If you are interested in watching the recordings of the Informational and Public Hearings that took place on Friday, June 23, 2023 regarding the Status of CLTC Eviction of GRF Lot No. 7161-R1, the Status of OPA Audit on Mineral Extraction Lot No. 7161-R1, and Bill 56-37 (COR), please see the two links to the Guam Legislature’s Youtube Channel:
Speaker Therese M. Terlaje Passes Three Bills Unanimously During First Regular Session of the 37th Guam Legislature
Bill No. 10-37 (COR) – Therese M. Terlaje / Chris Barnett
AN ACT RELATIVE TO AUTHORIZING LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDER, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION ACCESS TO NALOXONE TO PREVENT OPIOID OVERDOSE, INCLUDING FENTANYL, TO BE KNOWN AS “THE GUAM OPIOID OVERDOSE PREVENTION ACT OF 2023,” BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 16 TO DIVISION 1, TITLE 10, GUAM CODE ANNOTATED.
Bill No. 12-37 (COR) – Therese M. Terlaje
AN ACT TO AMEND § 60112 OF CHAPTER 60, TITLE 21, GUAM CODE ANNOTATED, RELATIVE TO REQUIRING PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE LEGISLATURE BEFORE PURCHASING OR ENTERING INTO A LEASE, LICENSE, OR SUB-LEASE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, OR SUBENTITIES THEREOF FOR A TERM IN EXCESS OF FIVE (5) YEARS.
Bill No. 13-37 (COR) – Therese M. Terlaje
AN ACT TO AMEND § 83102(d) AND ADD A NEW § 83116, TO CHAPTER 83, ALL OF TITLE 12, GUAM CODE ANNOTATED, RELATIVE TO INCREASING PUBLIC NOTICE AND TRANSPARENCY OF THE ACTIONS BY THE GUAM TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY HEALTHCARE CENTER COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPOSED MEDICAL HEALTHCARE CAMPUS.
PUBLIC NOTICE FOR MARCH 3RD SESSION
I Liheslaturan Guåhan will be in Session on Friday, March 3, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. in the Speaker Antonio R. Unpingco Legislative Session Hall in the Guam Congress Building.
The placement of bills, resolutions, and appointments on the session agenda will be pursuant to our standing rules. A copy of the session agenda is found below:
The session will be broadcast on GTA Channel 21, Docomo Channel 117 and at http://www.guamlegislature.com/live_feed.htm. A recording of the session will be available online via Guam Legislature Media on YouTube after the session. Please email senatorterlajeguam@gmail.com or call 472-3586, if you require any special accommodations or further information.
Si Yu′os ma′åse′.
Statement from Speaker Therese Terlaje on Lost Opportunities to Preserve Guam’s History
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (January 19, 2023 – Hagåtña, Guam) – The following is a statement from Speaker Therese Terlaje on lost opportunities to preserve Guam’s history.
“In truth, the Programmatic Agreement or PA is not a success story for Guam as the Department of Defense (DOD) would have you believe. It was a success story for DOD versus the people of Guam. The Department of Defense was able to lump almost all its projects on Guam “related to the buildup” under one Agreement, and treat them all identical, regardless of historical significance.
The Agreement process has been proven to allow the complete removal of all evidence of ancient villages from their original location. It has allowed the DOD construction to do other than preserve in place. Despite the Agreement saying that it will prioritize preservation in place, it has allowed the DOD to be the sole decision maker as to whether preserving in place is possible or not. Preservation in place is a hugely different way of treating historical places and allows future generations with different technology to stand in those places and see for themselves the landscapes, and the environment where the CHamoru lived for thousands of years, where the CHamoru were able to survive for thousands of years. And as we can see from the clearing of Mågua and Sabanan Fadang where Camp Blaz is now built, and the complete removal of thousands of acres of the forest and historical sites at the firing ranges, the Agreement did not force DOD to preserve in place despite our objections. Preservation and stewardship were not the priority at all.
We have a firing range currently built over one of the most significant cultural sites on Guam which is Litekyan, which has some of the oldest and largest expanses of Latte sites, pictographs and caves, fishing grounds, living grounds, and burial grounds. The same thing with Camp Blaz, there were several villages, including Mågua and Sabanan Fadang that existed there and have now been completely removed and access to the shoreline villages of Haputo and other historic sites completely blocked off from our access. And the Agreement allowed the military to choose a type of mitigation that ignored “avoidance” and “preservation in place” and instead it allowed DOD to move the bones to a little box in the ground at another site and build a monument over it in the middle of their military base. That’s pretty much it. The Latte were removed and will be stored at a different location, the earth oven cooking pits removed, human remains were either disturbed or transplanted from their initial resting places, all of the thousands of pottery and tools and landscape and other evidence of CHamoru 3,000+ years history were removed. After all the findings in these ancient village sites, DOD still refused to admit they are connected to an entire village, and they treat each finding as separate tiny historical artifact without acknowledging the true brilliance and stewardship of the CHamoru people for thousands of years.
