Amata & Territory Delegation State Support for EB-5 Reauthorization

Washington, D.C. –Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, and her fellow colleagues from the other four U.S. territories sent a letter to both the House & Senate Judiciary Committees yesterday stating their support for the EB-5 program for immigrant investors. See full letter

“I want to thank my colleagues for joining me on this letter to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees,” stated Amata. “This program is essential to brining real long term investment into our beautiful islands, which will also bring jobs along with it,” continued Amata.

The EB-5 program is designed to encourage investment into rural and economically challenged areas of the United States by foreign investors. Despite some remaining issues within the program, it has proven successful in its mission.

Currently, the program is scheduled to terminate at the end of September, however due to the wide support for the program from both sides of the aisle; it is expected to be reauthorized before it expires. The Territory Delegation is working with the Judiciary Committee to ensure that much needed reforms are included in the reauthorization discussions, to ensure that the territories are not excluded in any way from participating in the program.

In their letter, the Territory Delegation stated their support for both the reauthorization and reform of the program, including correcting the inadvertent exclusion of U.S. nationals from American Samoa when defining U.S. Workers. “This is a perfect example of an issue that I have raised since my very first day in Congress last year, which is the territories must not be looked over, or forgotten about altogether when Congress is drafting and enacting our laws,” stated the Congresswoman. “For too long this has been the case, and it is one of my top priorities to see that it no longer happens. These reforms to the EB-5 program, will allow our people the very same opportunities as those in the states when it comes to their ability to partake and benefit from the program,” concluded Amata.

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