Judiciary
Pago Pago — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata welcomes news on Monday that the Supreme Court of the United States did not take up the Fitisemanu case, allowing the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to stand and in essence confirming the prior Tuaua case in the DC Court of Appeals. This outcome helps preserve American Samoa’s cultural priorities and right of self-determination.
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming notice of $467,587 in federal funds for American Samoa's criminal justice system. These funds are part of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding program of the US Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and this grant is about $13,000 more than last year’s September notice.
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata released the following statement to clarify what the Supreme Court ruling regarding abortion means for American Samoa:
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming a grant of $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency.
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata welcomed the announcement of $344,292 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and congratulated the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency.
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Pago Pago -- Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed $391,947 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency.
BJA, a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), helps to make American communities safer by strengthening the nation's criminal justice system through grants, training, technical assistance, and policy development services.
Pago Pago – Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata released the following statement upon the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
Washington, D.C. – Sunday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed the news that Judge Faauuga Toʻotoʻo has been retained to another ten-year term as Judge on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit in Hawai'i.
"Congratulations to Judge Faauuga Toʻotoʻo on this prestigious position and important responsibility," said Aumua Amata. "He is one of our own from Nuuuli. He is highly qualified and experienced, and his retention is the right decision. I know he will continue doing a great job, and being a credit to American Samoa."
Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata confirmed that she and the Governor of American Samoa have filed an appellate brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in the Fitisemanu case alongside the U.S. Department of State, appealing the District Court decision of Judge Waddoups in Utah. The December ruling, which would impose blanket citizenship, thereby upsetting the political process of self-determination, elevated longstanding concerns about the impact on the islands' traditional culture and heritage — Fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way.