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April 8, 2026
MEMORANDUM
To: All Senators, Stakeholders and Media
From: Senator Telo T. Taitague, Chairperson
Subject: FIRST NOTICE of Public Hearing on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Håfa Adai!
The Committee on Economic Investment, Military Buildup, Regional Relations, Regulatory Affairs, Technology, Justice, Elections, and Retirement will conduct Informational Briefing on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in the Guam Congress Building, Public Hearing Room, on the following agenda item (s):
INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING ON MILITARY BUILDUP/DEFENSE:
I. Vera Topasna, Executive Director, Community Defense Liaison Office
a. Community Defense Liaison Office
· Scope of issues, active/secured grants, and priority projects to address most pressing issues on Guam.
b. Civil-Military Coordination Council
· Community Defense Initiatives for readiness and emergency communications infrastructure
· Military-driven population planning and impacts
c. Housing
· Balance of on-base vs. off-base housing supply
· Development plans and post-buildup land use
· Impact on local housing/rental market and mitigation strategies.
d. Healthcare
· Expansion of military healthcare capacity (personnel/dependents)
· Anticipated use of local healthcare systems
· Preparedness measures tied to buildup impacts
e. Labor and Workforce
· Partnerships with UOG, GCC and other trade programs
· Impact of military-related jobs on wages and labor market competition
f. Infrastructure
· Status and timeline of the Integrated Missile Defense System.
g. Funding status and impacts on buildup project timelines
II. Carlotta Leon Guerrero, Governor’s Chief Advisor on Military & Regional Affairs, Office of the Governor of Guam
a. Regional Relations
· Buildup impacts on commercial port operations.
· Status of DoD coordination on Association of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL) Resolution No. 64-BOD-08
b. Housing
· Government strategy to meet off-island workforce housing demand
c. Deep-Sea Mining
· Relationship to Military Buildup/Defense near Guam and CNMI.
d. Cultural and Environmental Impact of Military Buildup/Defense
· Protection of cultural sites and environmental resources.
e. Updates on MITT Training and Testing
· Timeline status and potential expansion of training and study area.
f. Rotation of Marine Corps Personnel from Okinawa
· Status of Okinawa-Guam rotations and operational role on Guam.
III. Esther Aguigui, Homeland Security Advisor, Guam Homeland Security & Office of Civil Defense
a. Cybersecurity
· Guam’s current cybersecurity readiness and capabilities.
· Priority gaps and actions to strengthen cyber defense infrastructure.
· Contingency planning for an islandwide cyber-attack.
b. Emergency Communication
· Impact of Fusion Center access loss and restoration efforts
· Status and improvement of the island’s alert systems (e.g., air raid/siren).
· Public communication strategy during emergencies (natural disasters and conflict).
IV. Brigadier General Karin Watson, Adjutant General, Guam National Guard
a. Guam National Guard role in Guam’s national defense and security.
b. Effects of the military buildup on Guard operations and capacity.
c. Guard responsibilities for civilian support during conflict scenarios.
d. Coordination with U.S. military branches on Guam.
e. Civilian roles and expectations in a conflict situation.
f. Implications of Operation Epic Fury, including potential Guard deployment.
Public Hearing Testimony: Written testimony on the agenda items may be emailed to senatortelot@gmail.com or delivered to the Office of Senator Telo T. Taitague, Suite 407, DNA Building, 238 Archbishop Flores Street, Hagåtña, Guam.
Public Access to Testimony: Testimony and other documents related to the agenda items can be viewed at: Military Buildup/Defense Info Brief_04.15.25.
The drive file is periodically updated as testimony is received. You can also contact the office of Senator Telo T. Taitague to request copies at senatortelot@gmail.com or (671) 989-8356.
Special Accommodations: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals requiring assistance of accommodation should contact the Office of Senator Telo T. Taitague at (671) 989-8356 or email senatortelot@gmail.com .
Submission of Presentation Materials and Media: PowerPoint presentations and other digital materials must be emailed to senatortelot@gmail.com no later than three (3) days prior to the public hearing to allow timely submission to the Guam Legislature’s MIS Division at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance. These protocols are to ensure the security and integrity of the Legislature’s information systems.
Broadcast and Live Stream Information: The hearing will broadcast on local television, GTA Channel 21, Docomo Channel 117, and stream online via I Liheslaturan Guåhan’s live feed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@GuamLegislatureMedia/streams. A recording of the hearing will be available online via Guam Legislature Media on YouTube after the hearing.
Public Hearing Notices: Notices for this public hearing are published on KUAM TV, the Guam Legislature Website at https://guamlegislature.gov and the Government of Guam Public Notice Portal at https://notices.guam.gov/.
