OIA Press Releases (2020 to Present)

U.S. Provides $6.5 Million in Compact Infrastructure Grants for the Republic of the Marshall Islands

06/06/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 2, 2017) – Acting Assistant Secretary Nikolao Pula has made available $6,460,739 for infrastructure projects under the Compact of Free Association between the U.S. and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  The funds will support school construction on Majuro and Ebeye islands and make improvements to the Wellness Center kitchen at the hospital in Majuro.  They also fund a variety of other projects on Ebeye.

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Interior Provides Grant Funding to American Samoa

05/30/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 30, 2017) – Acting Assistant Secretary Nikolao Pula today made available $212,800 in technical assistance funding from the Office of Insular Affairs to support three initiatives supported by American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga that will improve critical health care services in the territory.

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President Proposes $591.9 Million FY18 Budget for the U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States

05/23/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 23, 2017) – President Donald Trump today proposed $591.9 million for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) for the benefit of the U.S. Territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Freely Associated States of the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands through the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA). The budget request for OIA includes $84.3 million in discretionary appropriations and $507.6 million in mandatory funding.  Additionally, the budget requests $123.9 million of discretionary Department of Defense appropriations to be transferred to the Department of the Interior to support enactment of the 2010 Compact Review Agreement with Palau. The Palau Compact is an important element of the Pacific national security strategy.

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First Education Summit on Ebeye Aims to Empower Marshallese Communities in Focus on Children’s Education

05/12/2017

Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands (May 12, 2017) - A first of its kind, the Kwajalein Atoll Education Summit took place April 26 and 27 on Ebeye Island, Kwajalein Atoll, in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).  The Summit was themed “Charting our Course: Our Child, Our Hope” and provided a venue for meaningful presentations, workshops and dialogue to take place around improving education for the children of Kwajalein Atoll. 

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White House and Interior Senior Officials Host Territory Governors at Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA)

02/24/2017

Deputy Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs Justin R. Clark, Senior White House Advisor Douglas W. Domenech, and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas Nikolao I. Pula Jr. met with Guam Governor Eddie Calvo, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp and American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga at the 2017 Senior Plenary Session of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas. 

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Northern Mariana Islands to Receive $5 Million in CIP Funding to Continue Rehabilitation at Saipan Power Plant and Improve Fuel Waste Management System

02/21/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 21, 2017) – Acting Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Nikolao Pula has approved $5 million in fiscal year 2017 CIP funding for the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) for the repair of fuel storage tanks at the CUC which fail to meet required standards of the American Petroleum Institute.

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United States Transmits $7.5 Million In Compact Grant Funding to the Republic of Palau

02/03/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 3, 2017) – The Acting Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Nikolao Pula has authorized grant payments totaling $7,542,690 to the Republic of Palau.  Continuing appropriations provided by the U.S. Congress thus far for fiscal year 2017 will support operational activities for the Palau government.  Since the financial provisions of the Compact of Free Association expired in 2009, an annual amount of $13,147,000 has been extended to Palau beginning in 2010. 

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