The United States contains within its borders five inhabited, unincorporated territories scattered across the globe. The delegate representing one of them, Guam, was hosted by The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law) the afternoon of March 23, 2023.
The event opened with a welcome from Dean Stephen C. Payne, who introduced Delegate James “Jim” Moylan, Republican Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for Guam. Del. Moylan joined members of the Catholic Law community via Zoom for a discussion curated by the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA). Following the Dean’s introduction, the APALSA student panel, Olivia Bellini (2L), Olivia Kim (2L), Herman Pablo (3E), and Mark Dela Peña (2L), greeted the Delegate with his home island’s Chamorro greeting “Hafa Adai.” Del. Moylan answered questions regarding hot button issues such as inflation, national defense, and representation—all topics that affect his home island currently.
The panel presented Del. Moylan with a few prepared questions, as well as many drawn from the audience. In the process of answering, Moylan highlighted several initiatives for which he had campaigned on Capitol Hill, including the procurement of funding for building new, deeper harbors on Guam, so that the island could accommodate large ships and receive greater amounts of basic supplies like groceries. Guam’s distance from the continental United States causes the prices of items that are readily accessible for mainlanders to skyrocket. Del. Moylan, to demonstrate this exceptional disparity, commented that a twenty-foot ladder—typically costing between two- and three-hundred dollars on the continent—costs upwards of seven-hundred dollars to ship to Rota. Efforts such as the construction of deeper harbors will potentially facilitate a drop of prices on the island since item supply might inch closer to meeting its demand.
Other topics included the importance of the United States’ military presence in Guam, the effects that the Affordable Care Act had on Guamanians, incentives to bring businesses such as the film industry to Guam, and whether Guam’s status as an unincorporated territory lacking full representation in Congress affects supply lines and the cost of living on the island. In the process of answering the latter question, Del. Moylan stressed the need for increased federal funding for education on the island, through which its populace could develop a fuller understanding of the various paths they could pursue to change the island’s status. He additionally noted the priority of obtaining for Guamanians, who are American citizens, the same benefits available to mainland citizens, such as access to Social Security income.
APALSA at Catholic Law was established in 1985 to promote awareness of contemporary issues which affect Asian Pacific Americans. A racially diverse student organization with an open membership policy, it sponsors lectures and panel discussions, engages in community service projects, and works closely with members of the Asian Pacific Bar Association.