MEMORANDUM
To: All Senators, Stakeholders and Media
From: Senator Telo T. Taitague, Chairperson
Subject: FIRST NOTICE of Public Hearing on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Håfa Adai!
The Committee on Economic Investment, Military Buildup, Regional Relations, Regulatory Affairs, Technology, Justice, Elections, and Retirement will conduct Informational Briefing on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in the Guam Congress Building, Public Hearing Room, on the following agenda item (s):
INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING ON MILITARY BUILDUP/DEFENSE:
I. Vera Topasna, Executive Director, Community Defense Liaison Office
a. Community Defense Liaison Office
· Scope of issues, active/secured grants, and priority projects to address most pressing issues on Guam.
b. Civil-Military Coordination Council
· Community Defense Initiatives for readiness and emergency communications infrastructure
· Military-driven population planning and impacts
c. Housing
· Balance of on-base vs. off-base housing supply
· Development plans and post-buildup land use
· Impact on local housing/rental market and mitigation strategies.
d. Healthcare
· Expansion of military healthcare capacity (personnel/dependents)
· Anticipated use of local healthcare systems
· Preparedness measures tied to buildup impacts
e. Labor and Workforce
· Partnerships with UOG, GCC and other trade programs
· Impact of military-related jobs on wages and labor market competition
f. Infrastructure
· Status and timeline of the Integrated Missile Defense System.
g. Funding status and impacts on buildup project timelines
II. Carlotta Leon Guerrero, Governor’s Chief Advisor on Military & Regional Affairs, Office of the Governor of Guam
· Buildup impacts on commercial port operations.
· Status of DoD coordination on Association of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL) Resolution No. 64-BOD-08
b. Housing
· Government strategy to meet off-island workforce housing demand
c. Deep-Sea Mining
· Relationship to Military Buildup/Defense near Guam and CNMI.
d. Cultural and Environmental Impact of Military Buildup/Defense
· Protection of cultural sites and environmental resources.
e. Updates on MITT Training and Testing
· Timeline status and potential expansion of training and study area.
f. Rotation of Marine Corps Personnel from Okinawa
· Status of Okinawa-Guam rotations and operational role on Guam.
III. Esther Aguigui, Homeland Security Advisor, Guam Homeland Security & Office of Civil Defense
a. Cybersecurity
· Guam’s current cybersecurity readiness and capabilities.
· Priority gaps and actions to strengthen cyber defense infrastructure.
· Contingency planning for an islandwide cyber-attack.
b. Emergency Communication
· Impact of Fusion Center access loss and restoration efforts
· Status and improvement of the island’s alert systems (e.g., air raid/siren).
· Public communication strategy during emergencies (natural disasters and conflict).
IV. Brigadier General Karin Watson, Adjutant General, Guam National Guard
a. Guam National Guard role in Guam’s national defense and security.
b. Effects of the military buildup on Guard operations and capacity.
c. Guard responsibilities for civilian support during conflict scenarios.
d. Coordination with U.S. military branches on Guam.
e. Civilian roles and expectations in a conflict situation.
f. Implications of Operation Epic Fury, including potential Guard deployment.
Public Hearing Testimony: Written testimony on the agenda items may be emailed to senatortelot@gmail.com or delivered to the Office of Senator Telo T. Taitague, Suite 407, DNA Building, 238 Archbishop Flores Street, Hagåtña, Guam.
Public Access to Testimony: Testimony and other documents related to the agenda items can be viewed at: Military Buildup/Defense Info Brief_04.15.25.
The drive file is periodically updated as testimony is received. You can also contact the office of Senator Telo T. Taitague to request copies at senatortelot@gmail.com or (671) 989-8356.
Special Accommodations: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals requiring assistance of accommodation should contact the Office of Senator Telo T. Taitague at (671) 989-8356 or email senatortelot@gmail.com .
Submission of Presentation Materials and Media: PowerPoint presentations and other digital materials must be emailed to senatortelot@gmail.com no later than three (3) days prior to the public hearing to allow timely submission to the Guam Legislature’s MIS Division at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance. These protocols are to ensure the security and integrity of the Legislature’s information systems.
Broadcast and Live Stream Information: The hearing will broadcast on local television, GTA Channel 21, Docomo Channel 117, and stream online via I Liheslaturan Guåhan’s live feed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@GuamLegislatureMedia/streams. A recording of the hearing will be available online via Guam Legislature Media on YouTube after the hearing.
Public Hearing Notices: Notices for this public hearing are published on KUAM TV, the Guam Legislature Website at https://guamlegislature.gov and the Government of Guam Public Notice Portal at https://notices.guam.gov/.
