Interior Releases $7.8 Million in Remaining FY2017 Operational Funding for American Samoa

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 12, 2017) – This week the Office of Insular Affairs released $7.8 million remaining in grant assistance for fiscal year 2017 to the American Samoa Government through the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Operations Grant Program. These funds are what remained of the annual $22.75 million needed to support the daily operations of the American Samoa Government, the LBJ Tropical Medical Center, the American Samoa Community College, and the High Court of American Samoa. The purpose of this program, as mandated by Congress, is to fund the difference between budget needs and local revenue and remains constant each year to support government operations.

“These funds are critical for government operations in the territory of American Samoa,” said Interior Acting Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Nikolao Pula. “We are pleased to transmit the remaining funds on behalf of the administration.”

The Department of the Interior is responsible for coordinating federal policy with respect to the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and administering and overseeing U.S. federal assistance provided to the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau under the Compacts of Free Association.  The Office of Insular Affairs mission is to foster economic opportunities, promote government efficiency, and improve the quality of life for the people of the insular areas.

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