by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - While local leaders duke it out here at home, there's a bigger fight in the nation's capitol as another blow is dealt to Guam and buildup as the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2013 Military Construction Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Bill of which excludes funding for the Marines Relocation Program.

Funding was axed today. The reason: the Department of Defense's continued failure to meet several mandates in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. "So I'm not surprised that there's some reluctance from the Senate to move on the Guam buildup pending those reports and we'll see where it goes. So there's really nothing official yet," said Senator Judi Guthertz.

With a vote of 30-0 funding was stripped for military construction for the Guam buildup. Pentagon spokesperson George Little said, "On the Asia-Pacific region, I think we've made it clear for the past several months that this department has a robust Asia-Pacific strategy that is contained in the new U.S. defense strategic guidance."

The defense strategy includes the relocation of 5,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam and hundreds of other troops to be rotated through places like Australia and Hawaii. Although funding was cut for Guam, the appropriation measure did include $366 million for military construction projects in Hawaii.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is chaired by Hawaii's Sen. Daniel Inouye. Guthertz said, "Senator Inouye is watching out for his constituents and that's the nature of the senate. On Guam we just have to work hard through Congresswoman Bordallo's office, through the house and try to see that the conference committee will be supportive of our needs."

The measure passed by the senate today is separate from the FY2013 NDAA passed by the House over the weekend. That measure leaves intact approximately $101 million in milcon projects for Guam as well as an additional $128 million for the Guam strike fuel cell maintenance hangar.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo is expected to release a comprehensive statement later this week.