July 20, 2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C.—INTERIOR BILL PASSES SENATE WITH AMERICAN SAMOA’S BUDGET INTACT
Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the U.S. Senate approved its version of the appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior with funding for American Samoa intact.  The bill provides $23 million for the operations of the American Samoa Government and $10 million for construction projects. This is level funding with the current year. “The funding in this bill is as anticipated,” said Faleomavaega. “Given that the same amount is in both the House and Senate bills, we can expect with some certainty that this will be our funding level for FY2001.” “I remain concerned about next year’s funding, however, as the Senate Appropriations Committee has also expressed its concern with ASG’s financial situation, and its desire to see ASG take advantage of the loan provided in last year’s bill to resolve the debts owed to health care vendors in the State of Hawaii,” said Faleomavaega. In total for territorial assistance, the Senate committee is recommending a budget of $1.7 million less than the current year, and $5.4 million less than requested by the President.  Almost all of the funding cut from the President’s budget would have gone to Guam to assist that government with the increased costs caused by migration of residents from Micronesia to Guam. The key text from the Senate committee report concerning American Samoa is as follows: The committee remains concerned with American Samoa’s failure  to resolve the issue of outstanding debt owed to health care vendors  in Hawaii.  Funds were withheld from American Samoa in fiscal year  1999 because of this issue.  In fiscal year 2000 the Committee  rovided a substantial loan to American Samoa to be repaid with  proceeds from its settlement agreement with tobacco manufacturers.   The Committee expects that a substantial portion of this loan shall be  used to address the issue of outstanding amounts owed to Hawaiian  health care providers.  If an appropriate plan can be submitted to the  Department to deal with this outstanding debt, the Committee will be  more inclined to release funds that have been previously withheld from  American Samoa.
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