Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata congratulated Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa on her historic leadership role as the first female Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, which has been publicly recognized by statements from the U.S. Department of State along with New Zealand and Australia.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata highlighted American Samoa's position on protected coral reefs in a Wednesday hearing of the Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife (WOW). The oversight hearing was titled, "Examining the President's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration."

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata welcomed passage Wednesday by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee of legislation to establish key Medicaid funding for American Samoa for eight years. The bill next moves on for consideration by the entire House of Representatives. Congresswoman Amata is an original cosponsor of this bill, introduced just this month, to preserve the nation's best non-emergency federal matching rate (FMAP) at 83 percent for American Samoa.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata spoke Tuesday before the House Committee on Rules in a roundtable on food security to explain American Samoa's needs regarding food and nutrition. The roundtable was titled, Ending Hunger in America: Examining Hunger in U.S. Territories, and its purpose was to learn similarities and key differences surrounding hunger and poverty between the U.S. states and territories. The discussion encompassed federally funded nutrition programs, current status and challenges, and examination of root causes.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata voted Wednesday for the Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act, H.R. 4300, which was passed by the full Committee on Natural Resources with bipartisan support. Amata cosponsored the legislation to honor Veterans with free lifetime access to all U.S. National Parks, and other National Forests and public lands.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata highlighted the introduction this week of legislation directing Medicaid funding to American Samoa for the next eight years. Congresswoman Amata is an original cosponsor of this key bill, which locks in the nation's best non-emergency federal matching rate, known as FMAP, at 83 percent for the next eight years. That rate is only higher at times for short-term emergency purposes. The bill is titled the Supporting Medicaid in the U.S. Territories Act of 2021, H.R.

Washington, D.C. – Saturday, Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata welcomed an agreement in Congress to move forward with legislation that would stabilize Medicaid funding for the Territories through an eight-year plan for American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while Puerto Rico gains stable funding for five years.

Washington, D.C. – Friday, Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata highlighted the advancement of legislation that would lead to road improvements for American Samoa as the House passed H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act. This Act authorizes $343 billion for roads, bridges and safety measures, $109 billion for transit, $95 billion for passenger and freight rail, $117 billion for drinking water infrastructure resources and roughly $51 billion for wastewater infrastructure.