U. S. Social Security Administration Social Security benefits will increase by 3.2% in 2024 as a cost-of-living adjustment, the U.S. SSA announced Oct. 12, adding about $50 monthly to the average retirement benefit from January.
Gregorio “Kilili” Camacho Sablan, the Northern Mariana Islands delegate to Congress; also announced the increase on Oct. 14. He said there are 4,661 recipients of benefits in the NMI. The population of the NMI was 49,587 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Guam had 20,019 recipients as of 2021, according to the SSA. Sablan said the SSA benefit “contributes more than $46 million” annually to the NMI economy.
Government of Guam employees do not accrue social security credits, and generally are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. Sablan said he is a co-sponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act that would base the annual COLA on the consumer price index for the elderly to reflect the costs of prescription drugs and other expenses.
“The act would also increase the base benefit … and repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision that lowers benefits for many who receive a pension from the Northern Marianas Retirement Fund,” he said.
Guam Legislature session updates
The Committee on Health, Land, Justice, and Culture of the 37th Guam Legislature will convene a public hearing at the Guam Congress Building on Oct. 17 on Bill 16-37. Hearings are also broadcast on YouTube. The bill requires the Chamorro Land Trust to solicit competitive bids for the mass grading and mineral extraction of a portion of Lot 5412 in Mangilao, which is in Fadian, close to the Guam Power Authority’s Gloria B. Nelson Public Service Building.
Also on Oct. 17, postponed hearings from Oct. 11 will be heard. The Committee on General Government Operations & Appropriations canceled the public hearing on Oct. 18 to hear and accept testimony on Bill 164-37. This bill would provide emergency funding to the Guam Memorial Hospital.
The Committee on Health, Land, Justice, and Culture will convene a public hearing on Oct .19 at 2 p.m. This oversight hearing is regarding the new Guam Department of Public Health/ Centers for Disease Control Lab. At 3 p.m., a hearing will take place to discuss the status of the Satpon (Ypao/Oka) Point cleanup, and the potential use of the area as a new hospital site.
Guam Regional Medical City announced Oct. 12 visitors aged 12 and younger will not be allowed, with some exceptions. Other restrictions apply. See VISITATION GUIDELINE 06.02.23 (grmc.gu) for more details.
Retail alerts:
GTA announced the iPhone 15 lineup is available from Oct. 14.
The U.S. Marine Corp’s 14th Toys for Tots campaign in Guam and the seventh in the Northern Mariana Islands overseen by personnel from Marine Corps Camp Blaz will close the week of Dec. 4.
Both the Guam Chamber of Commerce and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and other partners in the two islands support the campaign. Contact the chambers for drop-off details of unwrapped gifts at www.guamchamber.com.gu and www.saipanchamber.com
Last year 6,848 toys were collected in Guam and 4,227 in Saipan (for distribution in Saipan, Tinian and Rota). The Toys for Tots High School Challenge also returned this year supported by the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s Armed Forces Committee.
The Office of Senator Dwayne T.D. San Nicolas announced Oct. 17 it is also a drop offsite for the Toys for Tots campaign in Guam and will be open to receive toys from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. mbj
Gregorio “Kilili” Camacho Sablan, the Northern Mariana Islands delegate to Congress; also announced the increase on Oct. 14. He said there are 4,661 recipients of benefits in the NMI. The population of the NMI was 49,587 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Guam had 20,019 recipients as of 2021, according to the SSA. Sablan said the SSA benefit “contributes more than $46 million” annually to the NMI economy.
Government of Guam employees do not accrue social security credits, and generally are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. Sablan said he is a co-sponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act that would base the annual COLA on the consumer price index for the elderly to reflect the costs of prescription drugs and other expenses.
“The act would also increase the base benefit … and repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision that lowers benefits for many who receive a pension from the Northern Marianas Retirement Fund,” he said.
Guam Legislature session updates
The Committee on Health, Land, Justice, and Culture of the 37th Guam Legislature will convene a public hearing at the Guam Congress Building on Oct. 17 on Bill 16-37. Hearings are also broadcast on YouTube. The bill requires the Chamorro Land Trust to solicit competitive bids for the mass grading and mineral extraction of a portion of Lot 5412 in Mangilao, which is in Fadian, close to the Guam Power Authority’s Gloria B. Nelson Public Service Building.
Also on Oct. 17, postponed hearings from Oct. 11 will be heard. The Committee on General Government Operations & Appropriations canceled the public hearing on Oct. 18 to hear and accept testimony on Bill 164-37. This bill would provide emergency funding to the Guam Memorial Hospital.
The Committee on Health, Land, Justice, and Culture will convene a public hearing on Oct .19 at 2 p.m. This oversight hearing is regarding the new Guam Department of Public Health/ Centers for Disease Control Lab. At 3 p.m., a hearing will take place to discuss the status of the Satpon (Ypao/Oka) Point cleanup, and the potential use of the area as a new hospital site.
Guam Regional Medical City announced Oct. 12 visitors aged 12 and younger will not be allowed, with some exceptions. Other restrictions apply. See VISITATION GUIDELINE 06.02.23 (grmc.gu) for more details.
Retail alerts:
GTA announced the iPhone 15 lineup is available from Oct. 14.
The U.S. Marine Corp’s 14th Toys for Tots campaign in Guam and the seventh in the Northern Mariana Islands overseen by personnel from Marine Corps Camp Blaz will close the week of Dec. 4.
Both the Guam Chamber of Commerce and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and other partners in the two islands support the campaign. Contact the chambers for drop-off details of unwrapped gifts at www.guamchamber.com.gu and www.saipanchamber.com
Last year 6,848 toys were collected in Guam and 4,227 in Saipan (for distribution in Saipan, Tinian and Rota). The Toys for Tots High School Challenge also returned this year supported by the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s Armed Forces Committee.
The Office of Senator Dwayne T.D. San Nicolas announced Oct. 17 it is also a drop offsite for the Toys for Tots campaign in Guam and will be open to receive toys from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. mbj