As the granddaughter of Colonel Juan Muña, whom the Guam National Guard Headquarters - Fort Juan Muña is proudly named after, the wife of an Air Force Veteran, mother of an Airman, and grandmother-in-law of an active duty soldier, my family's story of our service to the United States is like many of Guam's families. Our sons and daughters can be equals in battle, but not in the eyes of Uncle Sam. This is why I have tirelessly advocated for Americans in the United States Territories to be treated as equals when it comes to having a say in critical federal policies that impact our island.
Earlier this term, I authored Resolution 56-36 to express support for House Resolution 279, which acknowledges that the United States Supreme Court’s decisions in the Insular Cases and the “territorial incorporation doctrine” are contrary to our nation’s most basic constitutional and democratic principles, rests on racial views and stereotypes that have long been rejected and should be rejected as having no place in United States constitutional law. For too long, the Insular Cases have been used to justify unequal treatment of the territories solely by reason of our geographical residence. The rejection of the Insular Cases is needed to resolve this undemocratic status quo, and I will continue to advocate for the People of Guam to ensure we have parity in vital federal programs, such as SSI and Medicaid. I was honored to have members of our community, our government stakeholders and leading legal experts from our nations top institutions to provide critical input on this matter.
I also was invited by Chairman Raúl Grijalva, of the United States House
of Representatives' Committee on Natural Resources to provide testimony on the matter. As a proud daughter of Guam, I was both honored and humbled to share the Guam story. My grandfather, Colonel Juan Muña, was one of the founding members of the Guam Militia who fought bravely alongside the Americans to liberate our island from the imperial Japanese. Today, I continue his legacy by fighting for the same democratic principles that are engrained in the United States Constitution which should be afforded to the People of Guam. I am grateful for the partnerships I have made across the country on this critical issue, and will continue to fight for our rights as Americans.
Watch my testimony to the United States House of Representatives below:
Watch the Public Hearing on Guam Legislature Resolution 56-36 below: