What vital federal aid is on the chopping block and how much is at risk for Guam under what the White House calls President Donald Trump’s ‘skinny’ budget proposal?  Amid the fluid situation, the Bureau of Budget & Management Research compiled a preliminary list of the proposed major discretionary funding changes that could potentially impact the island.

As Congress looks to potentially cut $163 billion from federal spending to boost defense and homeland security under the president's so-called "skinny" budget proposal, officials on Guam are bracing for the impacts locally. Bureau of Budget & Management Research director Lester Carlson told KUAM News, "Inline with the president’s proposed budget and the ramping up of everybody trying to understand what’s in it that’s potentially negative to us, we’ve gone through and we’ve identified things that are potentially critical that we need our congressman especially to advocate for."

Following Senator Chris Duenas’s request, BBMR is taking stock of the numerous federal discretionary funding changes. So far, their preliminary findings indicating at least 26 programs that could be affected locally. Among them include the Community Development Block Grant, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and preschool development grants. 

But with changes seemingly everyday in Washington, there’s no telling yet what this could really mean for GovGuam's fiscal operations ahead of local budget deliberations.  "It’s all a matter of what it is that ultimately doesn’t make it out," noted Carlson, adding, "The ebbs and flows of what it is that we’re having to deal with with this new president is enough to take Pepto-Bismol stock and put it through the roof, because everybody’s got - we don’t know what’s going on."

For instance, BBMR only found out two weeks ago that ten public health grants were rescinded.   And late last week, they discovered the Digital Equity Program, which expands network connectivity for the island, was cut. 

"The bright spot," the director continued, "is that the employees are being absorbed within Public Health in other areas of Public Health they have the wherewithal to transfer into, so we’re not losing anybody. I think a couple resigned, but that was probably imminent anyways."

He adds there are nearly 800 federally-funded employees in GovGuam that are potentially affected but mitigation efforts are underway.

For the time being, Carlson is optimistic the island's strategic importance will be a deterrent against major funding cuts hitting home, saying, "You can’t sit here and cookie cut programs that affect us and expect our economy, our people to be continually supportive of one third of our island being used for military defense purposes.

"We need to treat Guam differently because the people of Guam are providing something extremely vital to the defense of the nation, for keeping peace in the region."

He remains confident Congressman James Moylan will advocate for and successfully secure the federal monies at risk. 

Meanwhile, Senator Duenas acknowledged the federal funds data provided by the Office of the Governor. In a statement, he said, “the information is now in (Congressman James Moylan's) hands and Guam’s case for continued federal assistance rests on what he chooses to do with it.”

“The takeaway from this entire effort is that we’ve done our part to present the facts clearly. The data is now with Congressman Moylan’s office and we trust they will use it to advocate strongly in Washington for the 780+ jobs that are essential to the services our people rely on,” Dueñas said. “The Government of Guam cannot shoulder this level of headcount with local monies. The federal government needs to step up, and Congressman Moylan is our only voice in that room. He needs to make it count.”