Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. on Wednesday called for targeted federal action on shipping rules, labor access, disaster recovery funding and health care policy during the 2026 Interagency Group on Insular Areas meeting at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Government House announced in a press release.
Bryan told federal officials that policies affecting the U.S. Virgin Islands should reflect that the territory is part of the United States and not treated as a foreign destination when rules are drafted, according to the press release.
A key focus of his remarks was restoring the de minimis exemption for shipments to the territories. The exemption allows low-value shipments to enter without added duties and certain processing fees, which Bryan said helps keep costs down for residents ordering goods that are often unavailable locally, the press release stated.
“When that exemption is restricted or removed for the Territories, the impact is not theoretical,” Bryan said. “It shows up in the price of school supplies, household items, clothing, small tools, and other essentials that Virgin Islands families often have to order from the mainland.”
Bryan said efforts to curb abuse by foreign shippers should not include the Virgin Islands, where residents are American consumers buying from American companies, the release stated.
He also urged changes to allow the Virgin Islands to use H-2B visas for skilled construction workers, citing workforce shortages as a barrier to rebuilding. The territory’s H-2 B program is currently limited to entertainers and athletes, the release stated.
“We don’t need entertainers and athletes, we need able hands to help rebuild as soon as possible,” Bryan said.
Bryan emphasized preserving the federal disaster recovery cost share waiver, which reduces the territory’s required local match for FEMA-supported projects, the release stated.
“That waiver makes rebuilding possible,” Bryan said. “Without it, schools stall. Hospitals stall. Power infrastructure stalls.”
On health care, Bryan renewed calls for equitable Medicaid treatment and continued federal support to expand services locally and reduce the need for residents to travel off island for specialty care, according to the release.
“A stronger health care system is about more than facilities,” Bryan said. “It is about expanding what we can offer, strengthening staffing, and making sure people can get timely, quality care without leaving their community.”
Bryan also thanked federal partners for permanently setting the rum cover over at $13.25 per proof gallon, which he said provides long-term revenue certainty for the territory, the release stated.
“That permanency eliminates the annual legislative cliff that has destabilized our fiscal planning for decades,” Bryan said.
