Media

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata highlighted House passage of a major appropriations bill Thursday that funds numerous departments of the U.S. government for the next fiscal year, including the Interior Department. Within this legislation (H.R. 4502) is funding Amata requested for ASG Operations. This $2.5 million increase is the largest ever for the ASG Operations fund, however, Congress designated these funds specifically for planning efforts toward a new hospital.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is an original cosponsor of the Military Spouse Tax Act, introduced Wednesday by five Members of Congress to relieve an unnecessary tax burden on military families.

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata took on the role of Ranking Member in Tuesday's hearing of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee to examine the topic, "Aging in Place: Examining Veterans' Access to Home and Community-Based Services." Members of Congress discussed building on successful methods such as the Veteran Directed Care program.

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.