Aumua Ready for Second Session to Start

Washington, D.C. –Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, conducted a staff meeting with her Washington, D.C. office to go over the priorities for American Samoa during the Second Session of the 114^th Congress. The Congresswoman briefed her staff on the legislative priorities that she intends to focus on this year, as well as the other ways she plans on promoting and ensuring the continued new interest in the island from both leadership in Congress and the private business sector.

Image

"Being a Member of the House of Representatives, where each term is only for two years, you have to know what your goals are and have a clear plan on how to get them done," said Amata. I am proud to say that in just our first year, we have gotten more bills signed into law, than many other current Members who have served multiple terms have, during their entire time in Washington. However, we have only just begun. There is much left to be done, and I am excited to get the Second Session of the 114^th Congress started," continued Amata.

In her first year in Congress, having tackled the enormous job of the minimum wage issue, as well as obtaining a large increase to the island's education funding which will begin in 2017, the Congresswoman stated that she will continue to fight for the fishing industry in American Samoa, and do all she can to undo the many hardships that have been placed upon the local fisherman and the island's canneries over the last decade.

The Congresswoman also touched on her intent to see the American Samoa Economic Development Tax Credit made permanent, in order to persuade more businesses to consider American Samoa when expanding their operations. Aumua also spoke about the need to continue pushing American Samoa to the front of the issues that affect it.

"Congress is finally beginning to pay attention to the needs of American Samoa. This is a mission that will not be accomplished overnight, and some of the issues that affect our island may take many years to solve, but we must never become complacent. We need to continue to strike while the iron is hot," concluded Amata.

# # #