Vote Ginger Cruz for Washington Delegate on August 3rd
Si Yu’os Ma’ase, Thank You, and Maraming Salamat Po
mEET gINGER
From Guam to Global Impact
Experienced, tough, effective. Ginger is a known dynamic leader who has developed and influenced local and federal policy at the highest levels. She wants to take those unique skills and experiences to help advance causes important to the people of Guam.
Whether it was at a news desk in Harmon, the halls of power in Washington D.C. or the war-torn streets of Iraq, Ginger never forgot where she came from.
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Daughter of A School Teacher & DPW Surveyor
She is the daughter of a Finegayan Elementary school teacher and a Public Works Surveyor. Ginger grew up in Liguan Terrace in Dededo, went to school at Harmon Loop Elementary, St. Anthony’s and graduated from the Academy of our Lady of Guam. She has a Bachelor’s from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins.
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A Champion of Affordable Housing at HUD
Her federal career took her to DC as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of Housing & Urban Development, where she focused on expanding housing options for working families during the Clinton administration.
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A Trusted Voice in Island News
Ginger served for years as a trusted news director and anchor, coming into Guam’s living rooms every evening, keeping the island informed and engaged.
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Fought Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Iraq
Based on her reputation for effectiveness, she continued her federal service amidst the challenges of the Iraq War. Ginger forged a 20-year relationship with the Defense Department, serving as deputy inspector general of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction – a two-star general equivalent civilian position.
Her oversight of the $50 billion reconstruction program not only demonstrated her strength as an executive but also showcased her ability to navigate complex international relations, interfacing with federal agencies, NATO, the Secretaries of State and Defense, and multiple Committees of Congress during both the Bush and Obama eras. Her time with the Inspector General drove home the importance of good government and good governance. The complexities faced in this role make her well suited to handle the political and policy complexities of today’s Congress.
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Private Sector Success, Member Council of Foreign Relations
Ginger then transitioned to the private sector, founding a successful defense-related firm with global reach that has expanded its operations over the last 12 years and earned international accolades. She was also selected as a member of the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations.
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Returned Home at A Defining Moment
She returned home to Guam in 2019 where she expanded her work to focus on Guam’s role in global defense and the impacts that role has on our people and businesses. Ginger also wanted to return to the island to serve the people of Guam in new capacities. In particular, with a grandson now going to pre-school at Mercy Heights, she is even more passionate about helping improve the quality of life on Guam through lowered costs and barriers, greater opportunity and a thriving, safe community.
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Focused on Federal Support for Guam
Here on Guam she has taken up teaching U.S. foreign policy at the University of Guam and has championed local policy initiatives, including efforts to gain federal support for putting Guam’s power lines underground and exploring ways to get sea drone manufacturing established on island. She is also helping identify experts to re-examine Guam’s cumbersome procurement regulations, all undertaken as a private citizen and policy advocate.
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Why Ginger is Running for Delegate
Ginger is running for Congress because she wants to put her experience and unique skillset to work for the people of Guam at this critical time.
She understands how decisions made 8,000 miles away directly contribute to the frustrating problems we face on Guam every day—housing that costs too much, a dollar that buys too little, crime that’s gone too far and massive defense department plans that are having both good and unintended consequences for our people. What’s worse, problems that have existed for the past 20 years continue to linger without a solution.
That’s Why “Ginger Will Do It Differently”
Drawing on a lifetime of contacts throughout Guam and the federal service, Ginger will start by developing a shared Vision for our community. Together with Guam leaders in the public and private sector, this shared vision will give us a clear sense of what we must achieve in Washington. From there, she will apply a fresh approach.
We need to understand who we are, what we want and how Guam can realistically achieve results in Washington. We need to be creative and use all our levers of power to achieve real results, not just drop bill after bill.
Trying to pass stand-alone legislation in a body that sent just 27 bills to the President last year is not a successful strategy. In order to achieve results, we need someone with Washington experience who understands how Congress really works.
That is why Ginger is creating the PACE approach.
Whole of Guam Approach
She will collaborate across the aisle and will value and prioritize the input of local Guam leadership from the executive and legislative branches, the private sector, and the people of Guam. And Ginger will put Guam first every single time because she serves the people of Guam, not a national political party or special interest group. This is the type of leadership that has been lacking in recent years.
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KEY ISSUES
Guam has Important issues that have been neglected for a long time. We need a new approach that delivers results.
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Ensure Defense of Guam & Our People
Ginger will ensure that the defense of Guam is given the urgency and resources it demands. Guam must be fully engaged. We must continue to ensure that the build-up of the military on Guam works both inside and outside the fence.
Our Homeland Security office and our Guam National Guard must be resourced and elevated—securing the capability and tools to plan for and execute the civil defense of our people. We must better leverage DoD partnership opportunities to advance our community with intergovernmental service agreements; a defense community infrastructure program; conservation programs that will protect land and enhance the mission; as well as grow new capabilities like additive manufacturing and drone capabilities.
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Strengthen The Whole Spear – not just the Tip.
The roar of jet fighters over our island has become so constant we are starting to become complacent.
No one walking to the Agana Cathedral on that fateful December day in 1941 ever suspected fighter planes would dive out of the sky and take over Guam. And just as National Security is priority one on this island that is the tip of the spear, the people, the land and the culture of Guam have to also be priority one – we are the handle of that spear. And it does not matter how sharp the tip is, the handle must be strong as well.
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Embark on a Serious Plan to Address High Prices
The outrageous prices of food, gas, airfare, and so many other things is directly controlled by federal policies over our air and sea routes. It’s time to move beyond useless letter writing and complaining.
