McCain earlier worked to strike out the $33 million Guam appropriation from the National Defense Authorization Act, arguing that the funding had nothing to do with supporting U.S. base operations.
But yesterday, Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo announced that the $33 million has been re-inserted and included in a different spending bill — H.R. 2055, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2012.
Moreover, Bordallo said House and Senate appropriators included language that would not only appropriate the $33 million but also provide the necessary authorization from the Office of Economic Adjustment to spend the funds for socioeconomic projects on Guam. However, the Department of Defense will have to make a final determination on whether these funds can be transferred to other federal agencies to benefit Guam.
H.R. 2055 passed the House by a vote of 296 to 121, and the Senate by a vote of 67 to 32. Although President Obama has not yet signed the bill into law, he has indicated that he will sign the legislation.
“These infrastructure improvements will help to ensure that Guam is able to sustain the additional military presence anticipated from the buildup,” Bordallo said in a statement.
H.R. 2055 appropriates $33 million for civilian infrastructure improvements on Guam through the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment in response to the realignment of U.S. Marine Corps forces to Guam.
The bill would provide the necessary appropriation and sufficient authorization for the Secretary of Defense to utilize these funds specifically to address the need for vehicles and supplies for civilian student transportation, the construction of a cultural repository for cultural artifacts unearthed during current and future military construction, and the construction of a mental health and substance abuse facility on Guam.
