Press Releases

Press Releases_

First appeared on the SamoaNews.

Aumua's Op-Ed: Washington shake up presents Governor Lolo with challenges and opportunities
By Aumua Amata

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of the ongoing shakeup of his administration, President Obama's announcement that he will nominate REI Chief Executive Sally Jewell as his next Interior Secretary is the latest and one of the most important leadership changes with which Governor Lolo will have to contend when he makes his first official gubernatorial visit to Washington at the end of this month.

Building relationships with a whole new set of federal officials is just one more big challenge for the Governor as he launches his new administration and tackles our local problems.

On the surface, it would appear that the 2012 federal election was a "status quo" contest, with President Obama returning with a Democrat-controlled Senate and a Republican House majority. But while it is true that the President sets overall federal policy, the vast bulk of specific policymaking and execution, and day-to-day relations with territorial governments, is conducted at the cabinet and especially the subcabinet level.

In addition to the secretary of the Interior, there will be several other new cabinet officers in this second term who will be running departments of importance to us including Treasury, State, Defense, Energy, Labor and Transportation. Any changes to tax exemptions for StarKist, for example, involve Treasury; our regional relations - including those with Samoa - involve the State Department; road building and maintenance funds require help from Transportation; and the continuing controversy over our minimum wage rate involves the U.S. Department of Labor. I could go on but you get the point.

The Governor and his directors also will have to deal with the ripple effect that will be caused by the changes at the top. While we may have only one or at most two non-career appointees in our agencies here, cabinet changes in Washington can affect dozens of lower level officials. Even without a change of party control, a new secretary quite often will want his own team not only in his immediate office but in the sub-cabinet of deputy secretaries, assistant secretaries and deputy assistant secretaries in his department. They, in turn, have a bevy of non-career staff assistants.

Moreover, new sub-cabinet officials and political staff will not magically appear overnight. It may be several months before a new cabinet secretary has his or her own team in place, briefed and fully functioning. At Interior, our vital portal into Washington, we already know there will be one important change because Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta resigned effective February 1. A new assistant secretary for insular affairs is not likely until Secretary-designate Jewell has settled into office. The same is true at other departments as well.

So, it is unlikely all the new officials with whom it will be vital for the Governor to establish working relationships will even be in office yet when he makes his visit to Washington to attend the National Governors Association winter meeting and a number of important intergovernmental meetings that are held annually on the sidelines of that meeting to take advantage of the presence of all the island governors in one place at one time.

Because the Obama administration is only one of the two political branches of government, we also must pay great attention to nurturing our relationships with Congress. At the same time the Governor will be building friendships in the Executive Branch he will be establishing new key relationships in the Legislative Branch.

The Hawaii delegation in particular always has been important for us, because we are their closest neighbors, whom they know and understand. Moreover, they have large Samoan constituencies of their own so they have a special sensitivity to our needs.

However, in the Senate, where we particularly need sympathetic friends because we have no representation there, the retirement of Sen. Akaka and the passing of Sen. Inouye is requiring us to build a whole new network of allies. We have relied greatly on the help of the Hawaii delegation over the years, and have been fortunate to have the same two senators in office for the past two decades - one of them for a half century. It will take time and energy to get to know their successors and their new staffs.

Speaking of Energy, we also have a change in the Senate Energy Committee chairmanship; the panel has jurisdiction over insular policy. Retired Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has been replaced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), whose interest in our issues is largely unknown. Fortunately, Sen. Wyden has retained Allen Stayman as his lead staff member of insular affairs. Al is a good friend of the islands with years of experience and an understanding of our issues.

The House will be less of a problem because the Natural Resources Committee leadership remains unchanged. Doc Hastings (R-WA) continues as committee chairman while Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) - a physician who once did a Navy tour on Guam - again will head the subcommittee handling insular issues. Del. Kilili Sablan (D-MP) will be the subcommittee's Ranking Member.

Last week I was invited to attend the Louisiana State Society's annual Mardi Gras festivities in Washington, took the occasion to renew my acquaintance with Chairman Fleming and reminded him we have a new Governor who no doubt will want to make a courtesy call on him when he is in Washington for NGA. The Chairman was very receptive to the idea.

At House Foreign Affairs, Del. Faleomavaega of course will continue as Ranking Democrat on the Asia Pacific subcommittee, but the exciting news is that our own Tulsi Gabbard, the freshman congresswoman from Hawaii, has been selected as third ranking Democrat on that same subcommittee, behind only Faleomavaega and one other freshman Democrat from California. So, just as in the case of Del. Sablan, who is Ranking on Insular after only two terms, you can see from Tulsi's high placement how quickly a new member can build seniority with the rapid turnover of membership in the House.

