By Frank Whitman
Guam Del. James C. Moylan assured the people of Guam that the protection of Guam in the event of a military conflict is a top priority for which the U.S. Department of Defense is well-prepared.
The possibility of such a conflict amid rising tensions in the region was clearly top of mind during a press conference at Moylan’s Hagatña office on Oct. 3, which Moylan called to update the community on the progress of his efforts in Congress related to Guam.
He referred to the Sept. 25 launch of a Chinese missile into the Pacific Ocean. Though the missile flew over Guam, it posed no threat to the island, officials said.
“Our office has been inundated with calls from constituents concerned about the recent attempt by China to test missiles in the Pacific Ocean,” Moylan said.
“I want to express my confidence to our community that our men and women in uniform, including our sons and daughters in the Guam National Guard, are ready and prepared if any conflict was to arise. Further, the federal government, including the Department of Defense, has prioritized the protection of Guam and this region," he added.
He said he has been in communication with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and fellow members of the House of Armed Services Committee as well as other relevant officials, all of whom have said they support efforts to ensure resources needed for the protection of Guam are in place.
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The Senate is in the process of finalizing its version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. The House has passed its version which will likely be considered after Thanksgiving, he said. ‘We will continue to engage to ensure our many amendments remain in the final bill.”
Items Moylan is working to have funded include the Guam Missile Defense program, the Guam National Guard, $140 million for Guam roads, and $167 million for the repair of the Glass Breakwater which is in dire need of repair.
“Things can change once the Senate version (of the NDAA) comes in,” he said.
Moylan is also promoting the joint Department of Defense development program . “This allows a joint agreement between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to construct or lease DOD medical facilities,” he said. “We requested to extend this program for another year.”
In addition, Moylan is also working to have DoD and Veterans Affairs extend the agreement another five years. “We just don't want it for one year,” he said.
“We are also requesting a feasibility study on specialty care. We know the concerns for specialty care for our veterans and we need that feasibility study to get done so we can provide these services for our veterans here in the Marianas.
Also on Moylan’s agenda is the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act which compensates persons who may have developed cancer or certain other diseases after being exposed to radiation from atomic weapons testing, uranium mining, milling, or transporting.
The Act has awarded over $2.5 billion in benefits to more than 39,000 claimants since its inception in 1990, according to a 2022 report by the Congressional Research Service.
In recent years, efforts have been gaining momentum to amend the act to classify exposed workers on Guam as eligible for compensation as “downwinders”. But these efforts have been stymied despite promising dissuasions with key congressional leaders including the Speaker of the House.
“The reality is that the current version of this measure does not have the support to pass the finish line due to its massive cost,” Moylan said. “This issue is a priority for passage.”
Moylan hopes to have a proposal for RECA amendments after the election. “We hope to have something on the table … which would pass muster,” he said. ”I do want to reiterate that if we are successful and the pot of funding comes close to not being enough then a future Congress can make changes to this program.”
Moylan's House Resolution 522 had passed in the House and is to be voted on by the Senate. If enacted, this measure would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay the shipping cost for the delivery of an automobile “or other conveyance” to certain disabled veterans or members of the armed forces.
It is to benefit “veterans with disabilities residing in remote areas such as Guam,” Moylan said. “They will gain greater access to adaptive vehicles, which is most important to them.”
Moylan also expressed his opposition to the recent rule proposal by NOAA prohibiting the harvest of hima, or giant clams often carved and worn as sinahi necklace.
“NOAA's proposed rule is yet another case of rulemaking that does not take into account cultural heritage and traditions of the Pacific Islands,” he said. “I have been in a lengthy discussion with NOAA to seek a solution which respects CHamoru culture and promotes conservation.”
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