The FSM appears ready to renew its compact of free association with the U.S.

It just signed a memorandum of understanding that among other things, outlines the amount of federal financial assistance it'll be getting.

But while Biden administration officials are pushing hard to complete the geopolitically significant accord, Hawaii Congressman Ed Case has threatened to hold it up.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero explains that like Guam, Hawaii wants to resolve the lack of adequate compact impact reimbursement.

"That has to go through congress for approval, and house representative case has publicly announced it, publicly said it, that it would be stretched hard for him to approve agreements unless there is a reimbursement for the impact," she said.

The governor has just returned from Washington, D.C. where she lobbied once again for compact reimbursement.

After D.C. she was in Pohnpei, where she met with top regional leaders at the Micronesia island forum.

"When I talked to some of the presidents they're saying if that's the case, they don't think that's going to be included in the monies they had already agreed to, it may be a separate piece of financial reimbursement," she said.

Otherwise, she says they are supportive of the compact impact reimbursements to Guam, the CNMI and Hawaii.

Guam estimates costs of $150 million a year, but only receives about $15 million in compact impact funding.