Legislators press Guam Customs on millions in unspent appropriations, demand documentation

Chair opened an oversight hearing on Feb. 2 to examine Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency operations and finances, saying the Consolidated Revenue and Expenditure Report (CRER) shows multi‑year lapses that total roughly $7.5 million with a projection to about $11.4 million when FY2026 is counted. The chair characterized the discrepancy between appropriations on paper and cash availability as a public‑safety concern and asked CQA to produce documentation supporting why funds cannot be spent.

CQA director Zach Perredon told the committee that the agency’s internal fiscal tracking aligns with the CRER figures but that funds are often not loadable into the agency account after the fiscal year closes. “All I want is for them to deposit that money into my account so I can spend it,” he said, describing an operational barrier in which the agency is ready to cut requisitions but finds the account “not available.” Administrative Services Officer Clarice Briggs explained the technical constraint the agency faces: after September 30 the period for using certain appropriations ends and requisitions may be rejected if funds are not loaded into the account.

Senators repeatedly sought clarity on whether the apparent unavailability reflected a process, procurement, transfer, or policy decision elsewhere in the executive branch. The chair said he would request the paper trail and directed CQA to print and present the CRER pages and related allotment documentation. “It’s showing in paper. It’s showing. But that’s not the money,” the chair told the director, urging follow‑up with the Office of Finance and Budget and the Department of Administration.

Sen. Chris Duenas, the committee vice chair, and other members asked CQA to present a retention implementation plan that the legislature could evaluate without immediately increasing appropriations. Duenas emphasized that the agency must keep requisitions flowing in the current fiscal year to avoid losing funds that are later treated as lapsed. CQA’s ASO said the agency has not had requests rejected in the current fiscal year across object categories, but she and the director confirmed that CQA had not been allowed to use certain FY2025 lapses.

Committee members signaled additional oversight steps, including document requests to CQA, the Department of Administration and the Office of Finance and Budget, and a planned follow‑up hearing focused on procurement bottlenecks at the General Services Agency. The hearing record closed with the committee asking for timelines, deliverables and specific evidence that appropriations tracked in the CRER are, or are not, available to CQA.