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Amata Highlights Efforts to Update Interior Department

December 7, 2017

Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata highlighted Natural Resources Committee efforts to lay a groundwork for updating the U.S. Department of Interior and its services for the 21st century.

"American Samoa and the other insular areas need to be able to rely on efficiency from the Interior Department, since their decisions and activities so often apply to the territories," said Aumua Amata. "I look forward to continuing this process in the new year to include a focus on the aspects of the Interior Department that apply directly to insular areas."


Amata speaking in the Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on revitalizing the Interior Department's services.

The hearing, titled "Transforming the Department of the Interior for the 21st Century," examined the Department's goals and policy ideas, including reorganization and possible relocation of bureaus closer to the people they serve. The Interior Department is responsible for an immense 400 million acres of federal land, but in recent years has added missions and experienced maintenance backlogs at national parks.

"Like any major government entity, the Interior Department will benefit from efforts to streamline and update procedures, and the goal must be to provide the best possible services to the even most geographically distant places," continued Congresswoman Amata. "I appreciate the testimony of these witnesses on the current status of their effort, and also the Trump Administration's genuine interest in restructuring federal agencies to reduce waste and make them more effective."

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