Hagåtña, Guam – Governor Lou Leon Guerrero today provided an update on Memorandum M-25-13 issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget yesterday, temporarily pausing federal grants, loans, and financial assistance programs. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has issued an administrative stay halting implementation of the funding freeze until February 3, 2025, pending further court proceedings.
“I want to assure our people that as of now, everything remains status quo,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “I have convened a meeting with members of my fiscal team and directors of key agencies that could be impacted, including public health, behavioral health, EPA, the Department of Agriculture, and GMH. All of our agencies are conducting a thorough review of federal programs to determine which are impacted by the funding freeze and which are not. They will provide more details on the potential consequences of this OMB memorandum in the coming days. Each agency will also work to determine what impact, if any, this freeze will have on federally funded employees.”
The Governor also confirmed that while the situation remains fluid and subject to change, additional information released by the White House and the OMB clarifies that the freeze is limited to programs, projects, and activities implicated by Executive Orders issued by President Donald Trump in the last week, and will not include programs that provide direct benefits to Americans, such as Medicaid, SNAP, childcare assistance, and WIC.
“Other grants that directly impact Americans are not included in this executive order, meaning critical services will continue without disruption,” she added. The Governor acknowledges that federal websites for some of these programs shut down to coincide with the OMB Memorandum, and expects that further clarification will be made available in the coming days.
While the court’s stay provides a temporary pause on the President’s actions, the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration continues to monitor the situation closely and remains in contact with federal agencies. “We will provide timely updates as more information becomes available, and I ask the people of Guam to remain calm as we conduct our assessment,” said Governor Leon Guerrero.
For further information, agencies and stakeholders are encouraged to stay in contact with their respective federal grant offices and monitor official Communications.
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