FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. ----

Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that on June 26th the House Committee on Appropriations approved the fiscal year 1998 appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior. Included in the bill was $23.1 million for the operations of the American Samoa Government and $10.1 million for construction projects in the territory. These amounts were unchanged from those approved by the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee last week.

"It appears that our budget, including an extra $4 million over last year's amount for CIP's is on track both in the House and Senate. I am working with our friends in the Senate to see if we can fund a couple of extra much-needed projects in American Samoa, but it is too early to tell if this funding will remain in the bill," said Faleomavaega.

Also included in the House bill was an additional $1 million for technical assistance for the territories. Technical assistance funds a number of programs in the U.S. insular areas. This year American Samoa received technical assistance funding for several projects including training to operate Treasury Department's new financial management computers and a giant clam aquaculture project.

The Interior appropriations bill is expected to be considered by the full House in the second or third week of July.