily communication with the Treasury department," he said. "We're working in a very collaborative fashion finalizing the MOU and all of the forms that are being promulgated by Treasury. And we're already finalized on our logistics to open a temporary center for these claimants to come in and get this moving."

The governor and Speaker Tina Barnes spearheaded the move to expedite war claims payments locally saying a number of manamko' have passed away waiting for congressional action. The Governor has gone out on a limb promising the first payments will be made by the end of the month.

"I'm very, very optimistic and confident that this will get done," Tenorio said.

San Nicolas has opposed local payments saying it could derail his efforts to win a permanent fix that will provide funding for all claims going forward.