<home> -- <press releases> -- <May 23, 2003>

Increased Funding for Guam Passes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 23, 2003 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo is pleased to announce that the Conference Committee on H.R. 2 has reported out its conference report to the floor with two key provisions beneficial to Guam and the other territories.

“Title IV of the H.R. 2 contains the provisions which will increase the Medicaid Cap for Guam and the territories by 5.9% for FY 2003 and FY 2004, which will mean an additional $345,000 in both years in assistance for our medically indigent population. Title VI of H.R. 2, provides the States and territories fiscal relief for FY 2003 and 2004. Guam will receive $5 Million each year. Both of these provisions will be new revenues to Guam at a time when we most need every dollar we can get,” Congresswoman Bordallo stated.

“The delegates from the other territories and I worked long hard hours to ensure that our jurisdictions were included in any measure to provide any form of fiscal relief. I am very appreciative of their assistance and the help extended to us by Members of Congress from other jurisdictions who understand the difficulties we now face. I will continue working hard to secure as much as I can for our people and for our island,” Bordallo emphasized.

Both Houses of Congress have now agreed to the conference report and the bill is on its way to the President for signature into law.

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Contact: Neil Weare in Washington, D.C., at (202) 225-1188 or Joaquin Perez in Guam at (671) 477-4272.