Proposed funding increase for ASG ops would fund plan for new hospital
Washington, D.C — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata welcomes a recent action by the House Appropriations Committee to increase funding for ASG Operations by $2.5 million at Amata’s request. This recommended increase would bring total grants for ASG Operations to $27,120,000 and builds on Amata’s past requests to the Committee toward a fifth straight increase. Over the past four years, Amata has requested increases of $250,000, $718,000, $400,000, and $500,000.
In this increase, the Appropriations Committee has recommended that no less than $2.5 million go “for the study, planning, site selection, design, environmental, and engineering services for the new Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in American Samoa.”
In short, the increase will provide additional aid to the ASG budget priorities for a new and improved hospital and the Committee urges coordination with the Interior Department’s Office of Insular Affairs and US Army Corps of Engineers. It also requires compliance with all regulatory agencies for current and future funding allotments.
“I welcome this action by the House Appropriations Committee and will be working to ensure that the Senate appropriators maintain this funding during conference negotiations later this year. I hope to build on this progress and will continue working with Governor Lemanu, Lt. Governor Talauega, and other ASG officials involved in this important process as it evolves in the coming months,” Amata said.
If this increase is enacted, the largest ever increase to the DOI/ASG account, it would represent more than $4.3 million in increases for the ASG account in the past four years. These increased funds can help shape the planning and design of a new hospital. It would also provide much needed local guidance to Congress on further needs as we move forward.
I thank Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro and Ranking Member Kay Granger, along with Interior Subcommittee Chair Chellie Pingree and Ranking Member Dave Joyce for their leadership and recognition of the issues we face in the American Samoa.”