All but a handful of states and one other territory, Puerto Rico, have shifted their gubernatorial elections to the even-numbered years in which we do not also elect the President. It would be a good idea for the Fono to review our election calendar because as long as we continue to be heavily dependent on the federal government, we are handicapped in our dealings with Washington when we elect a new Governor at the same time a President is elected.

The Governor needs time not only to settle into office with his new administration but also to develop relationships with officials in Washington who are learning their new responsibilities as well. It would an even more daunting task if there had been a concurrent change of party control either in Congress or the White House this year.

Regrettably, because a new Governor has to appoint his cabinet officers and shepherd them through our two-house confirmation process while the Fono is in session in January, invariably he must sacrifice a trip to Washington for the Presidential Inaugural, on which occasion he would have boundless opportunities at Inaugural events to establish relationships at the highest levels of government.

So, even with the "status quo" stateside elections, Governor Lolo will have his work cut out for him on his maiden voyage to Washington, with a lot of ground to cover. While it will be his challenge to educate new policymakers, he also has the opportunity to make our case to these leaders who come into their new jobs with fresh perspectives and without preconceived notions. That's a good thing.

AUMUA AMATA

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First appeared on the SamoaNews.

Visiting our local scholars in the States
By Aumua Amata

At the Football Center of Gardner-Webb University. Left to Right: Military Veteran Lene Maseuli of Mesepa; Faga'itua's O.J. Lei'ataua Fa'amausili Mau Mau of Masefau; Samoana's Phillip Eneliko Fata of Pago Pago; Mrs. Puanani Maseuli; Aumua Amata; Preston Pemasa and Kapono Asuega of Orange Country CA; Charlotte NC Police Officer Rick Fetolofa'i Olomua of Aoa. (See story inside) [courtesy photo]

CHARLOTTE, NC - As a founding board member and the current officer of government affairs for Field House 100 American Samoa, I try to keep track of our young scholars whom the organization places in stateside colleges to see how they are progressing with their education.

Field House 100 American Samoa is a local non-profit organization that finds scholarships for students to colleges and universities under the leadership of executive director Brandon Smart. Our mission is not only to place them with the college but we also help them through their transition after leaving the island.

Whenever I am traveling on the mainland for meetings and conferences, I make a special effort to contact our local Samoan communities. Over the years I have learned that you never know where you are going to find Samoans; and when you find one Samoan family you are likely to find a community; and, when the community grows large enough, there likely will be a Samoan church.

A few years ago, in the very cold state of Minnesota, for example, we brought together over 40 Samoans and Tongans, including some who did not know of each other's existence.

Our own deputy attorney general, Eleasalo Ale, hosted one of the group events, which was attended by Malae Langkilde with whom I grew up here on island, who is mayor of Burnsville, a town in the area with a population size similar to that of our Territory. It is gratifying to know that the group still gets together periodically and is keeping our cultural ties strong.

So it was no surprise to find Samoans in the Charlotte, NC area where I had meetings last week. Additionally, two of our 80 local students and one from Australia are enrolled at Gardner Webb University, which is about 70 miles west of Charlotte on a beautiful campus nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Needless to say, as near as the school was, I wanted to visit our students, especially the ones still adjusting to a new culture and climate so far from home. It was a real blessing when two of our Charlotte area Samoan community leaders, military veteran Lene Maseuli of Mesepa and Rick Fetolofa'i Olomua of Aoa, quickly offered to accompany me. In fact, Olomua, a Charlotte police officer, who also leads a Polynesian dance troupe, did the driving.

We arrived at the Boiling Springs campus at lunchtime and met four of the students at the main cafeteria, which offered an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch for $6.50. I thought to myself that it's a good thing there are only four Samoans at the school, otherwise at those food prices it would probably go bankrupt.

The students, Samoana's Phillip Eneliko Fata of Pago Pago, Faga'itua's O.J. Lei'ataua Fa'amausili Mau Mau of Masefau, Preston Pemasa and Kapona Asuega had already eaten, but sat with us while we took advantage of the buffet and afterwards gave us a guided tour of the campus.

Of course, as members of the football team, they all beamed with great pride in showing off the magnificent new training facility that just opened recently. Gardner Webb is a member of NCAA's Big South Conference, which plays in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision. All four students, one in each class, are defensive linemen.

