WASHINGTON — Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and Rep. Neil Abercrombie appear headed for a clash over Pentagon plans to move thousands of Marines from Japan to Guam, an issue that could surface in Abercrombie's run for Hawai'i governor.

The movement of the Marines, to begin next year with work on infrastructure, is expected to cost $15 billion or more and generate thousands of jobs and scores of large contracts, some potentially for companies in Hawai'i.

A provision by Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, which has been inserted into pending defense legislation, would mandate that 70 percent of the construction jobs be given to American workers and that they be paid the prevailing wage in Hawai'i, which is almost twice as high as Guam's.

Abercrombie, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, is concerned that many of the jobs could go to underpaid foreign workers.

Inouye, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, has voiced concerns in correspondence to fellow lawmakers that Abercrombie's provision would drive up defense construction costs too much and threaten businesses on Guam.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Abercrombie's provision would inflate the cost of the buildup by an additional $10 billion.

SENATE AWAITS

Abercrombie stands by his provision, but he faces some potentially tough opposition in Inouye and other like-minded senators.

The House has already agreed to Abercrombie's wage and labor conditions as part of a bill authorizing military spending for 2010, but the Senate has not.

"Sure, we have some differences," Abercrombie spokesman Dave Helfert said. "So now we need to work them out. Let's talk. We're looking forward to sitting down with Sen. Inouye. That's the way the reconciliation process works."

Inouye could not be reached for comment yesterday.

His opposition to Abercrombie's Guam pay provision comes as Abercrombie seeks to gain some momentum in his run for governor, and friction from a powerful home-state senator could cause problems for him.

Helfert downplayed that.

"The congressman and the senator go way back," he said. "They don't always agree, but they don't let that stop them from working through things."

Inouye is not the first to raise cost concerns over Abercrombie's wage and labor provisions in the Guam move.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, during his first Pacific tour through Hawai'i in August, said, "It's no secret we oppose his (Abercrombie's) amendment."

Mabus added, "We don't think we could afford to make the move if that happens."

Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, who sits on the Armed Services Committee with Abercrombie, has raised concerns about his provision as well.

The Marines' move would be a huge economic boon for Guam, and congressional infighting could delay it.

"This provision adds significant costs to the projects, which raises serious concerns," Bordallo said in a statement.

The Japanese government has been under intense political pressure to get the Marines off Okinawa since 1995, when three U.S. servicemen raped a 12-year-old girl there, straining U.S.-Japan relations.

In all, the U.S. has about 50,000 military personnel in Japan.