$25M emergency fund bill signed into law

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

(Office of the Governor) -- Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero today signed into law emergency legislation appropriating up to $25 million to support  Guam’s 

response to Typhoon Sinlaku, while clearly outlining fiscal concerns about how those funds are structured and used.

The measure, now Public Law 38-124, provides critical resources for emergency response operations, including public safety, health services, shelters and 

infrastructure support. It also delivers direct funding to Guam’s mayors to

enable immediate, community-level response.

The governor emphasized that while the funding is necessary

and timely, the approach to financing matters—particularly the use of the Rainy Day Fund at this stage of the storm.

“Put simply, this is like a family budget," Leon Guerrero said. "If your roof starts leaking, you don’t immediately drain your savings if you still have money in your checking account to make repairs. You use what’s available first—and you protect your savings for when things get worse.”

Guam still has available General Fund resources that have not yet been fully assessed or utilized for emergency response, while the Rainy Day Fund is

intended as a safeguard for more severe or prolonged impacts. Drawing on reserves too early reduces flexibility later and can affect the government’s long-term financial position.

The governor also raised concerns about inconsistencies in procurement 

authority under the law, noting that while mayors are granted expanded flexibility, similar authority was not extended to executive agencies responsible for large-scale emergency operations.

Despite these concerns, Leon Guerrero signed the measure to ensure that critical resources are available immediately to support response and recovery

efforts. Her administration will implement the law with a focus on accountability, transparency and protecting both the immediate needs of the people and the long-term fiscal stability of the government of Guam.