U.S. House passes Consolidated Appropriations Act with $3 million for ASCC

Washington, D.C. — The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, that funds several major departments of the U.S. government for the year, including the Interior Department, passed in the U.S. House this week in a bipartisan vote of 339-85.

This year’s DOI appropriations bill preserves American Samoa’s Dept. of Interior (DOI) operations funding at $28.2 million, despite cuts elsewhere throughout the overall the DOI’s Office of Insular Affiars (OIA) budget at the nationwide level.

Notably, the bill stipulates $3 million of these funds to American Samoa Community College operations, at the request of Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata. The DOI Appropriations report language stated “not less than $3,000,000 would be allocated for the community college.”

“Despite the budgeting wrangling in Washington, and despite cuts throughout other areas in this bill, we fully preserved the $5.4 million in yearly gains we’ve made over the past six straight years of increases,” said Congresswoman Amata. “I’m especially pleased that the direction of Congress is that at least $3 million of these go to support our educational efforts and facilities at ASCC. Year after year, we’ve preserved or increased our DOI operations funds despite common administration recommendations that would have reduced our share.”

Also important in American Samoa, this first funding package fully funds the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), and military construction; the Department of Agriculture, including food and nutrition programs it supports; Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; and Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

“In addition to OIA, these federal departments fund grants providing services in American Samoa,” said Congresswoman Amata. “It will be good to have the stability of these funds in place for the year, and I’m optimistic the second appropriations package will soon be passed as well.”

The remaining departments, including Defense, State, and Health and Human Services (HHS) are in a second package yet to be voted on this month. That portion of the government remains funded temporarily by a former Continuing Resolution (C.R.) that ends March 22, requiring an upcoming vote on those appropriations. Full government funding requires passage of 12 major appropriations bills in all, being considered in two packages.