Ahead of this week’s Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA) meeting in Washington, D.C., Sen. Jesse Lujan, chairperson of the Guam Legislature’s Committee on Federal Affairs, submitted a detailed white paper and formal letter urging the Office of Insular Affairs to take stronger action on Guam’s cost of living and infrastructure shortfalls. The letter, addressed to OIA Director John Brewer Jr., outlines ten interrelated challenges that Lujan says require federal attention, ranging from inflated housing and grocery prices to healthcare gaps and disparities in program access.
“This is not a call for handouts; this is a call for equity,” Lujan said in his submission. “Guam is home to among the most patriotic U.S. citizens and some of the highest enlistment rates in the nation. Yet we remain on the margins of federal policies that were never designed with the territories in mind. Serious action is needed.”
Among his recommendations, Lujan is seeking expanded exemptions under the Jones Act to reduce shipping costs, flexibility on air cabotage rules to lower airfare, and federal investment in port modernization to ease construction material expenses. He also pressed for a coordinated healthcare strategy that includes support for modernizing Guam Memorial Hospital, addressing workforce shortages, and raising Medicaid reimbursement. Additional concerns highlighted in his paper include food security, transportation, and the exclusion of Guam residents from programs such as Supplemental Security Income and certain FEMA benefits.
Lujan requested that his letter be entered into the official record of the IGIA meeting, which gathers territorial governors and congressional delegates to discuss policy issues. He also called for a virtual meeting with Brewer and offered to work directly with federal agencies in developing long-term solutions. “Our community is not asking to be rescued, they are asking to be respected and included,” Lujan said. “I stand ready to help lead that effort.”