Governor confirms veterans town hall, still no word from congressman

A congressional delegation coming to Guam to look into veterans' issues on Guam, But there's no official word from our congressman - unless you count a Facebook post from Saturday.

The CODEL includes House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chair Congressman Mark Takano and American Samoa Delegate Aumua Radewagon, among others.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero says San Nicolas' office has reached out to the Administration for help in securing a place for a possible veterans' issues Town Hall on Guam - Friday.

"We're pretty excited about it since it's going to be about veterans and veterans' affairs and so we got notification from the Delegate's office - Sahara (Defensor) asking us if we can help them providing the venue for the town hall meeting so we'll be doing it here," she said.

And "here" is Government House in Agana Heights. House Manager Andrea Finona telling KUAM News she's been instructed to work with the Delegate's office to secure the venue for Friday.

A source familiar with the CODEL says the delegation will arrive on Guam Friday morning and leave less than 24 hours later on Saturday. From there, they're scheduled to go to Manila and then return to Saipan for two days.

Meanwhile, CNMI Delegate Kilili Sablan on Saturday announced a date and time for his veterans' town hall with the same CODEL. Sablan posted the news on his official Facebook account. A veterans listening tour will be held Monday from 9-11 a.m. at American Memorial Park in Saipan.

The Governor entertained a visit from veterans' affairs secretary Robert Wilki recently and she says she will use the opportunity to follow up on concerns she expressed on behalf of local veterans with visiting congresspersons.


"I'm certainly going to really advocate for a veterans' center here where we can process benefits and eligibilities and so forth right here and then off to DC," she said. "So that would be expedited and it would also be more efficient for our veterans."

Congressman San Nicolas had posted on his campaign Facebook account that the visit of a Veterans' Affairs committee chair was the first of its kind for Guam, but it is not.

The former Republican House chair of veterans' affairs Congressman Jeff Miller, came to Guam during former Congresswoman Madeliene Bordallo's term in 2013.

San Nicolas deleted the post that said the 2019 visit was historic and replaced it with a post that said the visit was the first of its kind in "nearly a decade." It's no secret the delegate and the administration have been at odds on several issues, but the governor said when it comes to veterans, there's no time for squabbling.


"There's no room for conflict or controversy on that," she said.

We sent emails to the congressman to get more information about the potential Town Hall for veterans so we could pass the word along, but Del. San Nicolas doesn't respond to KUAM.

Meanwhile, Adelup says the congressman’s office has requested to use Government House from 5:30-7 p.m. on Friday.

If the visit holds through, it will mark the first trip to Guam for San Nicolas since allegations of campaign finance abuse and an alleged affair with a mistress who was eventually hired as a staffer by the delegate.