FSMSSA Prior Service receives Technical Assistance Grant

FSMSSA Prior Service receives Technical Assistance Grant

          On March 10, 2017, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas, Nikolao Pula of Washington DC approved three technical assistance grants totaling over $1.7 million. According to Acting Secretary Pula, these funds demonstrate support for commitments and important programs which continue to benefit people in the U.S. territories and the Freely Associated States. Pula further shared that the Department of Interior for Insular Areas continues to work closely with the governors of the U.S territories and the presidents of the Free Associated States (FAS) to make sure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are used correctly and in the Nation’s best interest.

FSM Social Security Prior Service Trust Fund Administration (PSTFA) received the first technical assistance grant in the amount of $865,800. This grant continues funding employee benefits under the terms of the Prior Service Trust Fund, a responsibility assumed by the Federal Government following the dissolution of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI). The program allows the Free Associated States governments and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands pay the benefits to former TTPI employees plus cover PSTFA expenses.

The FSM Social Security Administration is always thankful to the U.S. Department of Interior for its continuous support in contributing to the Prior Service Trust Fund Administration, a grant that contributes more assistance to the TTPI employees in the program.