Quid pro quo: Guam lists demands in exchange for role as frontline defense

$400M in federal aid for new hospital and $1.5B for power upgrades top the list

 Guam Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, left, joins CNMI Gov. David Apatang and American Samoa Gov. Pula Nikolao Pula at the 2025 IGIA Mid-Year Senior Plenary Session held in Washington, D.C., Sept. 4, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Guam Governor

 By  Pacific Island Times News Staff

Seeking to leverage Guam’s role in U.S. homeland defense, the island’s delegation to Washington, D.C. has presented the Department of the Interior a laundry list of demands, such as $400 million in federal assistance for a new hospital and $1.3 billion for power system upgrades.

Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio made the case for more federal investments in Guam’s health care system, which he said would “counter China’s soft-power influence.”

“This is a direct investment in national security since Guam is the target of Chinese cyberattacks and North Korean threats, and it is the logistical hub for

U.S. and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific,” said Tenorio, who led the island’s delegation to the 2025 IGIA Mid-Year Senior Plenary Session held Sept. 4.

Tenorio said Guam’s funding request for a new hospital accounted for only 3.3. percent of the more than $12 billion in military construction on Guam.

“A modern public hospital would be built to handle mass casualty events, natural

disasters, and risks tied to growing military and industrial activity. It would ensure immediate access to care for civilians, veterans, warfighters and families,” he added.

Tenorio noted that Beijing has donated hospitals in Papua New Guinea,

sponsored health programs in Fiji, and built clinics in the Solomon Islands.

“These projects extend influence and mask strategic intent. By contrast, a U.S.-built hospital on Guam would demonstrate that America invests in its people, its readiness and the resilience of its allies,” Tenorio said. “A modern hospital will reinforce regional stability and America’s commitment to its Pacific partners.”

John M. Benavente, GPA general manager, with William Hague, principal deputy assistant secretary for Insular and International Affairs. Photo courtesy of GPA

The Guam Power Authority, for its part, proposed a $1.5 billion programmatic agreement to fund the undergrounding of key transmission and distribution systems over the next decade.

GPA officials noted that the Department of Defense makes up the bulk of its  

customer base. By 2033, the projected energy demand is expected to more than double, necessitating federal partners to step up, they added.

“To meet the rapid growth in demand and the unique risks we face, we need DoD and our federal partners to share in this responsibility," said John

Benavente, GPA general manager.

"With their investment, we can build an energy system that is affordable, reliable and secure for Guam’s people and the nation’s strategic mission in the Pacific," he added.

GPA is seeking to make long-term investments in undergrounding and 

hardening its system while advancing conventional generation, renewable energy and storage in balance.

Benavente said Guam can’t shoulder the burden on its own.

“We continue to advocate to our federal partners that much of Guam’s growth is driven from outside the island, and these investments are essential not just for our community but for national security,” the GPA chief said.

“Guam must

power itself. There is no one else to lean on when demand spikes or a typhoon

 hits, so our energy security needs to be built locally."

Guam Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio shakes hands with CNMI Del. Kimberly King-Hinds, while American Samoa Gov. Pula Nikolao Pula looks on. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor of Guam

Other items on the list include the restoration of the $30  million in annual Compact impact to mitigate the costs of hosting migrants from the freely associated states; the continued allocation of $156 million under the BEAD Program for universal broadband; Guam’s inclusion in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act  and in the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.

“Guam’s security is the nation’s security,” Guam Del. James Moylan said in his address at the senior plenary session. “We must continue to support investments into our roadways, bridges, and hard infrastructure—not just for economic growth, but for national defense.”

Moylan renewed his call for a VA Regional Office in Guam to serve over 20,000 

veterans across the Pacific, including those in the Northern Marianas, freely associated states, and Southeast Asia.

With Guam’s population expected to grow by 8 percent due to military buildup, Moylan endorsed Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s request for an Economic Adjustment Committee and emphasized the need for coordinated federal support.

 He also promoted NAVSEA-certified ship repair companies and advanced manufacturing as part of Guam’s economic diversification strategy.

“Guam stands ready to support military readiness and the fleet in the Pacific,” Moylan said.

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