War Claims

Flanked by her colleagues from the 35th Guam Legislature, Speaker Muña Barnes addresses Guam's World War II survivors at the Bill signing ceremony of Bill 181–35 at the Ricardo Bordallo Governor's Complex in Adelup. .

During her first year as Speaker of the 35th Guam Legislature, coinciding with the 75th year of Guam's Liberation, Speaker Muña Barnes advocated for the compensation of Guam's World War II survivors who were abused during the Japanese occupation of Guam.^[19] The Speaker, along with Legislative Secretary Amanda Shelton and Minority Leader William Castro introduced legislation July 2019 to pay off living compensable Guam victims with adjudicated claims.^[19] At the request of Guam's Delegate to Congress, Congressman Michael F.Q. San Nicolas, discussion on this matter was stalled.^[20] After months of waiting, Speaker Muña Barnes had called the Guam Legislature into session to address her War Claims Bill.^[21] On December 20, 2019, the Speaker's measure was voted on in the Guam Legislature, which passed by a vote of 12–3 to pass.^[22]

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero Signs Bill 181-35 into law as senators observe from behind.

Surrounded by a roomful of World War II survivors,^[23] on January 3, 2020, Speaker Muña Barnes's local legislation to pay war claims was signed into law by Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero.^[24] Bill 181–35, the Speaker's War Claims Bill was signed into law as Public Law 35–61.^[24]

Public Policy Institute

As Speaker of the 35th Guam Legislature, Speaker Muña Barnes introduced legislation to create the Public Policy Institute. Having seen the successes of the program in her previous terms,^[25] Muña Barnes felt that it was her responsibility to train the leaders of tomorrow.^[26] The Public Policy Institute provides interns exposure to a vast network of leaders in the public and private sectors as well as to an array of professional and training opportunities for them to gain leadership, research, and work place skills and experiences. The institute is a unique and rigorous program where interns have the opportunity to learn first-hand about the island's legislative process by participating in a variety of activities from bill research and writing, organizing and conducting public policy briefings, paging, and by providing executive-level staffing. Interns may also respond to constituent inquiries, draft correspondence, and assist with general office operations. Promising students are selected from public and private schools on Guam and are placed in various offices of the Guam Legislature for an eight-week period over the fall, spring, or summer terms. Interns meet with distinguished leaders from a range of professional backgrounds. Interns also take field-trips to other branches of government in order gain a broader understanding of the three branches of government. For the 2019 cohort, 10 students from Guam's Public and Private High Schools graduated with distinction.^[27]

Public Policy Institute Summer 2019 cohort Graduation.