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Further cuts for CNMI in Obama's proposed budget

President Barack Obama's proposed $3.8-trillion budget for fiscal year 2013 has further cuts in capital improvement project funding for the CNMI.Obama's proposed $575.3-million budget request to support U.S. insular areas gives $8.7 million to the CNMI for CIPs, a reduction of some $800,000 or 8.4 percent from the FY 2012 CIP funding of $9.5 million.Annual CIP funding for the CNMI has been on a steady drop in the past few years.In FY 2010, it was $11 million, before going down to $10 million in FY 2011, then to $9.5 million in FY 2012, and to $8.7M in FY 2013.Keith Aughenbaugh, systems accountant at the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs, said yesterday that the reduction in the CNMI's CIP funding for FY 2013 is because of performance issues.He said the CNMI's “performance” in complying with mandates is a bit lower than those shown by other territories, resulting in a decrease in funding.American Samoa is scheduled to receive $9.9 million in CIP funding in FY 2013, while Guam will get $6.1 million. The U.S. Virgin Islands will get $2.9 million.