Washington, D.C. —  Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming inclusion of her requests for the American Samoa Government Operations Fund in legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. In a double success, the House bill maintains last year’s largest ever increase of $2.5 million for a second year, while further boosting the budget another $1 million.

On Wednesday, the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee of jurisdiction approved the funds, followed by the approval of the full Appropriations Committee. Upon final passage, this would be the sixth straight yearly increase based on Amata’s requests, following many years of prior level funding, and preventing the cut recommended by the Administration’s budget.

Specifically, the Appropriations Committee included the following: “American Samoa Operations Grants.—The Committee recommends $28,120,000 for American Samoa Operations, $1,000,000 above the [FY ‘22 ] enacted level and $3,500,000 above the [Administration] budget request.”

Congresswoman Amata has also discussed these funding needs of American Samoa with key U.S. Senators, as the Senate will also produce a bill, before eventual reconciliation of the two establishes the final funding amount.

The most recent $2.5 million increase (enacted last year for the current fiscal year 2022) was unique in that Congress designated these funds specifically for planning efforts toward a new hospital. Under the bill currently in the House, American Samoa would maintain that funding for the next year. Earlier yearly requests, dating back to 2017, resulted in amounts of $250,000, $718,000, $400,000, and $500,000, all of which have also been maintained to accumulate year by year.

“A sixth straight yearly increase would be an excellent outcome for this year’s legislation,” said Aumua Amata. “A $1 million increase would be the second largest boost we’ve received, while maintaining all the additional funds from earlier years cumulatively. This is great news, and we’ll continue to work with key House and Senate leaders.”

In the most recent increase, Congress directed that year’s $2.5 million allotment to “the study, planning, site selection, design, environmental, and engineering services for the new Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in American Samoa.