Congressman Faleomavaega today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) this week awarded approximately $500,000 in supplemental National Emergency Grant (NEG) funding to the American Samoa Department of Human Resources.

According to DOL, the funding will provide for the continuation of workforce development services to workers who held temporary jobs to assist with the clean-up and recovery efforts following the earthquake and tsunami and subsequent flooding that struck American Samoa in 2009.

The initial NEG award of $24,857,608 was approved on October 19, 2009, with $8,285,870 released initially and a second increment of $16,571,738 was approved and released on April 21, 2010.  The supplemental funding of $500,000 announced this week will bring the total NEG funds awarded for this project to $25,357,608.  With the supplemental funding, the project’s period of performance is also extended for two quarters, so that all participants have more time to finish their full complement of reemployment services.

“I want again to thank my good friend and former colleague, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, for releasing more than $25 million over the past three years in National Emergency Grant funds for American Samoa,” Faleomavaega stated.

“Immediately following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck our islands on September 29, 2009, the Department of Labor notified my office as well as the offices of Senator Inouye, Senator Akaka, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, informing us of the outpouring of millions of dollars of federal funding to help American Samoa with clean-up and recovery efforts.  The funding also provided for needed jobs to employ American Samoans and help with our local economy,” Faleomavaega added.

 “I also want to thank and acknowledge the great work by our local leaders in the American Samoa Department of Human Resources, including Department Director Evelyn Langford and NEG Program Manager Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola, for the tremendous job they’ve done in managing this program as well as their tireless efforts in addressing the multifaceted needs of the Territory in the aftermath of the devastating 2009 tsunami.  I have every confidence that this funding will continue to help our Territory rebuild,” Congressman Faleomavaega concluded.