Economy & Jobs (Small Business)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the American Samoa Department of Agriculture (ASDOA) and the benefit of local farmers. Congress authorized this funding program in a recent Congress (the 115th) as part of the bipartisan reauthorization of the major 2018 Farm Bill.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata welcomed House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. This major annual legislation authorizes Pentagon operations across the board, including priorities such as a 2.7 percent pay increase for our troops, and Pacific security measures, including $8.8 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, expressing U.S.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata welcomed House passage of her amendment Thursday placing her small business bill, the Parity for HUBZone Appeals Act, H.R. 8229, within the larger National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 4350. The House passed her amendment as part of an en bloc amendment – a means of moving quickly on a group of legislative items known to have widespread support.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is providing an update on a development in Congress as part of the major budget reconciliation bill that would give new tax credit to businesses in American Samoa. If passed into law, the measure would allow deduction of 20 percent of wages and benefits up to $50,000, and 50 percent up to $141,000 for certain qualifying small businesses.

Washington, D.C. – Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen in collaboration with original cosponsors Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania) and Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minnesota) reintroduced her bipartisan small business bill, which attracted strong support and was passed by the full House of Representatives last year before the end of the 116th Congress. The Parity for HUBZone Appeals Act (H.R. 8229) directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to authorize the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) to hear HUBZone appeals.

Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is highlighting a new federal assistance option for American Samoa's restaurants available now through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

This is an assistance option that was passed by Congress in the most recent COVID response legislation, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and became available through a Small Business Administration (SBA) portal just this week.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata again emphasized health infrastructure in a Wednesday hearing of the Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples, stating for the record that LBJ Tropical Medical Center is "in dire need of replacement or repair." The oversight hearing was titled "Infrastructure in Indigenous Communities: Priorities for American Jobs Plan."

Washington, D.C. – Monday, Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata welcomed 2021 funds from three Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs for a total of $1,224,593.

The largest of the three grants is a Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) of $886,964, with a HOME program grant of $260,423, and an Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) of $77,206. Each fiscal year, Congress appropriates budgeted funds for all federal departments and agencies.