Press Releases
Washington, D.C. – Monday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is welcoming U.S. Department of Labor publication of direction to states and territories for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), an important step in getting this unemployment relief on the way.
Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is letting independent or private nonprofit schools, or church or faith-based schools in American Samoa know that Congress included them in the assistance options. These assistance options are part of a joint program, the $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program, between the U.S. Treasury and directly administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This assistance follows the same principles as the similar help offered to churches and small businesses, based on similar categories of payrolls.
Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is providing the following summary of the recent coronavirus relief from Congress and what these bills mean for American Samoa.
How the COVID-19 Federal Relief Packages Affect U.S. Territories
The United States Congress has passed three aid packages in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is welcoming important clarification from President Trump that the $1,200 coronavirus relief checks from the CARES Act include seniors who receive Social Security and no longer work.
Washington, D.C.—Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is highlighting Census Day 2020, and reminding everyone currently residing in American Samoa of the importance of being counted.
Washington, D.C. – Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is informing churches in American Samoa that Congress provided assistance options that can also apply to churches and qualifying nonprofit charities in the CARES Act through the Small Business Administration (SBA), and this assistance can cover most expenses for eight weeks.
Washington, D.C. – Monday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is welcoming the first federal funding from the new CARES Act, over $800,000 in COVID-19 assistance grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
As soon as the CARES Act was signed into law on Friday, HUD began moving $3 billion in grants nationwide to address coronavirus efforts, two of which are slated for American Samoa. These COVID-19 recovery funds total $801,685.
Washington, D.C.—Sunday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is releasing a more thorough description of what American Samoa can expect from the CARES Act:
Washington, D.C.—Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata debated on the House floor to urge support for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Following debate, the bill passed with bipartisan support. President Trump has said he will sign the historic economic security aid package, which contains $2 trillion in unemployment help and financial assistance for people, small businesses and the economy, as well as important health funding such as testing equipment.
Washington, D.C. — Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomes notice of an Office of Insular Affairs grant for COVID-19 testing equipment, and said the $2 trillion CARES Act contains expanded national funding for testing to make it widely available and speed up the distribution as part of $1.5 billion to CDC.