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Legislature places $12,300,000 SNAP and WIC funding bill on agenda, refers it to committee of the whole
Summary
During the fourth special session Oct. 24, 2025, senators placed Bill 14‑S — an appropriation request by the Governor of Guam for SNAP and WIC in November — on the agenda, deemed it given first reading and resolved it to the committee of the whole to question fiscal and program officials.
The Legislature of Guam on Oct. 24, 2025, placed Bill 14‑S on the special session agenda and resolved the measure to the committee of the whole for deliberation and questioning of fiscal and program officials.
Senator Duenas, speaking after being recognized by Speaker Blas, moved to place “Bill number 14‑S, introduced by the Committee on Rules by request of Imangahangguan, the Governor of Guam, in accordance with the Organic Act of Guam.” He said the measure “is an act to appropriate the sum of $12,000,000 $300,000 from fiscal year 2025, net unobligated excess revenue to the Department of Public Health and Social Services to fund SNAP and WIC for the month of November.” Read in sequence, the amounts stated in the record total $12,300,000.
The motion to place the bill on the agenda carried with no objection. Earlier in the session the body also moved that Bill 14‑S be deemed to have been given its first reading; that motion likewise carried with no objection.
Members resolved the bill to the committee of the whole so committee members could “call the pertinent individuals to come and be questioned by the body,” and specifically named officials to be requested: the director of BBMR, the director of the Department of Administration, and the director and appropriate staff from the Department of Public Health and Social Services. The presiding officer recessed the special session until 2 p.m. to allow those officials time to appear; the recess motion carried without recorded objection.
A senator, not identified by name in the audio record, urged that fiscal staff be called sooner, saying there was an “immediate need” and asking the body to act immediately. Another senator announced a schedule adjustment for a markup meeting that affected committee timing; that announcement did not change the committee referral.
Votes at a glance
Bill 14‑S — Appropriation to DPHSS for SNAP and WIC (as read in the motion): - Deemed given first reading — motion carried (no objection). - Placed on special session agenda — motion carried (no objection). - Referred/resolved to committee of the whole for questioning of fiscal and program officials — motion carried (no objection).
No formal recorded roll-call tallies were taken on these motions in the available transcript excerpts; each motion was announced as carrying after the chair took the question and reported no objections.
What comes next
The committee of the whole is expected to convene to question the named agency directors and staff; the Legislature recessed until 2 p.m. to allow those officials time to arrive. The transcript does not record further committee deliberations or final disposition of the appropriations bill.
