Amata Highlights Bipartisan Effort to Close Data Collection Gaps
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting a bipartisan effort to identify gaps in federal agency data collection for the territories, as these data points are used to determine federal funding.
Congresswoman Amata, along with of the Representatives of the five U.S Territories, took part in the letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), led by Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.).
Together, they request GAO to examine gaps in federal agency data collection for the territories. Secondly, they ask that GAO establish the impact of those gaps on federal funding for the territories, then make policy recommendations to close those gaps, including legislative and administrative actions.
“Current and complete information is essential to good decision-making and it is important for Congress to understand the obstacles presented in U.S. Territories by the unavailability of current population, economic, labor force, or agricultural data,” they say in the letter.
Chairman Grijalva in a remote hearing with Congresswoman Amata and other Members of Congress (file photo)
The Members of Congress point out that shortcomings in federal agencies’ data collection efforts for the U.S. Territories cause long-term impacts. Without reliable population, economic, labor force and agricultural data, the territories are underfunded and underrepresented in certain federal programs.
GAO reported last year that natural disasters, which the letter notes are “even more prevalent” in the islands, have caused devastating damage in the territories, while the COVID-19 pandemic created even more obstacles for data collection during the 2020 Census.
“Improving the government’s capacity for collection and analysis of data is critical in understanding issues related to the U.S. Territories,” the letter continues.
The letter is signed by Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rep. Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-CNMI), Rep. Jenniffer González-Colon (R-Puerto Rico), Rep. Michael San Nicolas (D-Guam), and Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI).
The entire letter is available at the Committee website here.
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