Both the Governor and Sen. Barnett's bills for a new hospital fail

A historic day Friday at the Guam Congress building.

After a years long controversial debate on where the new public hospital or medical complex should be built and numerous public hearings with testimony from Eagle’s Field ancestral landowners, the military’s top brass, and the medical community. 

Today, Senators voted on two landmark legislations.

The first is Senator Chris Barnett's Bill 185 which would mandate a new hospital be built at Ypao Point in Tamuning.

Speaker Therese Terlaje said, “Bill No. 185-37 COR received 7 ayes and 8 nays and is duly failed by this body.”

The other is the Governor’s competing Bill 184 which would allow the administration to move forward with plans for a medical complex on crown lands in Barrigada.

“Bill No. 184-37 COR received 7 ayes and 8 nays and is duly failed by this body,” Terlaje said.

A motion was made to reconsider the Governor's bill but it failed.

Lawmakers also spoke on the measure following the vote.

“I’m especially surprised that we didn’t pass any of the hospital bills. I know that the people of Guam are very much looking forward to us for leadership. And i feel like we should continue to deliberate so we can come to a conclusion. So many of the body were not present during our deliberations and I don’t know their concerns with any of the bills…. Conducted all the hearings. My staff worked past midnight several nights to compile these things because that’s their job. This is my job. I want us to do our job. I want us to pass a hospital bill. These are the only two locations that were on the top three list of Matrix,” said Spkr Therese Terlaje.

“This has been an interesting session to say the least, I think. It was messy, it was democracy, and it was beautiful. I did not get everything I want out of this session. Nobody did either and that is a good thing. One thing that is true is if one side is always getting what they want, then the wheels are coming off the wagon. So the fact that we deliberate, disagree and get angry with each other is a sign of health, a real sign of health,” said Sen. Tom Fisher.

“I just want to apologize to the people of Guam. We all knew at the beginning of this week that this decision on these hospital bills would be the biggest we make not only this year but possibly this term. The previous speaker had talked about our colleagues sharing their concerns on either of the measures. And I think why we didn’t hear those concerns, it's like what I said the other day, we unfortunately have colleagues in this body who don’t need to see a bill to know how they’re voting,” said Sen. Chris Barnett.