Governor Lou Leon Guerrero is calling on lawmakers to convene an emergency session to take up Bill 2 (1-s). But one senator argues the matter isn’t for the legislature to decide—it’s for the court. During her remarks at a Guam Power Authority event unveiling hybrid bucket trucks, GovGuam's chief executive took the opportunity to call directly for support from the Guam Legislature.

“We just need to hurdle those challenges—and I need the support of the Legislature to do that. So, I ask Senator (Chris Duenas), and I don’t mean to put you on the spot—but I ask to work with your leadership. We tried to work with the AG, and it didn’t happen. And I ask for your leadership to make it happen for the people of Guam," said Leon Guerrero.

Wednesday morning, the maga’håga requesting an emergency session on the measure that would allow contracts for the installation of power, water, and wastewater infrastructure in Mangilao to move forward without review from the island’s attorney general.

In her letter to Speaker Frank Blas, Jr., the governor addressed concerns that spending the remaining $104 million in American Rescue Plan funds would lock lawmakers into building a new hospital in Mangilao.  She argued her legal position does not support that interpretation—adding that Attorney General Doug Moylan has not yet presented counterarguments to her stance.

The governor maintaining that contracts are ready to go and that time is of the essence—warning that delays could put the island at risk of losing the funds by the December 31, 2026 deadline. “I have given 35 million dollars to GPA, I have given 53 million dollars to GWA, and one of the greatest results of that is that the people of Mangilao are going to benefit from that also. Not just building a hospital," she said.

Senator Duenas responding, saying the issue is “something that fundamentally belongs in the court.” Duenas previously moved to adjourn last week’s special session on the matter.

He said, “A majority of senators had adjourned the session she had called for the bill she’s discussing today—a majority of senators believe that it is not our role to set a special precedent with a special piece of legislation to bypass the attorney general and the procurement process that is in law with Guam. One of the concerns many of my colleagues expressed and made was: where does it stop? If there continues to be an impasse between the executive and the attorney general. If there’s another procurement that is time sensitive, do we now pass another bill to bypass the AG’s review?”

Meanwhile, the governor acknowledging that both Speaker Blas and the attorney general have expressed a preference for the US Department of the Treasury to verify her analysis. However, she contended that “Treasury does not provide individualized review of proposed projects. Instead, it requires jurisdictions to review the applicable rules to ensure compliance.”

She added that her administration has closely followed treasury guidance in utilizing ARPA funds for the community’s benefit, stating in part, “Treasury has never determined our actions to have violated its guidelines.”