Nationally and locally, our economy is contracting and declining.  The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly highlighted the need for a sensible balance between economic recovery and the health and welfare of our people.  This is needed to keep Guam moving forward.  As your Congressman, I will work day and night to ensure that Guam receives its share of federal emergency COVID-19 funding and push legislation for more support specific to Guam’s needs.  I will endeavor to lessen federal taxes, expand trade markets and remove stifling, obsolete regulations that impede our desire to be more self-sustaining.  These goals will be achieved while protecting and improving our environment.  

This is in keeping with my motto,

"Efficiency First, Environment Always.”

KEY POINTS:

• Very good relationship with CNMI and American Samoa.
• Trade/Sea Lanes – Viable transportation highways for items to include agricultural commodities, marine resources or intellectual properties.  Also, open and free interchange of human capital (e.g. professional credentialing, DL reciprocity, etc.).
• Regional Pharmaceutical Distribution Facility – JIT inventory of supplies financed by Feds.
• Standardizing and tailoring related Fed rules and regulations to make Guam more self-sufficient/independent.

We all have a right to basic healthcare services and resources.  We all have a right to live our lives in the healthiest way possible.  As your Congressman, I will work hard to locate and create legislation for services specific to helping the people of Guam attain this right.  I will also work to ensure that this right is afforded to all who are qualified.  Soon after arriving in Congress, I will work with COFA and other foreign governments to develop and implement a fair and equitable reimbursement strategy for services provided to their citizens living on Guam.  To date, there has not been any effort by the incumbent to address this issue in any significant way, shape or form.  Guam’s location and distance means US healthcare services and resources are limited and finite.  However, this does not mean we cannot more efficiently and fairly distribute these services and resources to the people of Guam who deserve them.

KEY POINTS:

• Healthcare is a right and not a privilege.
• Improve and increase (where necessary) amounts for social healthcare programs.
• COFA needs to be revisited to incorporate healthcare payments from countries with citizens on Guam.  MSN has not looked into this issue and I will work with the State Department to coordinate meeting with ambassadors from COFA nations.
• Pre-existing Conditions and Dependents - Continue to protect families by ensuring people with pre-existing conditions are not denied healthcare policies and allowing coverage for dependents until age 26.
• Mental Health and Addiction – Increase funding for mental health and substance abuse disorders.  Expand access to addiction treatment services as well as medications that reverse overdoses. 
• Taxes – Find tax relief for prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, health-insurance premiums and medical devices.
• SSI - Supplemental Security Income

We here at home are not strangers to adversity and calamity.  Wars and natural disasters have been endured by our family and friends in the past, present and no doubt will be in the future.  We are presently meeting two serious adversities head on – the COVID-19 global pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.

On September 11, 2001, over 3000 innocent souls were taken in senseless acts of terror.  The United States’ armed forces responded and continue the fight needed to deter aggression and defeat our adversaries.  There are many threats across the globe but more importantly, in our immediate area to include North Korea’s nuclear weapons and China is both building its military and has demonstrated that it’s ready to wage war in space.

Innumerable challenges lay ahead in the world as well as on Guam and in the Marianas.  As your Congressman, I will give the required long-term attention necessary to move forward in an assertive and balanced manner that offers the best quality of life and the greatest freedoms for us all.

KEY POINT:

• Regular and standard communication and training channels between Guam and regional law enforcement officials.

Self-determination is a basic, fundamental right and principle of our democracy. It is an essential component in our pursuit for political, social and economic equality.  The right of self-determination belongs to the indigenous, the CHamoru people of Guam, as it has to most of the world’s former non self-governing territories.

As your Congressman, I will work hard to ensure that the right of the CHamoru people to express their choice of political status is granted. Upon completion of this process, all others who call Guam their home will be involved in all matters concerning Guam’s future.