I am happy to report that these four young men all appear very well adjusted to college life in the states. I asked them what besides family they missed the most about being away from home, and they all - even Kapono Asuega and Preston Pemasa who were raised in California - agreed they missed Samoan food, taro, palusami, ulu, pilikaki, pisupo.

We said our farewells to the students with Officer Olomua, Maseuli and his wife Nani promising to remain in touch with them and offer them a home away from home whenever there are holidays or break periods which are too short for them to travel back home. There is nothing more rewarding to me than to bring people together. It may have been the most important thing I accomplished in Charlotte.

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First appeared on the SamoaNews.

At the Inauguration with Aumua Amata
By Aumua Amata

Aumua Amata chats with former Commissioner Jacinta Titialii-Abbott, her Pacific Islander predecessor on Pres. Clinton's White House Commission. Aumua was appointed by Pres. George W. Bush as the only Pacific Islander member of his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. [courtesy photo]

WASHINGTON, DC - Last week President Obama became the third consecutive president to be inaugurated for a second term of office (following presidents Clinton and Bush). It was only the second time in our country's history this has happened (the first time was nearly 200 years ago).

While most of the inaugural balls and various other events surrounding the oath-taking ceremony were meant largely for celebrating victorious campaign workers, party leaders and elected officials, the ceremony itself and some of the other events were meant for all the public regardless of party. No matter who is sworn in as president, every American observes with great pride this symbol of our democracy once every four years. In war and peace, in good times and bad, the appointed hour is never missed.

For its part, the non-partisan Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Vote organization conducted pre-inaugural briefings ahead of the APIA “Pearl Gala” held later in the evening. As a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 2001-2004, I was particularly interested in attending the briefing to hear the panelists - which included Members of Congress, advocates and government representatives - talk about APIA participation in the 2012 national elections, their triumphs, lessons learned and challenges we APIAs face in future elections.

I also wanted to make sure there was Pacific Islander representation because too often I have found that the groups that combine Asians and Pacific Islanders tend to concentrate on the far more numerous Asians while forgetting Pacific Islanders. My philosophy always has been that whenever offered a seat at the table, take it.

As I feared, Pacific Islanders were not represented on any of the panels and there were few among us in the audience. However, I am pleased to say that my Pacific island predecessor on President Clinton's White House Commission, Jacinta Titialii-Abbott, was among the islanders present.

I had not had the pleasure of meeting her before, so it was a real treat to compare the commission's programs and policies under the two presidents. Although there were no other Samoans present, I also met two Tongan women, who attended the briefing - S. Fatima Taimo Aho flew in from Seattle for the weekend while Sia Puloka is in Washington locally studying for the ministry in the Wesleyan Seminary.

The 113th Congress, the most diverse in history, includes 11 Asian and three Pacific Islander Americans, all of whom belong to the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), the chairman of CAPAC, spoke about the Caucus agenda, and her predecessor, U.S. Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), who handpicked her to succeed him when she was only a freshman in the last Congress, told us that CAPAC over the next two years would be collaborating on issues with the Hispanic, Black and Progressive caucuses.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus, to which most of the CAPAC members also belong, is the caucus of the most liberal members of the Congress. That includes newly elected U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) the first openly gay Member of Congress, who spoke to us about the struggles he had to overcome to be elected to the House.

Since leaders of the winning party come to Washington for the Inaugural, it is traditional that the National Committee of that party hold its winter meeting in conjunction with the festivities.

This year was no exception with the Democratic National Committee, as expected, re-electing to another term as chairman U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). I am delighted to report that at the same time our own Tulsi Gabbard (D), the freshman representative from Hawaii, took another leap in her meteoric rise by being elected as DNC vice chair.

Congratulations, Tulsi. Her election should come as no surprise considering that last year she was the first Samoan ever to address a Democratic National Convention and she is the first Samoan American woman ever to be elected to the House.

Although chosen for a party position, she also was quoted in a CNN interview as saying she wanted to focus on being a "voice for moderation and 'reaching across the aisle' in Congress." Tulsi fully understands how the House works and very little can be accomplished when one is in the minority. She understands the importance of working with the majority if you want to move legislation. I welcome Tulsi's gesture because, as the senior member of the Republican National Committee, I will do my best to open doors for her to her colleagues with whom I have established relationships on my side of the aisle. It would be terrific if we could work together in resolving some of American Samoa's pressing issues.

Speaking of Tulsi Gabbard, I was also proud to watch her uncle, MSGT Bill Gabbard of Leloaloa, lead the U.S. Army Field Band as drum major in the Inaugural Parade. This is the fifth time he has marched in the parade, which I had the privilege of watching from the presidential reviewing stand in front of the White House in 2005 as his band marched before President and Mrs. George W. Bush.

