Press Releases
Washington, D.C. – Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata released the following statement:
"Every year on September 11th we pause to remember the thousands of lost lives on that day in 2001, and the incredible bravery of firefighters, police, first responders and the passengers on Flight 93. Except for the very young, we all remember where we were that day and how we first learned of these attacks on our country. I was in Washington, D.C., and can vividly remember seeing the dark smoke rise against the sky from the nearby Pentagon.
Washington, D.C. – Monday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata announced she is cosponsoring the effort to protect the U.S. flag through a Constitutional Amendment.
Washington, DC – Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata hailed the success of a bipartisan request to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding its administrative rules which placed undue constraints on Compact of Freely Associated States migrants seeking to obtain REAL IDs. The DHS has responded with a change in those requirements to remove unnecessary barriers to the benefit of those living or working in the U.S. from these valued Pacific allies.
Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed a federal Department of Transportation grant of $1.5 million for road projects tied to Storm Gita damages.
"These federal funds help our Territory's efforts to continue to rebuild from our major storm last year," said Aumua Amata. "I want to specially thank Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and the Department for this discretionary grant."
Washington, D.C. – Monday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed two federal health care grants for American Samoa, each through the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, for a total of nearly $1.1 million. These discretionary grants are both designated to the American Samoa Department of Health.
The larger of the two grants provides $1 million in social services support for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home-visiting Program in American Samoa through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Washington, D.C.—Monday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomes the announcement of nearly in $14.5 million available in federal broadband support for American Samoa over ten years through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for maintaining, improving, and expanding affordable broadband to help close the digital divide. American Samoa is the only Territory included in these grant authorizations along with rural and remote areas in 39 of the States, and various U.S. Tribal lands.
Washington, D.C.—Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed the opportunity this week to discuss American Samoa's needs, and highlight the islands to a Senate CODEL that came through Pago Pago International Airport in Tafuna. Amata welcomed the flight upon arrival at the airport, and discussed the status of several important issues with five leading Senators.
Washington, D.C. – Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata highlighted a nonpartisan report from Yale Law School and affiliated Veterans groups that studied the Service Academy nominations of every Member of the U.S. House and Senate, and found that American Samoa stood out with a unique balance of equality in male and female nominations.
Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomes a federal Pacific Basin health grant. This discretionary funding of $167,000 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is designated to the American Samoa Department of Health.
"Thank you to Director Motusa Nua and Seiuli Elisapeta Ponausuia for their work with the Pacific Basin program," said Aumua Amata. "Cumulative health funding from the federal government is necessary to meet the medical needs of our people, and provides important support for our health care professionals."
Washington, D.C.—Tuesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomes a grant of $1,033,000 for American Samoa through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
These funds are available to the American Samoa Department of Commerce under the Coastal Zone Management Act, passed initially in 1972, with budget appropriations since by each Congress, for the National Coastal Zone Management Program.