Amata Highlights Appropriations, COFA Implementation, and Veterans’ Disability Hearing

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming House passage of the Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026, H.R. 7006, with a bipartisan vote of 341 to 79.

This bill, which requires final Senate passage before it can be signed into law, is the funding bill for Executive and Judicial branches of the U.S. government, the State Department, and more. It follows the prior week's House passage of a bill that would fund several departments and agencies, including the Department of the Interior. The yearly appropriations work has a few bills remaining in the 12-bill total, including funding for Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, which require further negotiations.

COFA Implementation Oversight

On Wednesday, Congresswoman Amata took part in an oversight hearing of the Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs focusing on the implementation of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024. Congresswoman Amata served as Chairman of the Task Force examining and completing that legislation in the 118^th Congress.

The United States renewed its 20-year Compacts with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, collectively known as the Freely Associated States (FAS), in March 2024. The COFA agreements ensure strategic advantages for the United States in the Indo-Pacific region, as the U.S. provides services and defense guarantees.

"These agreements, and their thorough implementation, are important parts of U.S. commitment to the Pacific region, signaling strength and reliability throughout the Pacific Islands," said Congresswoman Amata. "It's essential to keep our commitment to our many U.S. veterans from these three Freely Associated States, services guaranteed by COFA, and I'm also happy to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 6652, the U.S. Vets of the FAS Act."

Veterans' Affairs Committee Hearings

On Wednesday, Congresswoman Amata took part in an oversight hearing of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee's (HVAC) Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, which examined the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VARSD). Members discussed how to best modernize the outdated system to effectively serve veterans based on current medical evidence. The rating schedule was created in 1945, and testimony centered on difficulties for veterans to be evaluated for disabilities based on current medical evidence.

"We have a lifelong commitment to our veterans, especially for service-connected disabilities," said Congresswoman Amata. "The VA must complete their updates of this essential process so these important evaluations can best serve our veterans."

Video clips of Congresswoman Amata and the witnesses in this hearing are available HEREand HERE.

Notices of Funding Opportunities

On Wednesday, the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance announced the following Notices of Funding Opportunities.

FY25 Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Initiative

Eligible Applicants: Government entities, educational organizations, nonprofit organizations, and public housing organizations. Application Deadlines: February 5, 11:59PM EST for submission to Grants.Govand February 12, 8:59PM EST for submission to JustGrants.

FY25 The Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities

Eligible Applicants: Government entities, educational organizations, nonprofit organizations, and public housing organizations. Application Deadlines: February 20, 11:59PM EST for submission to Grants.Govand February 27, 8:59PM EST for submission to JustGrants.

The Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is pleased to announce the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) below:

BJS FY25 Consolidated National Criminal History Improvement Program

Eligible Applicants for NCHIP, NARIP, NCHIPSF-BSCA

• State governments
• Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized)
• The state central administrative office or similar entity designated by
  statute or regulation to administer federal grant funds on behalf of the
  jurisdiction's court system.

State Government Entities: For the purposes of this NOFO, "state" means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Application Deadlines: February 24, 2026, 5:00 pm Eastern for submission to Grants.Govand March 3, 2026, 5:00 pm Eastern for submission to JustGrants.

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