Still today a U.S. colony, Guam currently exploring three different future political status options that include full independence; free association; and statehood within the U.S constitution, which would give its people equal represantion in the federation. The commission sponsored a decolonization conference in September 2019 as part of a federally funded public information campaign on the different status options.

Guam lost a federal court case that challenged the island’s proposed political status plebiscite, but the island is considering pursuing the issue in the international courts. The proposed non-binding plebiscite would have allowed Guam’s “native inhabitants,” as defined by law, to state their status preference.

“We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and we cannot remain possessions for another hundred years,” the commission stated. “We can put our long history of colonial rule and injustice behind us and start anew, but it must begin with recognition, dignity, and respect. It must begin with self-determination and all options, regardless of partisan politics, should be available to our people.”