This year's parade also featured four state floats: one each from the states of the president's and vice president's birth (Hawaii and Pennsylvania) and one each from the states they represented in the U.S. Senate (Delaware and Illinois) when they were elected to national office in 2008.

Seeing the Hawaii float reminded me that my father, Peter Tali Coleman, rode on the Hawaii float in President Truman's 1949 Inaugural Parade. Hawaii was still a territory that year and American Samoa did not have a separate float, so dad - who was in law school at the time - was invited to represent a Polynesian warrior on the float.

Inaugural Day is a day we all are proud to be Americans and put aside our political differences - at least for a little while.

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Reprinted from Samoa News
December 24, 2012

Amata Op-Ed: Inouye farewelled at dignified service in Washington
By Aumua Amata

Given my family's long-standing history with Hawaii Senator Dan Inouye, I had every intention of attending his funeral last Friday in Washington on a personal basis, but I was honored to have been designated by Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus to also formally represent the Republican National Committee at the service. A hallmark of Senator Inouye's career was his ability to seek consensus along bipartisan lines, so it was entirely fitting for RNC to honor him this way and I felt especially privileged to represent RNC for this gesture of respect.

While there also will be burial services in Hawaii, the service in Washington was the main memorial to him and I was proud to be part of it. Held at the ornate and massive Washington National Cathedral on a cold early winter day, the two-hour celebration and thanksgiving memorial service brought together the nation's political elite from both sides of the political aisle from both Houses of Congress. A day earlier the senator lay in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda so that people from all walks of life could pass his bier to pay their respects to a man who was the second longest serving senator in U.S. history.

While I sat quietly in this great historical Cathedral where President Woodrow Wilson is buried and I watched all the political leaders file in and I quietly listened to the testimonials to Senator Dan's career, led by President Obama. Others who spoke included Vice President Biden, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, U.S. Senator-elect Mazie Hirono and Senate Chaplain RADM Barry Black.

The Cathedral was packed because even though it is so close to Christmas when Congress is normally in recess, negotiations to end the "Fiscal Cliff" crisis are still on-going, so virtually all members of the House and Senate are at their duty stations to protect the interests of their constituencies.

I couldn't help but realize just how deeply this great, humble leader was loved and respected and that all of these people had braved the cold weather to be there to express a final thank you to a man who never hesitated to lend a helping hand to those who needed it. We in the territories especially American Samoa will always remember the senator for his big heart who from the beginning quietly took us under his wing and kept an eye on us for all the years he served in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

Former President Clinton said it best when he observed that "Sen. Inouye didn't care whether the sun was shining, he was just there. He said what needed to be said and he gave so much of himself because that's who he was, a whole person united by his parts." Although President Clinton's name was not on the program as a speaker, he got right up and spoke out of his heart.

Hawaii's own Eric Shinseki, a retired army general who now is Secretary of Veterans Affairs, reflected on Dan Inouye the military hero, whose enormous resolve and principle taught others what it means to be an American and how he prevailed in combat. He eventually received twenty-one medals and ultimately the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on the battlefield.

Senator Reid reminisced about Inouye's best friend, Senator Ted Stevens and how his and Inouye's bipartisan partnership demonstrated that great accomplishments are possible when people set party politics aside for the common good of the people.

Vice President Biden quoted his own mother's words: "You are defined by your courage and redeemed by your loyalty." He observed that Senator Inouye personified his mother's words and added that even during the time of prejudice against the Japanese, no one was more trusted and respected by his colleagues than the late Senator.

The music of the Cathedral Choir was awesome especially their rendition of "America the Beautiful" while wonderful music from Senator Inouye's own state of Hawaii was presented by The Aloha Boys: Isaac Jesse Waipulani Ho'opi'i on the guitar, Irv Queja on the bass guitar with Glen Hirabayashi on the ukulele.

As the service closed, I thought back to the day when Senator Inouye set aside an hour of his busy office schedule just to visit with my mother and talk about the good old days during her final visit to Washington after my father died. I learned a lesson in that single act of courtesy on his part. And over the years, Senator Inouye taught me other things that I've incorporated into my life: He taught me about enormous resolve, humility and respect for others, standing on the principles that mattered to others. He lived each day and year to its fullest and while there's sadness today, there's no regret.

He wielded enormous power but did so in an understated way that we all could do well to observe and emulate. Goodbye my dear senator. Hawaii had no greater son and American Samoa no better friend.