In regards to Litekyan, the Agreement was established over the objection of many in the community after a battle over the use of Pågat as a firing range. An Environmental Impact Statement ranked Litekyan as the least preferable site for a firing range due to its potential impact on historical sites and endangered species and thousands of acres of unique to the world limestone forests and yet the military proceeded to build the firing range in exactly that spot despite thousands of comments and objections registered from the community.
There is another promise made in the Agreement in light of the massive adverse cumulative effects only imagined at the time that has gone completely ignored, despite the millions of dollars the DOD has been willing to spend on building empty urban buildings for warfare training on another ancient village site, and that is the promise to pursue funding for a museum complex in addition to a cultural repository. Several years ago, the DOD simply announced they had stopped all efforts and there has been no demand from our government of Guam signatories or the Governor for them to make good on this promise.
Access to historic sites like Haputo and Spanish steps (Orote Point) are now prohibited, and most other sites are only allowed with escort and advance permission. And access to Litekyan’s historic sites, recreation area, and fishing grounds will be closed 39 weeks out of a year due to the danger from the firing range.
While I appreciate the attempts to implement outreach opportunities like today’s open house at the Cultural Repository, this is still not responsive to our requests for public access and tours of any of the remaining historic sites and properties within the footprints of these construction projects so that the community can see and feel the cultural landscapes in their rawest forms that will soon be displaced and occupied by these military facilities and our requests for public access to the annual PA workshops. We need the military to go beyond the minimum requirements of the 2011 Programmatic Agreement in good faith to ensure our community stakeholders are truly informed regarding the impacts to our cultural and historic sites, cultural landscapes, and ancestral burials and that every possible option is utilized to preserve any remaining historic sites in place.”
Speaker Therese Terlaje Hosts Delegation from 16th Chuuk State Legislature
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (January 12, 2023 – Hagåtña, Guam) – In efforts to strengthen the relationship between the governments of Guam and Chuuk, Speaker Therese Terlaje and the 37th Guam Legislature hosted a delegation of members of the 16th Chuuk State Legislature led by its Speaker, Lester D. Mersai.
The informal gathering was scheduled upon request of the delegation who is traveling the region doing outreach and opening the doors for collaboration. Chief of Staff Douglas Marar noted that through these meetings they hope to address issues “that both Guam and Chuuk residents residing in Guam are facing such as crime and migration impact.” Additionally, the delegation is scheduling a meeting with the Chuukese community to further these discussions.
Speaker Mersai stated that today’s meeting is a start of a working relationship between the Guam and Chuuk legislature and that he is confident that they can start from here. Mersai also noted that he would like to touch bases with people here, update them on what is going on back home and touch on issues, offer words of encouragement, create ways to help people, and find solutions for the issues they are facing so that they know that their leaders are not stuck in Chuuk.
Both Speakers acknowledged the Pacific Judicial Conference, especially on topics of family violence and the education system, with Mersai stating that they are working with their national government to build a strong education foundation both on Guam on also back home. There isn’t an early childhood program in Chuuk so they are working with the national government to push for it to be a priority.
Speaker Terlaje stated, “We are grateful for the opportunity to have open dialogue and collaboration and to discuss the issues impacting our region and look forward to further strengthening our relationship and cooperation with the government of Chuuk for the benefit of all those residing on Guam.”
Senators of the 37th Guam Legislature in attendance include Senator Amanda L. Shelton, Senator Chris Barnett, Senator Joe S. San Agustin, Senator Sabina F. Perez, Senator Roy A.B. Quinata, Senator William A. Parkinson, Senator Dwayne San Nicolas, Senator Telo T. Taitague, Senator Jesse A. Lujan and Senator Thomas J. Fisher.
