Amata’s IGIA Message Highlights American Samoa’s Opposition to Seabed Mining, and Key Priorities

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata gave remarks Tuesday for the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs (IGIA) held virtually with the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other federal agencies, stating opposition to seabed mining.

"At this time, the biggest concern for the people of American Samoa is the administration's rush to deep sea mine in American Samoa's waters," she stated. "We, the Samoan people, are the stewards of the ocean, not its owner nor master; and we have the responsibility and duty to future generations to protect our heritage. I remain steadfast in my opposition to the exploitation of our waters by unchecked AI drones - over the past weeks we've seen AI agents go rogue and hack into secure government sites - how can we trust an autonomous system from not going rogue and destroying our ocean? I ask this Department to listen to our indigenous voices and reject deep sea mining in Samoan waters."

As the start of her remarks, she pointed out that this IGIA meeting was on the anniversary of the 2009 devastating tsunami. She emphasized the strength and resolve of the American Samoan people in their recovery efforts, but the lasting sorrow of the loss, expressing condolences to the families.

"That tragic event is also a reminder of how important our partnership with the federal government can be, in disasters certainly, and throughout our priorities for healthcare, infrastructure, education and more," she said.

Turning to China's actions in the region, she said, "Earlier in the summer, Pasifika peoples watched in horror as the PLA launched a nuclear capable missile into Pacific Islands region. They did this without warning, but with a clear message - that we are all in range of their bombs. This aggressive action is an escalation from the PLA's naval drills last summer around Australian and New Zealand. The Chinese distant water fishing fleet penetrates our EEZ and targets our fish stock."

"American Samoa needs a permanent US Coast Guard presence to protect us from these aggressive actions," Amata continued. "We have the best deep-water harbor in the South Pacific and can host cutters of any size. It is essential that the United States and American Samoa have proper maritime domain awareness in region. American Samoa has the last of the United States' purse seine fishing fleet and the loss of fishing stocks to PRC vessels puts us at economic risk."

Adding to her national security points, she noted American Samoa is long overdue for our own air traffic control tower. "All our air traffic is currently routed by independent Samoa. An air traffic control tower is urgently important to our national security. In the current socio-political climate, it simply does not make sense for an American territory to be relying on another country to monitor our airspace and surrounding area."

Amata urged support to ease the cabotage rules for the Pacific territories, including potential legislation, as Senate ENR Chair Mike Lee brought up over the summer. She noted that airlines are monopolies in the islands but foreign air carriers would increase tourism and lower costs.

Aumua Amata encouraged infrastructure investment broadly, especially several key needs with healthcare as a major priority, starting with the hospital, which despite piecemeal improvements, "remains woefully out of date. A healthy country is a strong country, and Americans in the territories deserve quality medical treatment."

Among Aumua's education points, she asked the administration to support the territorial representatives bill to provide in-state tuition rates for four-year university degrees, noting this access "takes on outsized importance in American Samoa."

Multiple federal departments including DOI, DOC, and DoD should work together to strengthen economic and critical infrastructure capacity in American Samoa, and she declared that investment in the port of Pago is a "win-win" for both national security and American Samoa.

Finally, she highlighted how her bill H.R. 6158, the American Samoa Statutory Nationality and Citizenship Act, would streamline bureaucratic hurdles for individual U.S. Nationals from American Samoa seeking to convert to full citizenship on a personal basis. Amata has held meetings with key Members recently in working to advance this bill.

"DOD has indicated that a legislative fix would be a good recruitment and retention tool, allowing enlisted American Samoans to be promoted to officer rank and reducing bureaucratic hurdles for their dependents. We are currently at a stage when everyone needs to come together to move America forward, and passage of H.R. 6158 will allow a small but fiercely loyal group of Americans to better participate in the country as a whole," she said before her closing acknowledgements.

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