(Hagåtña, Guam) – The Office of Senator Jesse A. Lujan will be holding a Public Hearing on Resolution No.260-37(LS) and Resolution No.179-37(LS) on Monday, February 5, 2024 at 9:00 AM in the Public Hearing Room of the Guam Congress Building.
The first item on the public hearing agenda is Resolution No.260-37(LS) which is “Relative to supporting Guam’s efforts in Congress with H.RES. 837, introduced in the United States House of Representatives, which seeks to reaffirm the ties between the United States and the Philippines, and to further support the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Commitment.”
“We need to support the defense of the Philippines. Maintaining stability and security in the Philippines is central to safeguarding the well-being and strategic interests of Guam,” Lujan stated.
The second item to be heard and discussed in the public hearing is Resolution No.179-37(LS) which is “Relative to requesting the United States Congress and the Biden Administration to favorably consider providing multiyear funding needed to harden Guam’s infrastructure to meet the goals of installation resiliency and ensure Guam is capable of withstanding future natural and manmade threats
and disasters.”
“I understand that the deliberations for the National Defense Authorization Act have already concluded. But we shouldn’t give up the fight. This is an ongoing need and a constant issue. There is no doubt that we need to upgrade our island’s infrastructure. With our geo-strategic location, the increasing military presence on our island, and our history of typhoons, we are long overdue for infrastructure hardening efforts. Recent events, such as typhoon Mawar and the various cybersecurity breaches, underscore the urgency for much-needed upgrades,” Lujan voiced.
The Republican lawmaker is encouraging public attendance and participation, noting the impact of both resolutions on the island’s wellbeing.
“I hope to have public participation for these pieces of legislation. Both resolutions affect the wellbeing of our island. Our partnership with the Philippines is significant. We have strong economic, cultural, and familial ties. A safe and secure Philippines is essential to our island and people. Supporting the defense of their sovereignty from China is crucial, given the broader regional implications, especially for Guam. Additionally, we also experienced hardships due to the lack of support for our infrastructure and utilities. In fact, we are still suffering the consequences of power outages since Mawar. This should not be the case. We need the U.S. to bring Guam up to the standard that is befitting of a geographically advantageous position in the Indo-Pacific theater and hosts to key military installations,” Lujan concluded.
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