Members of the House Natural Resources and House Small Business Committees have issued statements via Congresswoman Aumua Amata concerning the decision by Tri Marine International to suspend canning operations at its Samoa Tuna Processors plant in Atuu.
The Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Rob Bishop said he was distressed to learn one of American Samoa’s tuna canneries will close, throwing hundreds of people out of work.
He commented, “I am committed to enacting legislation to reduce the power of the president to unilaterally wall off large sections of the ocean in the name of environmental protection without consultation with Congress and the local people affected.”
Chairman Don Young of the Subcommittee on Insular, Indiana and Alaska Native Affairs said, “Next year, with Amata as vice chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular, Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, we will bring to the new administration’s attention the importance of economic diversification on the islands.
“The tuna cannery’s closure should serve as a wake-up call for us to address the potential economic impacts should other industries face a similar fate.”
Congressman Steve Chabot, Chairman of the House Small Business Committee offered, “I was sorry to learn that American Samoa’s second largest private employer is suspending operations.
“As a valuable member of my leadership team on the House Small Business Committee, Amata will have a seat at the table when we consider our committee agenda next year.
“We will look forward to exploring how we in Washington can help to develop the territory’s small business economy to protect the workforce from dislocations like this in the future.”