Limtiaco puts federal equity at the center of congressional pitch at Guam women's group forum

Alicia Limtiaco

By Ron Rocky Coloma

Alicia Limtiaco had the congressional stage to herself Saturday as she laid out a campaign centered on federal equity, infrastructure investment and a “Guam first” approach, while her general election opponent, incumbent Republican Del. James Moylan, was not present for the congressional portion of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce forum.

Limtiaco, the Democratic candidate for Guam delegate, fielded questions at the Hyatt Regency Guam on child care, elder care, Supplemental Security Income, women-owned businesses, domestic violence, federal grants, voting access, birthright citizenship, disaster preparedness and deep-sea mining.

The forum gave Limtiaco an opportunity to outline how she would approach an office whose occupant can introduce legislation, serve on committees and advocate for federal funding but cannot vote on final passage of legislation in the U.S. House.

The discussion placed federal policy in a local context, asking how Guam’s next delegate could use legislation, appropriations, oversight and relationships in Congress to address costs facing families and businesses despite the office’s limited voting power.

“My commitment is to advocate for and to fight for Guam's priorities in Washington, D.C., and not the other way around,” Limtiaco said while discussing proposed changes to birthright citizenship.

Limtiaco said she does not support legislation that would deny birthright citizenship to people born in U.S. territories after a future date. She said concerns about national security, immigration fraud and abuse could be addressed through enforcement, training and additional resources rather than changing citizenship rules.

She pointed to federal and local agencies, including the Guam Police Department and Customs and Quarantine, as possible partners in addressing those concerns. Federal appropriations, she said, could build staffing and investigative capacity.

The former attorney general of Guam and former U.S. attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands also emphasized federal parity for residents who remain excluded from certain programs available elsewhere in the United States.

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Asked about Guam’s exclusion from Supplemental Security Income, Limtiaco said a congressional office under her leadership would track pending legislation, pursue related measures and consider introducing legislation to continue efforts to include Guam in SSI.

“We know that it is applicable in the CNMI, our sister island, and, of course, to states within the U.S. mainland,” Limtiaco said of SSI. “There has been litigation in the past to advocate for, to fight for Guam's application. Unfortunately, the courts have not agreed, and we are continuing to deal with this issue, with the inequities and the unfairness that we see here.”

Infrastructure emerged as another major theme.

Limtiaco said Guam should receive civilian infrastructure investment alongside billions of dollars being spent on the military buildup.

“We need to fight for and advocate for equity, and that means that the investment made on the one side of the fence, that that same investment is made to strengthen our infrastructure, our resiliency, because you can't have one and not the other,” she said.

Limtiaco said delivering major infrastructure projects could take longer than a single year, but she would pursue the issue aggressively during a first term.

The forum also focused heavily on barriers affecting women in Guam’s workforce.

On child care, Limtiaco said she would pursue federal policies, programs and funding intended to help working parents remain employed while providing for their families. She described partnerships among local stakeholders and officials in Washington as essential to securing support.

She proposed an advisory council that would include women entrepreneurs, business owners, college students and other community members to identify barriers and help shape legislation and federal funding priorities.

Limtiaco also suggested establishing a women’s leadership and business center through that council. She cited opportunity zones, HUBZones, small-business loans and women-owned small-business programs as possible tools to expand access to business, leadership and mentorship opportunities.

Asked about election rules requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, Limtiaco said she supports protecting election integrity but opposes requirements that could create unnecessary obstacles for eligible women whose names have changed through marriage or divorce.

“I am a woman who actually did not change her name and decided to keep my last name for professional reasons,” she said. “I have other family members and friends who have had, for a number of different reasons, to change their names.”

Limtiaco added: “We are here. We have the right to vote. We are entitled to speak our mind and our voice, and we're going to do it without any of those artificial barriers.”

Violence against women and girls was another focus of the questioning.

Limtiaco referred to domestic violence survivors in her own family and said Guam needs more treatment providers, counselors and therapists serving survivors, children exposed to violence and abusers. She cited federal programs, including the Victims of Crime Act and the Violence Against Women Act, as sources of grants, training and technical assistance.

“We need to build capacity. We need to increase treatment service providers for mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, addiction,” Limtiaco said.

On federal grants, Limtiaco drew on her experience overseeing grant applications and awards with the Judiciary of Guam. She said that reporting requirements, audits, and oversight can help residents understand how federal money is spent, while technical assistance can improve agencies’ ability to comply with grant requirements.

Shifting to environmental policy, Limtiaco said her priority would be to oppose deep-sea mining in the Marianas, arguing that available scientific research is insufficient to justify the environmental risk.

“As one expert said, we know more about the moon than we know about our own deep sea, and so how can we risk?” she said.

Limtiaco said she would push for federal compliance with domestic and international law and work with other Pacific islands on the issue.

In her closing statement,

Limtiaco summarized her priorities as fairness, resilience and opportunity.

“I know what it takes to deliver results: It takes mastering the facts, building bipartisan coalitions before votes are needed, holding agencies accountable, and staying at the table until Guam's priorities move from promises to action,” Limtiaco said.

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