The provisions are tucked into the National Defense Authorization Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives passed Wednesday.
The defense bill passed by a vote of 335-78, according to Guam Delegate Michael San Nicolas.
It would allow Guam to bring in foreign workers on H-2B visas for civilian projects in addition to the H-2B visas for the military construction projects, San Nicolas previously stated.
San Nicolas also previously stated the defense bill includes some $600 million in funding for military realignment projects on Guam. The realignment projects support the U.S.-Japan agreement to relocate nearly 5,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam at the newly activated Marine Corps base on the island.
“The veto-proof passage of the current (National Defense Authorization Act), containing our language for H-2B relief for our civilian construction industry, is a powerful first step,” San Nicolas said. “We are confident such bipartisan support will translate into the Senate, and appropriately signal that the measure should be passed into law.”
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero announced she has received notice that her request for inclusion of funding for a public health laboratory in the defense bill has been adopted by both the House and Senate Armed Services conference committees.
“As has been said before, public health is what society collectively does to ensure the proper conditions are in place so our people can be healthy. With a new public health laboratory, we will enhance our present capabilities for early detection, early warning and early containment of infections and diseases beyond Covid-19,” the governor stated.
A new lab with enhanced analytical testing mitigates the risk of exposure to the population, the governor stated.
“Since our island serves as a point of origin for foreign visitors to the United States and the free migration of citizens from the Compacts of Freely Associated states, this increases the need for analytical testing services on Guam.”
A previous version of the NDAA did not include authorization for construction of the public health laboratory; however, in March, Leon Guerrero said she wrote to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee to request reconsideration.
