Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata testified last Thursday before key lawmakers of the Appropriations Committee to emphasize American Samoa’s funding requests and appreciated bipartisan supportive statements from the appropriators following her testimony.
She requested a $1 million Appropriations boost in 2027 for American Samoa’s Operations fund from OIA. “We continue to do our best to grow and make full use of the federal support we receive,” said Amata. “However, it doesn’t take much to set us back. Without a buffer, any projects and investments we make to bring the territory up to par are quickly undone.”
“This (request) is in line with our appropriations from last year and will offset inflation and keep American Samoa from falling behind the rest of the country,” she continued, noting that despite difficult budgeting times due to inflation, that same inflation “disproportionately affects the small distant territories due to higher transport fuel and insurance costs.”
Amata also urged continuing language expressing congressional intent that $3 million of this fund be allocated by the Governor yearly to American Samoa Community College (ASCC), an ongoing priority due to the importance of the college in providing a local educational option in American Samoa.
“Educating our young Americans is the best way to maximize the use of this account and invest in our territory’s future,” Amata said. “We remain proud to have among the highest military enlistment rates in the country, and wish to continue contributing to this great country, not just through military service but also by investing in the next generation of great thinkers and business owners.”
Finally, she requested the Committee to bolster OIA support “to invest in educational projects in the territories.”
