Guam leaders plead with feds to keep US aid coming

From left, Director of White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Meyer, CNMI Gov. Arnold Palacios, Rep. Radewagen, Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Guam Del. James Moylan, CNMI Del. Kim King-Hinds, U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr, and  Scott Cameron, senior advisor to the secretary. Photo  courtesy of the Office of the CNMI Delegate

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Amid President Trump’s massive house-sweeping and spending realignment, Guam leaders urged the U.S. government to spare the territory from funding cuts.

“Federal assistance is an investment into the social and economic development of our Pacific Islanders that leads to self-sustainment, economic growth and financial stability,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said at the plenary session hosted this week by the Department of the Interior’s Interagency Group on Insular Areas.

Island leaders from Guam, the Northern Marianas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa gathered at the nation's capital during the first plenary session under the Trump administration.

“I ask that you advocate for our territories the reconsideration of President Trump’s executive order of pausing federal aid to our islands in the Pacific,” Leon Guerrero told  Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who presided over the session.

Late last month, the U.S. Office of Budget Management announced a funding freeze on all federal loans and programs, but the directive was rescinded two days later.

“I am aware that exemptions have been granted but please monitor this

 closely and allow us the continued federal funding assistance,” Leon Guerrero said.

Guam Del. James Moylan pointed out that Pacific communities rely on federal programs.

“The funding for these food, education, or housing programs are not ‘handouts’ but a ‘hand-up,’ intending to provide economic opportunities and self-reliance in the respective islands,” he said.

In her testimony, the governor reiterated her call for the U.S. government to fund her hospital project and assist Guam with its housing crisis triggered by the increased military presence on island.

The investment requests for a new hospital and additional housing units topped the laundry list of items presented by the governor at the plenary session.

“Funding for a new hospital/medical campus is critical in supporting comprehensive healthcare for both civilians and military personnel and overall human health security for a steady state of peacetime, contingency and crisis operations,” Leon Guerrero said.

The governor has acquired parcels of land in Mangilao, where she plans to build a medical complex that would incorporate public health, behavioral center and veterans care services into a single campus.

“I urge the federal government to provide the necessary support to realize this vision, benefiting not only Guam but also our regional neighbors as we prepare for the ongoing military buildup, ensuring our community is resilient and

 ready for future challenges.” Leon Guerrero said.

“Covid 19 revealed crucial gaps in Guam’s healthcare system, showing that our only public hospital is unprepared for mass casualty situations and that temporary fixes only drain resources needed for essential medicine and supplies,” she added.

Regarding the housing situation, the governor said Guam needs to expand Low-Income Housing Tax Credits as an incentive for developers to build more affordable housing.

“Low-income families struggle to live comfortably in overcrowded units or are forced to move to the mainland due to rising home costs. In stark contrast, an 18-year-old military soldier can pay $2,100 for a one-bedroom apartment,” Leon Guerrero said.

“High construction costs and limited inventory due to the increased presence of military personnel exacerbate Guam’s housing shortage. Thousands of people are on waitlists for affordable housing in Guam,” she added

The governor said Guam “cannot expect to manage this challenge alone; it is neither realistic nor sustainable.”

“Guam undisputedly plays an essential role in the U.S. Indo-Pacific theater

 and stands on the brink of a significant transformation,” Leon Guerrero said, adding that the military population on island is expected to double over the next five to 10 years.”

According to a press release from Moylan’s office, the Guam delegate raised several issues at the session, including Guam’s exclusion from the Supplemental Security Income program, the high costs of traveling in the region and veteran-related concerns, among others.

“While the plenary session is an excellent opportunity to share our pressing 

issues, what is more important is action,” Moylan said.

CNMI Del. Kimberly King-Hinds discussed the need to reevaluate federal policies that have put a stranglehold on the CNMI’s economy.

She echoed Moylan's statement that the IGIA should not just be an “annual meeting to air grievances; there needs to be more immediate action.”

Before the session, Moylan said he and Kind-Hinds discussed the creation of an interagency task force, which would focus on the pressing issues of the 

Pacific islands such as cabotage and workforce development.

“At the same time, there are general issues of concern with the territories; 

not all solutions are one-size-fits-all. Hence, we must also cater to individual

territorial needs, and this task force could help,” Moylan said.

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