Amata Joins Hirono CODEL; Visits Womens Community Correctional Center, Honolulu

Fa'asamoa

Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, departed the territory Friday, so she could visit with the Samoan community in Nanakuli, and attend a large family gathering. The Congresswoman then joined a Congressional Delegation led by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.

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While in Hawaii, the delegation will be briefed by top level military leaders from Pacific Command (PACOM), which is responsible for the defense of the entire Pacific region. The group will also meet with senior officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) while in Honolulu.

"As Vice Chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaskan Native Affairs, I want to take advantage of this opportunity to be updated on our country's defense posture in the region and also to get an overview of FBI activities," said Amata. "These briefings from high level officials in the region are extremely helpful to the Members. It allows us to have all information possible when it's time to do our jobs," continued Amata.

Aumua will also meet with Brigadier General Patrick Sargent, Commanding Officer of the Pacific Regional Medical Command. "I have spoken with the General several times in the past two weeks, as we tried to arrange a medical evacuation for 9 years old, Klement Pua'auli of Alao," said Amata. "I want to get the General's perspective on what we can do to establish a set procedure for handling such requests and emergencies in the future. While the military was very responsive to my requests, unfortunately it was the lack of a medical facility prepared to accept this patient that thwarted our effort," continued Amata. "I am hopeful that LBJ will be able to establish set relationships with a variety of medical facilities on the mainland and in Hawaii that offer the services which require off island care, so that we can hit the ground running when the need arises again, which it unfortunately will," stated Amata.

Over the weekend, Aumua attended services at the Samoan Church of Hawaii, LMS church in Nanakuli, and held a town-hall meeting including to'ana'i with religious leaders from several churches. "Our people were quite anxious to be brought up to date on the latest developments back home and I was happy to do so. I want to sincerely thank Rep. Andria Tupola for organizing the visit with the churches and the women's correctional facility," said Amata.

Before returning to Washington, the Congresswoman will visit with inmates at the Women's Community Correctional Center(WCCC) in Kailua. "I know there are a number of Samoan inmates there, and I am certain that intercultural misunderstanding has at least played a small part in the reasons they are there. I want to reach out to them to let them know there is someone who cares," stated Amata.

Aumua will be accompanied to the WCCC by Hawaii State Representative Andria Tupola, and later will tour the Fernhurst Residence, to see some of the positive work being done through the Ka Hale Ho‘ala Hou No Na Wahine Program, a YWCA program that is a community-based re-entry program dedicated to the mission of empowering women to successfully transition from prison to the community. The program is run by Kehaulani Coleman, the daughter of the late governor Peter Tali Coleman's brother William Patrick Coleman.

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Auai Amata Savali Konekeresi; Asiasi To'ese i Kailua

Na tu'ua e le afioga i le Faipule o le Konekeresi o Aumua Amata, le teritori i le Aso Faraile ua tuana'i, ina ia asiasi i le mamalu o Samoa o lo'o alala i Nanakuli i Hawaii, fa'apea se fa'atasiga tele a aiga. Na soso'o ai ma le auai atu i i se Savali a le Konekeresi sa ta'ita'ia e le afioga i le Senatoa o Mazie Hirono o Hawaii.

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A o i Hawaii le savali o le a feiloa'i ma ta'ita'i o vaega'au o lo'o vaaia le Pasefika (Pacific Command, PACOM), e otooto i ai tulaga pito lata mai , aua o latou ia o lo'o gafa ma le puipuiga o le Pasefika atoa. O le a feiloa'i foi le savali ma ofisa sinia mai le FBI a o i Honolulu.

Saunoa Amata, "Out e fia faaaogaina lenei avanoa taluai o a'u o le Sui Ta'ita'ifono o le Soakomiti o Alamanuia fa'ale-Natura i Mataupu tau Initia (Amerika), Atumotu ma Alaska ia ou iloa ai le tulaga o i ai le puipuiga o lo tatou malo i lenei itulalolagi ma toe iloilo galuega a le Vaega Su'esu'e a le Malo Tele (FBI). E taua tele iloiloga nei mai ta'ita'i o le malo i lenei vaega o le malo ia i matou Faipule o le Konekeresi. E maua ai e i matou le avanoa e maua ai fa'amatalaga uma pe a o'o mai le taimi e fa'atino a matou galuega."

O le a feiloa'i ai fo'i Amata ma le Ta'ita'i'au Sili o Brigadier General Patrick Sargent, e vaaia le Pasefika (Pacific Regional Medical Command. Na taua foi e Amata, "O le tele o taimi i le lua vaiaso ua tuana'i ma te talanoa ma le Ta'ita'i au Sili, a o taumafai e fa'atulaga se va'alele e auina atu ai Klement Pua'auli o Alao. Out e fia maua le finagalo o le Ta'ita'i'au po o le a se auala e mafai ona fa'atulaga se faiga tumau e fa'atino ai talosaga mo ituaiga fa'alavelave fa'afuase'i fa'apea pe a tula'i mai i le lumana'i. E ui lava ina sa tali mai le militeri i a'u talosaga, peita'i, na le taulau le fa'amoemoe ona o le leai o se falema'i sa talia le gasegase. Ou te fa'amoemoe o le a mafai e lo tatou falema'i i Fagaalu (LBJ) ona fa'amautu se vafealoa'i ma falema'i i Amerika e aofia ai ma Hawaii e maua ai tautua mo gasegase e tatau ona auina atu i fafo, ina ia faigofie ai mo matou ona fa'aauau le tautua pe a toe mana'omia la matou fesoasoani, ma e mautinoa e tupu.

O le fa'aiuga o le vaiaso ua tuana'i sa auai atu Amata i sauniga i le Aulotu Samoa i Hawaii, le EFKAS i Nanakuli, sa faia ai se fonotaga fa'alaua'itele e aofia ai ma se to'ona'i ma ta'ita'i o ekalesia mai fatafaitaulaga eseese. Saunoa Amata, "Sa fa'ailoa le naunauta'i o nai o tatou tagata e fia iloa le tulaga o lo'o i ai nei Samoa, ma sa ou fiafia lava e fa'ailoa ia i latou. E avea ai lenei avanoa ou te fa'afetai atu ai ia Rep. Andria Tupola mo le fa'amaopoopoina o le feiloa'iga ma ekalesia ma le asiasiga i le to'ese mo tama'ita'i."

O le a auai fa'atasi ma Amata le Faipule o le Setete o Hawaii o Andria Tupola i le asiasiga i le To'ese mo Tama'ita'i i Hawaii, i Kailua, ona soso'o ai lea ma se maimoaga i le Fernhurst Residence, e matamata i nisi o galuega lelei o lo'o faia ai e ala i le Ka Hale Ko'ala Hou No Na Wahine Program, o se porokalama a le YWCA e faaagaaga i le savali o le fa'aauupegaina o tama'ita'i pe a uma ona tuli o latou fa'asalaga e toe fa'afetaui le soifua ma aga masani a le atunu'u. O lo'o fa'atautaia lenei porokalama e Kehaulani Coleman, o le alo tama'ita'i o le uso o le sa avea muamua ma kovana o Amerika Samoa le afioga a Uifa'atali Pita Coleman o William Patrick Coleman.

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