Amata Welcomes DOJ Grant for Criminal Justice System

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming notice of $431,794 in federal funds for American Samoa's criminal justice system. This grant is awarded under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, signed into Public Law 117-159 last June. SAMHSA information about this Act and the $250 million nationwide in supplemental mental health related funding that it provides is here.

"This grant is through the application efforts of Director Mariana Timu-Faiai and her team at the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency,” said Aumua Amata. “Thank you to all involved in American Samoa’s justice and law enforcement communities, and those working with this grant on crisis intervention and providing support on drug control efforts.”

Specifically, this grant is a BJA FY 2022- 2023 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Formula Solicitation, part of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding program of the US Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

Each year, the Byrne Grant is a regular source of federal funding for the justice programs of states and territories. These periodic grants can include law enforcement, prosecution and defense, courts, crime prevention and education, corrections, drug treatment, and technology.

###