Amata Highlights Over $1.4 Million in FEMA Funds
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting a federal funding notice of nearly $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
This award provides $1,447,355.25 in federal funding to the American Samoa Department of Health to cover past emergency protective measures as a result of FEMA-DR-4537-AS (COVID-19 Pandemic), as authorized by Congress under Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act through yearly appropriations.
File photo- Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata and Director Motusa Nua
“Congratulations to American Samoa Department of Health and Director Motusa Tuileama Nua for securing these reimbursement funds for our territory,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Thank you to DOH for the diligence to complete these applications and ensure American Samoa receives its allotted share. Thank you to Administrator Deanne Criswell and FEMA for this support for American Samoa.”
During this covered period of COVID-19 care and precautions, the American Samoa Department of Health utilized materials and contracts to execute the COVID-19 Repatriation Initiative to create a safe ‘travel bubble’ and reduce the risk of Covid transmission within the territory of American Samoa. This included the provision of Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) for American Samoa residents returning home from the United States through the COVID-19 Repatriation Initiative, flights 3 (March 21, 2021) and 4 (May 31, 2021); meals to sheltered guests, department of health staff, and hotel staff; contracts to provide NCS lodging, facility disinfection (interior) of quarantine areas, rental of flat-bed trucks to load and off-load passengers' luggage and transport to quarantine facility, and bus transportation for repatriated passengers from airport to NCS hotel. American Samoa Government provided one NCS location for 487 people (Flight #3: 224 people; Flight #4: 263 people), at average length of stay of 8-14 days, using 98 rooms, and a cost of $204.00 per night, and provided 12,438 total meals at an average cost of $14.89 per meal between 3/21/2021 and 5/31/2021. Total project costs are for material $188,526.65 plus contract $1,258,828.60 equaling $1,447,355.25 funded at a 100 percent federal cost share.
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