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Amata’s End of Year Message reports $1.37 Billion in federal support for Am Samoa in 2021

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata
Source: Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata's Office- Washington D.C

Washington, D.C. — Uifa’atali Amata released the following statement highlighting her efforts in Congress to serve American Samoa and the federal funds that the territory has received through the past year:

“As we prepare to ring in the new year and mark the close of another, I would like to reflect on all that we have overcome over the past year. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to change and adapt our island life like never before. Almost in the blink of an eye, our borders shut down, many of our families were separated by oceans, and our schools and businesses were closed. However, our people banded together to face this pandemic head on. While it is not over yet, our island is in a much better place than one year ago as vaccination rates are trending up and flights are coming in. We must continue to band together and help each other where we can.

“A key factor in weathering this crisis has been federal assistance in terms of policy changes and federal funds. My office has tried our best ensure that the maximum amount of federal funding remains open to the territory. As such, I would like to highlight some key facts:

            •           $1.37 Billion- the total amount of federal funds allocated to the territory in FY 2021 (including all grants, loans, and other payments to ASG and local organizations)

            •           $542.1 million- total amounts allocated to ASG in FY 2021, including $481.67 million in COVID relief from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

            •           $409.8 million- total amounts allocated to AS Department of Education, including $366.87 million through the Education Stabilization Fund of the CARES Act of 2020

            •           $100 million¬- total amounts allocated to AS Medicaid Agency, including $92.72 million through the Medicaid Assistance Program and $8.26 million through the Children’s Health Insurance Program

            •           $27.12 million- ASG Operations funding through the Department of Interior, an increase of $2.5 million requested by my office was passed in the House and awaiting approval in the Senate.

“On the legislative side, I have led the charge on two bills that will benefit the territory. The first, HR 1941, would allow U.S. Nationals from American Samoa to establish citizenship more easily and potentially less costly providing reduced fees with a hardship waiver in some cases. Most importantly, our bill would preserve for American Samoans the personal choice to become citizens, and they do not have to become citizens if they do not wish to do so, but make it much easier if they do.

“In a major related note, the Governor and I have also successfully won the appeal in the Fitisemanu v. U.S. and ASG case preventing court-directed automatic citizenship that would have eliminated our current U.S. National status as an option. We will continue to defend that victory in the Supreme Court next year.

“Another bill I sponsored would standardize the appeals process for HUBZone small businesses, bringing it in line with the rest of the appeals processes with the Small Business Administration. I am proud to report that this bill passed Congress as an amendment to the year’s largest Defense bill (NDAA), which raised military pay and has been signed into law by the President.

“In addition to these bills, at the halfway point of the 117th Congress, I have already been a cosponsor to about 100 bills and counting – mostly bipartisan – that affect everything from Veterans to our fisheries, along with Pacific region legislation. I am also proud to have been an original co-sponsor of an education-focused House Resolution to establish a U.S. Territories Day in October, broadening knowledge of territories in U.S. schools nationwide and in Smithsonian Institution programs.

“Together with my territorial colleagues, we sponsored a Medicaid extension bill passed in the House which could be the basis for the largest and longest Medicaid funding extension in recent memory.

“This would preserve and extend the gains of recent years, especially the standard federal matching rate at 83 percent, which was just 55 percent before 2020. The House would also raise the total funding cap for Medicaid to $90 million. These changes represent millions of dollars in savings to the territory, and could go into effect for up to 10 years, dependent on Senate action.

“American Samoa is already benefiting from the recent 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which includes funding for water treatment, the airports, roads and more. Under this Act, a priority is lead-free water and reliable access to air transportation.

“It has been an active year in Washington, and I anticipate another busy year in 2022. I remain focused on ensuring the federal funding for American Samoa that we need, including a long term vision for a modernized hospital, as we recover from the current economic impacts of the pandemic, and I will always make it a priority to be treated as equally and fairly as possible with the states and the other territories. We have many reasons to be thankful as we look forward to 2022, and as we keep working together with our business community and ASG to strengthen American Samoa’s future.”