AUMUA AMATA

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Aumua Amata attends Veterans Ceremony at Tafuna Stadium Service

PAGO PAGO. Along with other leaders and community members, Aumua Amata today attended the Veterans Day ceremony at the Stadium to pay tribute to local military veterans. All branches of the military were represented and the Governor's proclamation was read by veteran SSGT Ipu Lefiti of Leone village. The program included a parade of the different high schools' JROTC units as well as the local Reserve. Governor Togiola delivered the keynote address in which he thanked the veterans for their service in keeping our Nation safe and free.

Said Aumua, "This annual celebration is an important one in our local community and it's great to see the veterans attend wearing their service uniforms. I was delighted to be there. One of the things the Governor mentioned is the acute teacher shortage and that if veterans wanted to be teachers or substitute teachers, it would be a great help to the Territory."

Amata added, "As a matter of fact, there's the federally funded Troops to Teachers program which would train veterans to be teachers and it's available to our Territory. It would be a great way to have veterans utilize their experience gained abroad to be applied here in our local community as a teacher. There are many different ways the veterans can contribute to our education system and I urge them to look into this useful program funded by the U.S. Department of Defense."

Following the ceremony at the Stadium, Aumua was invited to attend the opening of the brand new Veterans Clubhouse at Tafuna. They enjoyed barbeque prepared by the veterans themselves and a tour of the new facility was conducted. Aumua spent the afternoon chatting with the veterans and a good time was had by all.

Additionally, the brand new veterans memorial is located adjacent to their Clubhouse. Like the clubhouse, it also is still under construction and both facilities are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Aumua concluded.

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Local Republican delegation travels to National Convention

August 16, 2012
Reprinted from Samoa News

PAGO PAGO, AS - The Republican Party of American Samoa will be seeing many of its members leave over the next several days to attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, which begins the week of August 27.

Led by Party Chairman Dr. Victor T. Tofaeono, the delegation looks to interact with other Samoans and Pacific islanders who live in Florida, RNC members and delegates from all 50 states and five territories.

Fifty thousand people are expected to be in Tampa for this national event, of which 2,286 are delegates and 2,125 are alternate delegates. "It is an exciting time for our party with the Vice-Presidential running mate just recently being named," commented Dr. Tofaeono. "We look forward to meeting with the delegations from other states and focusing on getting Mitt Romney in the White House in the general election in November."

This by no means is just a vacation for the 15 strong delegation from American Samoa, who plan to go to work in committees and subcommittees towards bettering their party as a whole and represent the people of American Samoa.

All members of the delegation have paid over $2,500 of their own money to attend the national convention in Tampa and fight for the conservative values that they believe in strongly in American Samoa.

Some of the delegation members from the Territory also will be meeting in different committees to further help strengthen the influence of the territory within the party.

Su'a Schuster and Aumua Amata will serve on Rules; Dr. Falema'o Pili and Sherry Ah Hing on Credentials while Aofaga Ricky Salanoa and Ali Pili will serve on the Committee on Permanent Organization.

One important committee is the Platform committee that will decide the strategy and direction of the Republican Party for the next four years. Delegate Salote Schuster and Brandon Smart will serve on Platform.

"American Samoa is in a great position to discuss our positive gains and what we have learned as a territory over the last couple of years when it comes to education and health care," explained Executive Director of the Republican Party in American Samoa, Brandon Smart.

"We are in a unique situation on the island in both education and health care that other places across the United States don't face. Because of this particular position we are in, we have learned different ways to address these issues and can share our knowledge with other delegates who can then take them back to their states and territories."

This year's delegation from American Samoa will have the longest serving current RNC Member with them, Aumua Amata, serving 26 consecutive years dating back to 1986.

"It is very humbling and an honor to serve American Samoa in this capacity and I thank my late father for getting me started as a young girl in serving our community both here and in Washington DC," expressed a delighted Aumua.

"This is a very exciting time for me personally as I will get to see my daughter Kirsten Amata deliver our first grandchild while visiting the states before I come back. These next few weeks will be busy but I believe our delegation will be very successful in representing our islands and helping develop the Republican Party."

The delegation includes: Aofaga Ricky Salanoa; Dr. Victor and Aano Tofaeono; Dr. Falema'o and Ali Pili; Brandon Smart; Sherry Ah Hing; Su'a and Salote Schuster; Lagofa'atasi Faaola; Johnny Mapu; Natasha Ledoux; Va'a Tofaeono, Aumua Amata and Bernadette Lafaele.

Source: Republican Party of American Samoa
Brandon Smart, Executive Director

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