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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.
I am deeply saddened by the passing of my good friend, Congressman Mark Takai of Hawaii. Mark was a fierce advocate for the people of Hawaii and championed issues important to the AAPI Community. He briefly lived in Guam prior to serving in Congress, which helped inform his perspectives on the challenges affecting the territories. Further, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I worked with him closely on several issues, and I appreciated his insights and views, especially his experiences as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Hawaii Army National Guard. I will miss him, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and the people of Hawaii during this difficult time.
These projects are critical to supporting upgrades and improvements to Guam’s civilian water and wastewater system, and they further demonstrate the progress we are making to move forward with the Marine realignment. I worked closely with my colleagues in the House and Senate to make these funds available in the FY16 defense bill. I also included a provision to authorize the remaining $50 million for water and wastewater projects in this year’s House defense bill. I am pleased the Department is moving forward with these projects, which will enhance GWA’s services on and off base. I will continue to build on the progress that we have made to ensure that the realignment moves forward and is mutually beneficial to our civilian and defense community.
I have been very concerned about the long wait times that many visitors experience when arriving at the Guam Airport or other ports of entry in Guam or the CNMI. I have been working diligently with the Guam Visitors Bureau, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and our other industry stakeholders to address these challenges. This bill is the next step in our efforts and will significantly enhance the visitor arrival experience and provide a dedicated revenue source for CBP to manage the volume of visitors entering our jurisdictions. My bill would help ensure that federal policy enhances economic opportunities and development in our region instead of being an impediment.
I applaud the thorough and impartial review process by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. This landmark ruling is a triumph for rule of law and validates claims by the Philippines. The U.S. will continue to stand behind our long-time treaty ally. While this doesn’t resolve broader maritime claims disputes in the South China Sea, it is a step forward to establishing a precedent for future dispute resolution. Accordingly, I continue to urge ASEAN to implement the Declaration o...f the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and begin to finally resolve maritime disputes in the region.
China’s lack of participation in the process and outright rejection of the ruling, even before it was made, is particularly concerning. China must be a responsible actor that respects the rule of law, even when decisions are not made in its favor. I hope the Chinese government will ultimately respect the ruling and work cooperatively with all parties to resolve outstanding claims. Peaceful resolution requires a fully inclusive process. Furthermore, the United States’ hesitance to ratify UNCLOS undermines our role in the region, and I again call on the Senate to ratify the agreement so that we can participate fully in the diplomatic processes.
Madeleine Z. Bordallo was live.
Guam Liberation Reception, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Madeleine Z. Bordallo was live.
Guam Liberation Reception, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Madeleine Z. Bordallo was live.
Guam Liberation Reception, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. (Asaina Blessing)
I applaud the joint decision by U.S. and Korean officials to deploy a THAAD to the Korean peninsula. This is necessary to protect our servicemembers, civilians, and interests, as well as those of South Korea from the ever-present North Korean nuclear threat. We know how valuable THAAD is on Guam and this deployment will complement the battery permanently stationed on our island. We must continue to counter proliferation in the region and use our influence and capabilities to ultimately end the North Korean regime's increasingly aggressive and destabilizing actions.
Today we laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the 72nd Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam and the Battle for the Northern Mariana Islands. This event honors the people of Guam who endured horrible atrocities during World War II and the U.S. service members who fought and died to liberate our island. I was honored to be joined by CNMI Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, RADM Peter Gumataotao, First Lady Christine Calvo, and dignitaries and friends from Guam and in Washington, D.C.
Madeleine Z. Bordallo was live.
Wreath Laying Ceremony Honoring the 72nd Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam
Renewal of the Palau Compact is crucial to our country’s continuing strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region. Palau is one of our nation’s closest and strongest allies in the Pacific, and the longer we delay fulfilling our commitment to Palau, the more we risk our strategic relationship with Palau and potentially undermine other efforts in support of the Asia-Pacific rebalance. I strongly encourage my colleagues to approve this agreement, which has not been renewed sinc...e it expired in 2009.
Further, we must find solutions to reduce the costs of administering the Compacts in Guam, Hawaii, and the CNMI. Our local governments cannot continue to bear the burden of these costs, and Congress must act to ensure that the Compacts are sustainable for all jurisdictions. I have proposed several solutions to address these costs in my Compact Impact Relief bill, and I hope that we will consider these proposals as we move forward. The affected jurisdictions have spent hundreds of millions to support the Compacts and migrants, and Congress must provide relief that would alleviate these costs.
- GPA power outage due to incompetence in maintaining the power plants... is intolerable. At this rate Guam's image as a 3rd world country will only continue to deepen. Please do something for the people and speak up about this. Thank you! See More
- Two weeks ago my friend of 20+ years died while visiting Guam. She ...had been taken to and cared for at the military base. Upon her death, she was moved to the local hospital because she was not military. The medical examiner (the only on the island) had decided that only a blood relative can make arrangements to have her remains cremated, as was her wish. I have the power of attorney for healthcare (which states managing her body), power of attorney and am the Executor and sole beneficiary of her Will. In the US, there would not be any issue to. So, I have finally been told that the medical examiner will only release her remains when presented with an ex-parte, which, means I would have to spend $2,000 and have a judge order the release (all which leaves us waiting to finally mourn). As you may imagine, this process has made a traumatic time exponentially worse. I am asking for your assistance in this matter. I have spoken to my state's representatives as well. See More
- Chamorro Studies ProgramEducation
- Senator Michael F.Q. San NicolasPublic Figure
- Guam Daily PostMedia/News/Publishing
