I wish the men and women of the 368th Military Police, Detachment 5 Godspeed as they deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel. I was proud to join local leaders and their families in wishing them well during today's deployment ceremony. I am so proud and grateful of their service and we look forward to their safe return home.
I appreciated the opportunity to attend the reflagging ceremony for the THAAD and to welcome the soldiers of Echo Battery to Guam. I thank the men and women of Bravo Battery, who served the homeland defense mission bravely during their time here, and I appreciated their commitment to being engaged community partners. This changeover is a critical step in establishing the THAAD permanently on Guam, as Echo Battery will be the first permanently stationed THAAD unit on Guam. Since 2013 I have led efforts to permanently base THAAD on Guam, which is critical to defending our island against ballistic missile threats from the reckless North Korean regime. I will continue to work with the federal government to ensure the process moves forward as efficiently as possible.
I appreciate Governor Calvo’s support for my social security bill which would give GovGuam flexibility to extend the social security program to new government employees. The Governor’s support ensures that we have a “One Guam” approach to this bill which includes support from the Legislature earlier this year. The Governor's support of this legislation will be helpful as I continue to work with Congressional leadership to pass this bill which is important to the financial stability of the GovGuam retirement system.
I am pleased that Guam, through Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans and the University of Guam has received this funding from NOAA for coral reef conservation. Coral reefs are essential to our island and our way of life.These funds will help keep UOG at the forefront of coral reef research in the region and improve our resilience against climate change. I advocated for strong funding for NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program during this year’s appropriations process. I commend our local stakeholders for securing these funds and look forward to the research and work that will be done for our community.
I was honored to attend today's silent witness ceremony in honor of Family Violence Awareness Month. The stories of family violence on Guam are heartbreaking and unfortunately family violence affects far too many families in our community. If you or someone you know is a victim of family violence, I encourage you to please speak up. You will find help and our community stands with you.
This morning I joined our community at the 12th Annual Lifeworks Guam Candlelight Memorial Service to remember those who lost their lives to suicide. I was able to share my experience after tragically losing my husband, Ricky, 26 years ago. Suicide statistics on Guam and throughout the nation are overwhelming, but it is preventable. I encourage everyone to look out for warning indicators in our family members and friends and then take action by listening to their concerns and then speaking up if you're worried. Together, let's do our part to prevent suicide.
I was proud to join the Guam Society of America, Inc. in welcoming members of the Guam National Guard to the National Guard Association of the United States - NGAUS's 138th General Conference & Exhibition in Baltimore, MD.
The continued H-2B visa denials have adversely affected Guam’s construction, health care and tourism industries, and we must work to ensure that we have an adequate workforce on island. I continue to work to advance a provision that I included in the House-passed NDAA and with USCIS to address this issue. However, this spate of H-visa denials has made it clear that there must be a better long-term solution so that all our industries have the workforce they need to keep our ec...onomy moving forward.
What we need are regional solutions that address Guam and the CNMI’s unique labor needs, and I will work with our local stakeholders to develop a long-term policy proposal to meet our specific workforce challenges. This proposal would also include support programs that cultivate local laborers and promote local workforce development. I intend to meet with the broad range of stakeholders affected by the H-visa situation and ensure that we have a viable plan moving forward.
Many FAS citizens who live on Guam contribute positively to our community and reflect the values and ideals that make our island strong. The Compacts are agreements between the U.S. and FAS nations and therefore the Federal government must be more responsive to Governor Calvo and the need of our local stakeholders on this important issue. When migrants break the law and are convicted of crimes, they violate the intent of the Compacts and should no longer be allowed to stay i...n our country. I understand the burdens these individuals place on our local government as well as Governor Calvo’s intention to remove them from Guam.
I believe that greater federal attention must be given to remove FAS citizens convicted of crimes back to their nation of origin, just as the Department of Homeland Security prioritizes removing other foreign criminals in the mainland back to their home countries. I am confident that Assistant Secretary Kia’aina will work with the State Department, DHS, and the Embassies of the FAS governments to set-up a meeting to have meaningful discussions that could lay the groundwork to develop intergovernmental agreements to address this problem. I look forward to working with her to resolve this issue and provide solutions that will make the Compacts more sustainable in the long-term.
North Korea’s latest nuclear test is yet another reckless and irresponsible act that further threatens regional stability and violates U.N. Security Council resolutions. The United States remains committed to ensuring that our region and allies remains secure, and we will continue to work with the international community, especially with China and Russia, to hold North Korea accountable for its actions. This reckless act also further demonstrates the need to provide a THAAD missile defense capability to our allies in South Korea to augment their regional defenses. I remain confident that our defense capabilities will continue to keep Guam and our country safe.
I am proud to join leaders in Washington, D.C. in congratulating the recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. I especially commend our two Guam teachers, Fina Leon Guerrero and Richard Carlos Velasco, who were selected for the award. They are role models in our community and reflect the outstanding work that the many teachers on Guam make to improve education for our students.
I am deeply concerned by the continued denials of H-2B visas on Guam and the adverse impact they are having on our community. While I have appreciated the dialogue I have had with USCIS to address this issue, more needs to be done administratively to ensure we continue to have a viable workforce that is able to meet current labor demands. I am especially concerned by recent news that Core Tech will be sending nearly 400 workers back to their country because of denials of thei...r visa renewals as well as by Guam Department of Labor’s estimate that less than 100 H-visa workers will be on Guam at the end of the year.
I continue to work to resolve this matter both administratively and through legislation, and I have urged USCIS Director Rodriguez to defer action or to provide continued employment authorization on H-2B visas on Guam in order to provide temporary relief until language I included in the House-passed NDAA is enacted into law. I believe this is an appropriate step that will provide some immediate relief to local businesses and ensure we have an adequate workforce present on Guam.
I am pleased DoD has released funding to GWA for civilian water and wastewater improvement projects that were approved by a provision I sponsored in last year’s defense authorization bill. The funding demonstrates the continued progress we are making to move forward with the buildup in a way that benefits our civilian community. I am working to authorize the remaining funds for civilian infrastructure improvements in this year’s defense authorization bill, which I included in the House bill. I will continue to work with my fellow conferees to ensure that the NDAA provides the DoD with the authority to help address civilian infrastructure needs.
Si Yu'us Ma'åse' to the University of Guam ROTC Program for inviting me to join them in their monthly mentorship activity. Today's event was a cleanup at Gun Beach in Tumon. BIBA UOG!
Visiting with friends and staff at the Merizo Senior Citizens Center.
Visiting with friends and staff at the Inarajan Senior Citizens Center.
Frank Blas, Sr. was a dear friend and I’m deeply saddened by his passing. He was a faithful public servant who dedicated is life to making Guam a better place. As a former Lieutenant Governor and Senator in our Legislature, Frank worked tirelessly to improve the lives of all who call Guam home. I worked with him during my time in the Legislature, and later during our respective terms as Lieutenant Governor of Guam. He always demonstrated thoughtful consideration of legislatio...n and the policy proposals we considered and did what was best for our island. In my role as Guam’s Delegate to Congress, I appreciated the firm advocacy and support that he, and his son Senator Frank Blas Jr., had for recognizing Guam’s World War II survivors.
I join the people of Guam in mourning Frank’s passing and honoring his untiring service to our island. I extend my condolences to his wife Tina and the entire Blas family. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.
