Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata and Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga welcomed key U.S. Senators and her House colleagues as their Congressional Delegation (CODEL) on a U.S. Air Force flight landed in American Samoa. The bipartisan CODEL included Chairman Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; and two of Amata’s House colleagues, also on influential committees: Congressman Wiley Nickel of North Carolina, Finance Committee; and Congressman Greg Pence of Indiana, Energy and Commerce Committee.

Amata’s bill, H.R. 6062, which expedites American Samoa’s amendments as already approved by the people, is in line for consideration before the same Committee on which Chairman Manchin presides and Sen. Murkowski is a senior senator. Amata spoke to Chairman Manchin about it, and Amata’s House-passed bill is expected to be in front of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in mid-November, once Congress has resumed, as it has been examined already by a Senate Subcommittee and is moving forward as a noncontroversial bill.

“I also discussed 30a (the American Samoa Economic Development Credit) with Chairman Manchin and Senator Murkowski,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “It's a crucial tax extender for American Samoa that needs to be extended again. It primarily benefits the cannery but can be used for other businesses.  We need the credit to attract those other businesses besides tuna. The 30a extender is important for the Starkist cannery, which is at full employment of 2500, and supports an equal number of indirect jobs or more. House Ways and Means Chairman Smith is supportive of the credit, but we will need help in the Senate as usual.”

“It’s a delight to have these Senators and House colleagues see glimpses of American Samoa’s mountain and ocean beauty from the air and our airport,” she continued. “When I speak with senior Senators and Representatives in Washington, I find without fail that they are genuinely interested, and truly want to be helpful and supportive to American Samoa, and they also understand that we aren’t directly represented in the U.S. Senate. I know they enjoyed the tokens of appreciation that both I and Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga were able to present so they’d have a memory of the people of American Samoa.”

“I take every opportunity to raise key issues for American Samoa with relevant Members of Congress, especially when our issues are under the jurisdiction of their committees,” she concluded. “I appreciate Chairman Manchin’s effective leadership in the Senate, and I’ve traveled on a CODEL with my friend Senator Murkowski before, and she’s been a good friend of our islands while representing Alaska.”

(Source: Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata’s D.C. staff)