Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula gave an update on ARPA-funded projects in a video presentation posted on the American Samoa Government Facebook page.
In 2021, American Samoa was awarded about $500 million in ARPA funding. The Governor reported that 70 projects were initiated, of which seven were completed as of January. He said he met with the Senate President and House Speaker, and they agreed that all ARPA projects should be fast-tracked to ensure completion before the December 2026 deadline. Otherwise, the funding would be lost.
The Governor also addressed the rescission of $2.1 million in digital equity funding and suspension of $40 million in ARPA funding for the Department of Education. He assured that all efforts are being made to remove the hold on the DOE funding, which had previously been approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
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