Guam Sen. Jesse Lujan is calling on two U.S. senators to back an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act that would require a federal study on granting Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands a limited exemption from U.S. air cabotage laws. Lujan, who chairs the 38th Guam Legislature’s Committee on Transportation and Federal Affairs, sent letters Monday to Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ted Budd of North Carolina urging their support.
Air cabotage laws currently bar foreign airlines from carrying passengers between U.S. ports. Lujan’s proposal seeks a feasibility study on allowing select carriers from allied nations such as Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia to transport passengers and cargo from Guam or the CNMI to U.S. cities. He said the change could introduce competition and help drive down airfare costs, which he described as a persistent burden for both residents and military personnel.
The letter to Scott and Budd emphasized that high ticket prices and limited flight options have hindered servicemembers, military families and civilians alike, often preventing them from traveling to the mainland for family milestones or emergencies. Lujan said the proposed study would also examine benefits to military readiness, humanitarian operations, economic resilience and regional connectivity in the Indo-Pacific.
“Today, a foreign carrier is unable to fly a passenger from Guam to a U.S. port, and we don’t have the luxury of multiple U.S. carriers who can compete for our business,” Lujan said in a statement. He pledged to continue pressing federal lawmakers, adding, “We need to start somewhere, and we need to educate the decision makers… we can no longer be silent.”