Guam News - Guam News

Guam -Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo says that visiting Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter confirmed that a Memorandum of Agreement has been signed between DoD and the IRS to ensure that rotational Marines on Guam will be captured in section 30 payments.

Carter arrived on Guam yesterday [Thursday] for a brief visit during the course of a 10-day Asia-Pacific tour.

Last night Carter had dinner at Government House with the Congresswoman, Governor Calvo, Speaker Won Pat and other Guam leaders.

In a release, this monring, the Congresswoman says Carter's announcment of the Secion 30 MOU addresses a key concern she has raised "about the financial impact the revised [realignment] agreement would have on Guam."

Bordallo also said that Deputy Secretary Carter "reaffirmed the DoD’s commitment to our strategic re-focus on the Asia-Pacific region." 

Carter arrived on Guam from Hawaii. He leaves for Japan later today and then flies onto to Thailand.

SEE a report on Carter's trip the Pentagon Channel HERE

READ Congresswoman Bordallo's release in FULL below:

Statement on Deputy Secretary of  Defense Carter’s visit to Guam; Reaffirms Support for Realignment, Codifying Section 30 Fund Payments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 19, 2012 – Washington, D.C. –

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today issued the following statement on Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s visit to Guam.

“I appreciate that Deputy Secretary of Defense Carter took the time to visit Guam and see first-hand the strategic importance of Guam to our national security in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Congresswoman Bordallo. “Governor Calvo and I had a productive discussion with the Secretary about a host of issues regarding the realignment of Marines to Guam.  We also raised the importance of convening an interagency meeting in the near term between DoD, DHS and other federal stakeholders to address legitimate security concerns and finally implement visa free travel for Chinese visitors. I also greatly appreciate the Secretary’s announcement that the Memorandum of Agreement has been signed between DoD and the IRS to ensure that rotational Marines on Guam will be captured in section 30 payments.  This announcement codifies a previous announcement and addresses a key concern I had raised about the financial impact the revised agreement would have on Guam.  The Secretary reaffirmed the DoD’s commitment to our strategic re-focus on the Asia-Pacific region, and I look forward to working with them as Ranking Member of the Readiness Subcommittee to ensure successful implementation of these efforts.”