KEY POINTS:

• Always stand on the side of CHamoru (however we define it) political self-determination and not just self-determination by plebiscite.  Bottom-line is that the CHamoru people need to decide.
• Will not advocate for any one of the political status options.  The only way to achieve these goals is from within. – Angel Santos
• Administrative jurisdiction, rights, access and infrastructure supplied by the military on native lands not encroaching on military properties (e.g. Urunao and Andersen South).
• Underwood spent 11 years in office and achieved very little in this area.
• I am a statehood proponent but not anti-independence but my concern is having to start from zero with no Social Security, Medicare and everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve.  Tribal status is not an option!
• The right to determine political status belongs to the CHamoru people but it doesn’t mean that others who call Guam home will not be involved in what happens after that.

Our veterans are the reason we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have on Guam and across America.  Their sacrifice and honor has allowed us to prevail over all our enemies, both foreign and domestic.  We can never forget all the sacrifices made so that we can enjoy the quality of life that we have now.  We owe so much to our veterans.

My faith in our veterans is total and my commitment to them is complete.  The debt that is owed to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms is one that can never fully be repaid.  Our veterans deserve not only the respect of their country, but the best medical care and other services available.

As your Congressman, I will work to ensure adequate funding for a regional Veterans Hospital based on Guam, more efficient Veterans Affairs claims processing, oppose TRICARE fee and premium increases on families and retirees, and fight to ensure returning veterans have opportunities to work and continue to contribute to our communities.  It is important to minimize the impact on programs that our service members, retirees and veterans rely on.

5 POINT PLAN FOR VETERANS ISSUES

As your Congressman, William D. Castro will:

1.         Expand the access to more-and-better quality healthcare. The current Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) is not capable of accommodating veterans from Guam (27,000+) and in the region. There is a need for more and varied specialists especially as the Naval Hospital provides very limited services for veterans. Increase the current CBOC medical staff (2 primary doctors, 1 Mental Health Provider, 1 Nurse). It is important to note that the foregoing is a stepping stone on the way to the ultimate goal… the establishment of a Veterans Hospital for Guam, The Marianas and Micronesia.

2.         Vigorously support and implement provisions in The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019. One of my top priorities will be to address veteran suicide by improving mental health care for veterans. This Act is a comprehensive and aggressive strategy to reach more veterans with the mental health care they need. Sadly, an estimated 20 veterans die by suicide each day. The Act works to expand access to mental health care for veterans by strategically reaching veterans in hard-to-reach places like Guam and providing our veterans with alternative and innovative treatments.

• 20 veterans die by suicide daily. Of those, 14 are not receiving VA health care.
• Suicide among veterans continues to be higher than the rest of the population
• Younger veterans are particularly at risk. (veterans ages 18 to 34)
• In the Act, every service member would be enrolled into VA mental health care for one year when they transition from active duty

3.         Greatly improve the inefficient processing of claims. The current processing of disability and compensation claims needs significant improvement. Current claims are sent to Hawaii for processing and any discrepancy results in a delay in providing benefits and delivering services. I will establish a regional center to receive, consolidate and forward all claims for efficient processing.

4.         At a minimum, one congressional staff member will be dedicated to general Veterans’ issues and another staff member for Women Veterans and Spouses of Veterans. These individuals will be involved with veterans’ issues primarily and not as a secondary or additional duty. As a Senator, I established one legislative office staff member (a veteran) to dedicate her time and energy specifically to veterans’ issues and the results have been noteworthy.

5.         Establish a Marianas Veterans Database to ensure all of our veterans are accounted for. This database will be created on an interoperable platform for sharing all relevant data across Guam, the region and with the Veterans Affairs Department. I will secure Congressional and other federal resources for project initiation, defining initial requirements, initiating the design phase and beginning operational tests and evaluations.

We all acknowledge the importance of due process in the American system of government.  I’m not going to comment on any of the 8 distinct charges leveled against MSN.  For the record, I have no ethics charges leveled against me and there are no ethics committees reviewing any alleged wrongdoing on my part while carrying out the duties and responsibilities of my office.