by Michele Catahay

Guam - The U.S. House of Representatives approved the conference report to H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2010. The passage nearly completes Congress's work on appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2010. H.R. 3288 appropriates approximately $737 million for Guam in military construction funding for Fiscal Year 2010.

This is the full amount authorized by Congress in Public Law 111-84. It contains $49 million for the first of road investments from the Department of Defense and another $259 million for the first phase of the construction of a new Naval Hospital in Agana Heights. According to Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, the funding will bring economic activity and will create jobs for our local workforce.

It also includes $30 million for the construction of a new Guam National Guard Readiness Center and other funding for the University of Guam, Sanctuary, the Guam International Airport and for Guam water utilities.