Committee hears bill to exempt Guam Cancer Trust Fund from allotment release controls

Senators and community advocates told the Committee on Finance and Government Operations on Feb. 16 that delays in allotment releases have disrupted care for people with cancer and harmed nonprofit providers that front costs for travel, lodging and other treatment needs.

Senator Teleti Tadegwi, the bill’s author, said Bill 246-38 would add the Guam Cancer Trust Fund (GCTF) to the list of entities exempt from Bureau of Budget and Management Research (BBMR) allotment release controls, aligning the Trust Fund with the University of Guam’s treatment and ensuring monthly, predictable access to appropriated funds. "Cancer does not wait for paperwork," Tadegwi said, urging a monthly drawdown and an amendment that would require the general fund to cover shortfalls if special funds underperform.

Yvette Paulino, who represents the Guam Cancer Trust Fund council, told senators that FY2026 applications totaled about $4.9 million, exceeding the legislature’s $4.0 million appropriation; the council recommended $3.4 million in awards consistent with statutory caps (up to 75% for direct services, up to 10% for education and outreach). Paulino said the fund had received monthly allotments of about $48,000 so far in FY2026 while its submitted drawdown schedule assumed roughly $333,000 per month, creating a carryover debt the council estimated in the low‑hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Multiple nonprofit witnesses and council members recounted operational impacts: they described reimbursing vendors after months‑long delays, advancing airfare and lodging for patients, and pausing grant cycles when funds were released late. "When funding arrives late, grant cycles are delayed," one witness said. Chris Felix, a council member, and representatives from Guam Cancer Care and community foundations described similar experiences and urged the committee to preserve the $4 million floor established in public law 38‑62 while fixing release timing.

Several senators expressed unanimous sympathy for the services and support for the bill, but some members raised executive‑branch cash‑flow concerns about a rigid 1/12 monthly release if special revenue pools shrink. Committee members asked that the bill be coordinated with BBMR and that the author’s proposed amendment — including a contingency that the general fund subsidize shortfalls — be considered during markup. The committee chair said the bill will be marked up and reported for the March session.

The hearing produced no vote; senators asked for follow‑up documentation on historical allotment timing and recommended language improvements ahead of formal markup.