As lawmakers continue to deliberate spending priorities in Washington D.C., Guam Congressman James Moylan is back home to give a status update on efforts to secure funding for the island. 

To start off, the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which includes significant cuts to medicaid and potentially the largest tax cuts, is now in the senate for their changes before it's sent back to the House. 

“Then we’re going to address it. We’re going to do our best and talk to the right people and say ‘hey, we’re looking out for Guam.’ It’s quite exciting, but also, there are a lot of ‘ifs.’ Not all the details are quite out there yet and how this will overall work. So that’s where we’re at now,” said Moylan. 

Unlike the states, US territories will not face any cuts to Medicaid.

Guam already faces a reimbursement disparity under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act, or TEFRA, and has a funding cap that puts a financial burden on the Guam Memorial Hospital. 

“Right now, it’s just a big fight to make sure we’re not eliminated. We have bigger goals to improve TEFRA and how to get rid of the caps so we don’t have to go through this every time again and again,” said Moylan. 

Moylan says he co-sponsored CNMI Del. Kimberly King-Hinds’ bill to remove the Medicaid cap and is requesting a TEFRA rate rebasement.

Meantime, Congress is also in the middle of the appropriations process for President Trump’s Skinny Bill, which proposes $163 billion in cuts to non-defense discretionary spending. 

Moylan says the impacts will be "devastating” for Guam with the current state of our economy.  

“I think we are benefitting from this military buildup with the additional taxes we are going to be receiving, however, if we were to absorb the losses on grants, it’s going to be devastating. I don’t want that to happen. The government and the legislature don't want that to happen,” added Moylan. 

As reported, some 400 amendments have been made to Congress to fight for the grants on the line. 

Moylan says “some” have already been approved, but won’t share more until the bill is signed into law.

We'll have more from the interview with the congressman in the coming days as he discusses various priorities from the local workforce, economy, national defense and more.