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Territory’s VA clinic now officially named after Faleomavaega Eni Fa’aua’a Hunkin

[photo: VA Pacific Islands Health Care System]
fili@samoanews.com

U.S President Donald J. Trump has signed into law federal legislation that names the Veterans Affairs healthcare facility in American Samoa after the late former Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, who passed away on Feb. 22 at his home in Provo, Utah and laid to rest Mar. 10 at the Provo Cemetery.

At part of the White House press briefing Friday in Washington D.C., White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced that the President has signed H.R 1362 naming the VA outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, according to a transcript of the press briefing released by the White House.

The federal bill, H.R 1362, was sponsored by Congresswoman Aumua Amata and five co-sponsors including Hawai’i Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Northern Mariana Islands Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan.

In calling for her colleagues for the bill’s approval, during a floor debate three weeks ago, Aumua praised her predecessor, who she says is a “true public servant” and had served in the US Army and deployed to Vietnam.

As a “veteran whose long-term health suffered due to his service in Vietnam, Eni dedicated his life to improving conditions for veterans in  American Samoa and took great pride in securing funds to build the  local VA clinic which has served our veterans well,” she said, according to Congressional records.

“I can think of no better way to memorialize his dedication to the people of American Samoa and his service to our country in uniform than having the local VA clinic in Pago Pago, which he worked  so hard for, named in his honor,” she said.

According to the new law, the Department of Veterans Affairs community based outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Faleomavaega Eni Fa’aua’a Hunkin VA Clinic’’.