We need to work with experts and think tanks, and engage regulators at the Department of Transportation to develop a viable plan to bring reason back to air and sea routes to and from Guam.
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The Cost of Housing is Too Freaking High
What does your rent, or the price of a house have to do with Washington? These days, everything.
The military buildup has not come with enough military dollars to build housing. The shortage of housing behind the fence has been pushed “off-base” into our front yard. This is going to get worse, unless something is done in Washington.
A buildup without housing is not a good neighbor policy. We need a vision for how we will have sufficient affordable housing for our people.
Ginger supports our military. She understands the role we must play in our national security. But she also understands that large-scale actions can result in unintended consequences without strong leadership and clear vision.
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We Must Improve our Drug and Crime Response
Federal support for the increased use of technology to stop drugs at our ports of entry – before they hit our streets, and to expand the reach and capability of our police force is one way to have Washington support the island better.
We also must address the competition between local and federal employers for scarce human resources. The way to do that is to build more capacity so we have enough trained and motivated security professionals to meet all of the island’s needs.
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Political status has to be advanced.
“Personally, I believe in a closer, fairer relationship with the United States.” That is Ginger’s stance. But whatever our individual preferences may be, Guam’s unresolved political status is a big part of why things are not working better for us in Washington.
The Buildup will bring with it change and opportunity. In the next 10-15 years our military population will grow significantly, and no one can predict the influence a changing world will have on our home. Self Determination is important now because it gives us the best chance to guide change rather than be overwhelmed by it.
Our neighbors in the CNMI have the ability to request negotiations and have certain exemptions put in place due to the terms of their Commonwealth agreement – for example they do not have to deal with the Jones Act. Guam has to move forward now to resolve our political status. There will never be a perfect answer that pleases everyone. But if we continue to wait, only Guam loses out.
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More Impact, No money doesn’t work.
The impact of migration to Guam from Compact States is a creation of federal control over Guam. For the first time in decades, the Congress failed to provide funds to mitigate the impact of its decisions – and the taxpayers of Guam are left holding the bag.
That loss of funds hurts all of us – FAS migrants and Guam residents alike. That door has closed, so we need to find a new avenue to address this long standing injustice.
Perhaps the most dramatic example of injustice is the provision of Supplemental Security Income – SSI – needed for our most vulnerable elderly and disabled. Under Guam’s current delegate and his party, everyone around us now receives this benefit – Hawaii, the CNMI, and the non-US citizens of the FAS who live in those jurisdictions. But Guam does not. That is just plain wrong and it must be made right.
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Justice for Veterans and Retirees
Guam's Veteran and retired military populations face significant disparities in accessing the benefits they have rightfully earned through their service to our country. We have twice as many Vets living on an island that is the tip of the spear and we must address the inequalities in services provided to this community.
Ginger was a DOD Senior Executive who deployed to Iraq, and is the spouse of an Army combat Veteran. She has a deeper understanding of what is at stake. She is committed to alleviating the constraints faced by Guam's Veterans at the VA Community-Based Outreach Clinic and moving forward the processing of disability ratings for Veterans by opening a regional office in Guam and advocating for the passage of the Major Richard Star Act, which would extend full disability benefits to combat-injured Veterans with less than 20 years of service.
She is committed to maintaining consistent engagement with veterans to identify areas of concern and proactively developing comprehensive solutions to address their needs. By prioritizing this issue and taking decisive action, we can uphold our obligation to support those who have selflessly served our nation.
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Develop the Workforce of the 21st Century.
We have to prepare our next generation while up-skilling our current workforce, in order to become part of the technological future that is exploding across the globe.
From the youngest children through to our senior managers, we must expand federal investment in creating a workforce of the future. The opportunities in telecommunications, defense, health and education all are being transformed and we must be ready. Guam must not be left behind.
The H2B worker visa extension through 2029 should not be something we are simply looking to extend indefinitely. Rather it is a window in which we must get serious about developing Guam’s workforce to meet some of that need both inside and outside the fence.
Ginger’s focus is to ensure more than the success of the Buildup for the nation. Her priority is to ensure the Buldup’s success for all of Guam’s families.
That means that every person willing to work for it has the opportunity to learn the skills of a new trade, and find meaningful work at good wages.
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Philippine Economic Ties and Visa Waiver
The Philippines is in the midst of one of the strongest economic expansions of any major economy – 5.9% GDP growth.
Guam needs to turn to our closest neighbors, with whom we share culture and people and so much more. We need to get airfares down, open up more affordable transportation hubs between us and finally secure the much anticipated PI Visa Waiver by leveraging the heightened diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and the Philippines.
Not only will we benefit from a new tourist market, and greater connection for Guam’s filipino families, the most important impact will be the expansion of investment and economic ties that will help Guam to broaden our economic base.
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Grant Center of Excellence
There are millions of dollars left on the table every year that Guam could be using but that go to waste. Two main things get in the way. First, we need more training and expertise on how to apply for grants. And, we need more support for understanding how to administer grants so that we keep that pipeline open. We will find avenues through DC to expand support to get this put in place for our government and our mayors!
Experience Matters, Results Count
Putting Ginger Cruz’s federal and local experience to work for Guam will open possibilities for a brighter future.
Please Vote Ginger Cruz for Washington Delegate on August 3rd. Si Yu’os Ma’ase, Thank You, and Maraming Salamat Po.
Paid for by Ginger Cruz for Congress
Peter Leon Guerrero, Treasurer