Congressman Moylan Announces Department of War Approval of Guam Living Quarters Allowance Implementation

(Hagåtña, Guam) — Congressman James Moylan today announced a major milestone in the implementation of the Guam Living Quarters Allowance (LQA), a benefit he fought to secure through the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was signed into law in December 2025. The provision was enacted to help address the high cost of housing on Guam and improve the recruitment and retention of the civilian workforce.

The DoW has issued implementation guidance authorizing its Military Departments, Defense Agencies, and DoW Components to provide a Non-Foreign Living Quarters Allowance (NF-LQA) to eligible civilian employees assigned to permanent duty on Guam. Each Component will determine which occupational series will receive the allowance.

Once an occupational series is designated, every employee serving in that occupational series within the Component will receive NF-LQA, ensuring employees performing the same work are treated equally regardless of whether they were hired locally or recruited from outside Guam. 

The authority is effective immediately, is not retroactive, and the allowance may cover rent and utilities, including electricity, water, gas, heat, and fuel, subject to Department policy. 

"Many of Guam's sons and daughters who serve as dedicated DoW civilian employees have told me they love their jobs and love this island, but the rising cost of housing has made it increasingly difficult to remain here,” said Congressman Moylan. "That's exactly why I fought to secure this authority in Congress—to help recruit and retain our talented civilian workforce and ensure they can continue serving our nation while building their lives here on Guam. This is an investment not only in our people, but in our economy. Every dollar provided through this allowance is a dollar that will be spent here at home, supporting local businesses, strengthening our economy, and helping hardworking families keep pace with the island's high cost of living."

To receive NF-LQA, the employee must be an appropriated fund civilian employee of the DoW whose PDS is located in Guam and assigned to permanent duty in Guam. Additionally, the employee must work in an NF-LQA applicable occupational series, as designated by the employing Component.

Congressman Moylan said his office will continue working closely with constituents, DoW leadership, and the Military Departments throughout this process to help ensure the authority is implemented as Congress intended.

"We worked hard to secure this authority because recruiting and retaining a strong civilian workforce is essential to both our national defense mission and Guam's future,” Moylan added. “I look forward to seeing this benefit delivered to the local civilian employees it was intended to support."

*The DoW memorandum implementing the Guam Living Quarters Allowance is attached.

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*Full release can be found here.