By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a measure that would appropriate over $1.13 billion in military construction projects on Guam, which formed part of the $1.7 billion in authorizations under the proposed defense spending policy for fiscal year 2024.
According to the office of Guam Del. James Moylan, the proposed appropriation represents a nearly $500 million increase from what was appropriated for fiscal year 2023.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction’s bill is the first of two appropriations measures that contain defense-related funding for Guam, with the second measure to be deliberated in September.
A couple of weeks ago, the House passed the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which would authorize over $1.7 billion in defense-related spending for Guam, including an increase in the Guam missile defense, procurement, and the over $1.13 billion which was appropriated today in military construction.
Seeking to clarify the congressional process and straighten out some critics' confusion, Moylan's office explained that any funding requires the passage of both an authorization and an appropriation.
The NDAA is an authorization bill, and for any of those dollars to materialize, an appropriation measure must also pass, the delegate's office explained.
Also Section 366, which is being referred to in these false narratives, authorizes a study but does not authorize or appropriate any funds or commit to future spending. Commenting on the possible results of the study is purely speculative.
“We are elated that the commitment from my colleagues in the House to prioritize Guam and the Indo-Pacific region continues to resonate in action and not just words,” Moylan said.
“We are optimistic that the appropriations-defense measure, which will be discussed in September, will remain within the authorization levels. It is evident that Guam’s participation in the House Armed Services Committee does matter when it comes to ensuring that our people are safe and that our economy is infused,” he added
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