JUST ASKING? What’s the plan for when grant funding cuts become a reality in American Samoa?

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Concerns in the community continue to rise about the territory’s future economic well -being as the Trump Administration cuts to federal funding under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk — special advisor to the president — resonate through the US.

However, there is little or no word from the Pulaali’i Administration, nor the Fono about what plans it has when the federal cuts become a reality in the territory.

Except for the pause on all federal grant funds, which has since been rescinded, that reverberated through the ASG in the latter part of January, there has been no more discussion on the issue.

The Pulaali’i Administration said at the time that there was a federal pause in grant funding that the ASG “is working to find additional information and details about the implementation of the pause” by “working with Grantees to reach out to their Grantors to get much needed direction.”

“All grant funded operations must take all reasonable precautions to prepare for the temporary loss of funding.

“We will continue to work on this issue will provide further advice as soon as possible.”

When the pause was rescinded by the Office of the Management and Budget, following a legal challenge in the federal court, Gov. Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula in a memo dated Jan. 30, 2025 pointed out that while the current crisis had been averted, “we must learn from this experience”

“All departments, agencies, authorities and offices that have grant funded programs and operations must work within the law and with Grantors to be prepared for similar events that may happen in the future.

“My office will also work to ensure that we know exactly the steps to take, following any similar occurrence.”

There has been no update of what these exact steps will be, and the Fono has not asked any questions during confirmation hearings for the administration’s directors about what their thoughts are on the possible funding cuts.

For example, the Department of Education, which is 100% funded through a Consolidated Grant from the ASDOE as well as other federal grants: the Trump Administration is said to be eliminating it and moving to a voucher system, where students/ or parents would pay a private school. The School Lunch Program is also said to be on the chopping block, in addition to PELL grants that fuel ASCC student attendance.

While at the Department of Human & Social Services, programs such as ASNAP, will be reduced if not cut.

And then there is Medicaid, which the current Republican House budget has proposed reductions of $880 billion in funding over the next 10 years.

The LBJ hospital is dependent on Medicaid funding for a majority of its funding i.e. patients that qualify for the federal health insurance program. Medicaid further includes funding for patients on dialysis.

Medicaid reductions are becoming more a reality as a budget resolution adopted Tuesday by House Republicans could jeopardize the health insurance coverage of millions of low-income and disabled people who rely on Medicaid if lawmakers follow through with their proposed spending cuts, experts warn. The savings are expected to be used to extend President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of this year. 

Amata has said that she will resist the Trump Administration’s spending reforms if they harm ASG programs. What form her resistance is taking or will take, Samoa News has reached out to Amata for an update.

In the meantime, she has commented, “Rest assured my first and foremost priority is the people of AS and that will not change; and, I am being very vigilant but so far no cuts have been made to our funding.”