Gita aid lost in showdown to deal with federal govt closure

aumua-in-dc

Federal disaster aid for American Samoa and the other territories is now caught up in the shutdown politics of Washington.  For the latest, here’s our Washington D.C correspondent Matt Kaye.

The US House this week passed supplemental disaster aid for American Samoa, the CNMI and several states including Hawaii, hit by major disasters.

But with the bitter shutdown fight between President Trump and Congressional Democrats over Trump’s southern border wall funding request, now makes it unlikely the GOP-controlled Senate will take up the $12-billion House-passed bill.

That’s because House Democratic leaders included in the bill an amendment to fund some 10-shut down departments through February 8th.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to put any bill on the Senate floor to reopen the shuttered agencies unless President Trump is on-board and will sign the measure.

Democratic leaders so far have refused to fund Trump’s $5.7 billion request and the President isn’t backing down on a key campaign promise that he argues is key to stopping a flood of illegal immigrants and drug traffickers.

The longest government shutdown in US history is now nearing one-month.

The House bill would fund 100-percent of Medicaid matching costs for the American Samoan Government, and the other territories, saving ASG over $10-million in matching funds.

Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen says she made the request.

She also won inclusion of an amendment to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide an extra $5-million in feeding assistance for American Samoa—all part of federal relief from impacts of Storm Gita.

But shutdown ‘politics’ is now having a bigger impact, now likely delay for no one knows how long, critical relief for American Samoa and many other places suffering from natural disasters.