Governor and Lt. Governor Welcome DoD Response to Economic Adjustment Committee for Guam

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 4, 2025

Hagåtña, Guam - Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio today welcomed a formal letter from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) acknowledging Guam's concerns regarding the impacts of ongoing and planned defense initiatives, and outlining DoD's intent to move forward with interagency coordination that will support the potential to convene the Economic Adjustment Committee (EAC) process for Guam.

In the letter to Governor Leon Guerrero, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment Robert E. Thompson recognizes Guam's unique role in the Indo-Pacific defense posture and the need to coordinate with other federal agencies to address the pressure on Guam's civilian infrastructure, services, and communities.

"For years, our administration has been clear: Guam should not be asked to shoulder, alone, the civilian infrastructure and services burden of a mission that defends the entire United States and our allies," said Governor Leon Guerrero. "DoD's response is an important step forward. It affirms that the federal government must look holistically at the impacts of the Guam defense buildup on our hospitals, utilities, ports, schools, housing, and first responders. The interagency process they describe is the pathway to reconvene an Economic Adjustment Committee and to match Guam's responsibilities with the federal resources needed to support them."

Governor Leon Guerrero emphasized that the Government of Guam will fully engage in this process, consistent with the Defense Economic Adjustment, Diversification, Conversion, and Stabilization Act of 1990 and prior EAC precedents for Guam.

"This letter acknowledges what we have been saying in every meeting in Washington and here at home - that national defense decisions in Guam carry very real costs for our people and our local government," the Governor added. "We are committed to working with DoD and our federal partners to turn this recognition into concrete, funded actions that strengthen both the defense of Guam and the quality of life of our residents."

Lieutenant Governor Tenorio highlighted how Government of Guam agencies have been preparing to present a unified and data-driven case to DoD and the federal interagency.

"Our agencies are ready," said Lt. Governor Tenorio. "Through the Community Defense Liaison Office, we have organized working groups on power, water, wastewater, transportation, housing, health care, education, labor, emergency response, ports of entry, and regulatory requirements. These teams have spent years compiling data, identifying shortfalls, and documenting how the

population growth and military construction for the buildup and Guam Defense System will impact our island. We are prepared to bring this information to the table so that federal partners clearly understand what it will take to keep Guam safe, resilient, and livable."

Lt. Governor Tenorio also underscored that Guam's advocacy is not about slowing or opposing national defense initiatives, but about ensuring they are sustainable.

"We support a strong defense posture in the Indo-Pacific, and we are proud of Guam's role," he said. "But strengthening Guam's defenses must go hand in hand with strengthening our civilian infrastructure and services. The EAC framework is where we can align defense investments with the real-world needs of our communities."

The Governor has designated Vera Topasna, Executive Director of the Community Defense Liaison Office (CDLO), as the Government of Guam's lead for coordinating with DoD, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC), and other federal agencies as discussions move forward. Lt. Governor Tenorio will head to Washington DC next week to meet with DOD and OLDCC officials to begin discussions on next steps.

"This is about One Guam and One Nation," Governor Leon Guerrero concluded. "As we deepen our strategic role in the region, we will continue to insist on a fair partnership-one that protects our people, respects our capacity, and honors the sacrifices Guam makes in service to the Nation."

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