Amata named vice chair of Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Washington, DC — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata has been named Vice Chairman of the full House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) for the 118th Congress, as part of the leadership team of the Committee directed by Chairman Mike Bost. Additionally, she will serve on all her top choices for her six subcommittee assignments, two each on HVAC, the House Natural Resources (HNR) Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC).
On the Veterans Committee, Vice Chairman Amata will serve on the Veterans Health Subcommittee, her top selection on behalf of American Samoa’s Veterans, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which conducts oversight of the Veterans’ Administration (VA). She is also Chairman of the Women Veterans Task Force within the Committee.
On the Foreign Affairs Committee, a new appointment this Congress, Amata will serve on the Indo-Pacific Subcommittee, her leading choice, as well as the Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee.
On the Natural Resources Committee, Amata will serve on the two subcommittees most directly related to American Samoa. The Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee (IIA) has direct input on all policies related to the insular areas, while the Waters, Wildlife and Fisheries (WWF) Subcommittee handles federal ocean and fishing issues.
“These Subcommittee roles coincide with American Samoa’s federal agency interactions, along with Pacific policy and serving our Veterans,” said Congresswoman Amata. “It’s a busy week at the Capitol with President Biden’s State of the Union speech and the first hearings of these Committees in the 118th Congress getting underway.”
“I so appreciate our Veterans in American Samoa, and our many Toa o Samoa who will be affected by Veterans’ policies in years to come,” said HVAC Vice Chairman Amata. “We will continue to work for the reforms and improvements necessary to make sure our Veterans can depend on the services they deserve, and to honor their service.”
In other congressional activities, Amata is also Co-Chairman of the Pacific Islands Caucus, and a Vice Chairman of the Western Caucus.