Duenas, Brown critical of colleagues after override fails

The governor is extending the public health emergency another month after an attempted override of her veto of a bill that would have required her to get legislative approval in order to extend the public health emergency failed last Friday.

Lou Leon Guerrero says she's glad the override failed, as the island's chief executive said, "As a result of the public health emergency we are able to provide more resources in case we have to quickly respond, and of course there are other federal grants that rely on the public health emergency."

The administration sent an eleventh-hour appeal to Speaker Therese Terlaje and senators not to override the veto expanding on the negative impacts of a premature end to the emergency declaration. During closing remarks at session Friday, the speaker said its wrong to think the bill will end the public health emergency immediately.

Terlaje said, "I want to emphasize that Bill 11 does not take away the authority of the governor to declare a public health emergency. BIll 11 allows a declaration for ninety days and then should the administration intend to extend the declaration it requires that the Legislature and the people of Guam be informed as to why that extension is necessary."

"This bill is not a power struggle, it is a call to put in place and ensure by law a better system of communication and transparency during prolonged emergencies," she added.

While bill sponsor Minority Leader Chris Duenas argued likewise, he also criticized the administration's failure to fully engage the legislature, noting, "But no, no - that would be too transparent. That would be too much work. That would be too much accountability."

And fellow republican Senator Joanne Brown also weighed-in, citing the lack of checks and balances, saying, "The fact that the majority of the members of this legislature, the majority of the majority party of this legislature, continue to abdicate their responsibilities - make you wonder why."

Brown added, "Maybe the people of Guam need to look a little closer. Maybe they need to get that magnifying glass and look a little closer at this legislature, and the members of this legislature and the relationships that members of this legislature may have with the administration."

Multiple attempts to over ride the governor's veto have failed. But Senator Duenas is hoping its not over yet, as he said, "I pray that the next legislature will go into this emergency power act and scrub it and fix it to make sure that we never ever vest that kind of power in one individual."