Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio wrote to the Honorable Deanne Criswell, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Administration, requesting that citizens from the Compact of Free Association states residing in Guam who were impacted by Typhoon Mawar be eligible for FEMA assistance. 

On March 8, 2024, President Biden signed H.R. 4366, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. This legislation included S. 792/H.R. 1571, the Compact Impact Fairness Act, which expands the eligibility of citizens of the Freely Associated States lawfully residing in the United States for federal public benefits.

On April 2, 2024, FEMA officially announced that COFA citizens who suffered from the wildfires in Maui in 2023 would be eligible for Individuals and Households Program assistance. The letter from Governor Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Tenorio requests that Guam receive the same treatment with respect to FEMA’s response to Typhoon Mawar, which poses similar coverage issues.

“Due to the circumstances caused by Typhoon Mawar and the statutory changes in eligibility criteria during the disaster period, we have asked FEMA to use all available options to reopen the Individuals and Households Program enrollment in order to extend it to include COFA citizens,” stated Governor Leon Guerrero. 

Lt. Governor Tenorio stated, “For years, COFA citizens in the U.S. have been denied access to programs that their tax dollars help fund, even though they are lawful residents who pay taxes. To ensure everyone receives recovery assistance, Gov. Leon Guerrero and I have asked FEMA to provide an equal opportunity to recover from Typhoon Mawar, especially in light of the passage of legislation that expands their eligibility for federal public benefits.”