Members of the delegation include: Lester D. Mersai, Speaker/Head of Delegation; Wayne Olap, Floor Leader; Andrew May, Chairman, Ways and Means Committee; Jesse P. William, Chairman, Judicial and Governmental Operations Committee; Hadley A. Francis, Chairman, Resources and Development Committee; Narciso Sebastian, Chairman, Education Committee; Arthur Irons II, Acting Chairman, Health Committee; Keswick Matus, Chairman, Transportation, Communication & Public Works Committee; Richiosy Pangas Chipen, Chairman, Federal & Foreign Affairs Committee; Raymond Otoko, Vice Chairman Transportation, Communication & Public Works Committee; Junior Nomau, Vice Chairman, Health Committee; Kerson Billy, Member, Ways and Means Committee; Mr. Douglas Marar, Chief of Staff
Speaker Therese Terlaje Continues Commitment to Protect the Power of the People
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (January 5, 2023 – Hagåtña, Guam) – Today, the 37th Guam Legislature elected Senator Therese Terlaje to be its Speaker. Terlaje will also continue on with her work as the Legislative Chairperson of the Committee on Health, Land, Justice and Culture.
In her address, Speaker Terlaje recalled the 1949 Walkout, stating that every legislature since then has inherited the responsibility to build upon the progress of its predecessors who fought for more legislative authority for what was at one time an advisory body to a plenary power. The Speaker shared with her colleagues that it was the 37th Guam Legislature’s duty to uphold their legacy of fighting for self-governance as they work to promote opportunity and prosperity for all the people of Guam.
The Speaker announced that the 37th Guam Legislature must shift its strategy from recovery from the pandemic to prosperity for Guam’s families. Additionally, she noted the commitments made by newly elected senators who were sworn in on January 2, 2023, to include fighting crime and drugs, inflation, transparency and accountability, affordable housing, sustainability, and balanced government powers. Speaker Terlaje further stated, “if we are to accomplish this bold and diverse agenda, we must work in a bi-partisan effort, place personal politics aside, and engage in healthy debate based on truth and facts to find solutions.”
“I resolve to continue working to protect the power of the people, to continue to restore the people’s faith in their government, to bring transparency to our processes, and to practice truth and justice, so that the best ideas and solutions can be born from this 37th Guam Legislature. I am ready to work to make Guam a home where the hopes and dreams of our families are realized,” said Speaker Terlaje.
Please find Speaker Therese Terlaje’s Inaugural Address below:
Statement from Speaker Therese Terlaje on the passing of Dr. Margaret Hattori-Uchima
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (December 27, 2022 – Hagåtña, Guam) – Below is a statement from Speaker Therese Terlaje on behalf of the 36th Guam Legislature:
“Our island mourns the tragic loss of Dr. Margaret Hattori-Uchima, Dean of the University of Guam School of Health and registered nurse for thirty-four (34) years. Dr. Hattori has also been an educator for twenty-three (23) years, facilitating and advancing educational opportunities in her profession for Guam’s nurses and social workers for decades.
Dr. Hattori-Uchima has been recognized with such accolades as the 2019 Nurse of the Year from the Guam Nurses Association, American Academy of Nursing 2020 Class of Fellows as the first fellow from Guam, 2021 COVID Hero recognized by KUAM, and the 2022 Public Citizen Award from the National Association of Social Workers Guam Chapter, where she was honored with a Resolution from the 36th Guam Legislature.
“Dr. Hattori-Uchima was in a category of exceptional women of Guam, whose tireless commitment to advancing public health and welfare made a difference in so many lives, most especially our patients. She was a visionary and a catalyst for change. As the Chairperson for the Legislature’s Committee on Health, I trusted Dr. Hattori-Uchima’s institutional knowledge to improve the quality of healthcare on Guam and to ensure we remove all impediments to growing our local workforce and meeting Guam’s critical need for highly skilled nurses, social workers, nurse assistants, and other healthcare professionals,” stated Speaker Therese Terlaje.
As a dedicated professional, Dr. Hattori-Uchima set a high bar for her contributions in advancing healthcare and public welfare including advocating for disadvantaged communities on Guam and in the region, commitment to the homeless as a long-time member of the Guam Homeless Coalition, and work with the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program and the Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity.
“On behalf of the 36th Guam Legislature, our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to Dr. Hattori-Uchima’s family, students, friends and close associates.
Workers (NASW) Guam Chapter Public Citizen Award to Dr. Margaret Hattori Uchima
Bill 112 Amendment
PNC December 16, 2022
Media Gallery
PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE COMMITTEE REPORT FOR SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. 112-36 (COR), AS SUBSTITUTED AND FURTHER AMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, LAND, JUSTICE AND CULTURE
The Committee Report for Substitute Bill No. 112-36, As Substituted and further amended by the Committee on Health, Land, Justice and Culture was submitted to the Committee on Rules (COR) on December 7, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. and is awaiting approval from COR.
You can access a copy of the Committee Report for Substitute Bill No. 112-36 (COR) pending approval from Committee on Rules at this link.
A copy of Substitute Bill No. 112-36, As Substituted and further amended by the Committee can be found below: