Amata meets with top leaders during Micronesia trip

Delegate Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa is shown at the CNMI inaugural ball speaking with Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr. and Gov. Arnold I. Palacios. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Following the House election of the speaker on Saturday morning, Delegate Uifa’atali Amata (R-Amer. Samoa), at the request of House Natural Resources Committee chair Bruce Westerman, represented the committee at the front end of a five-day whirlwind trip through Micronesia, which included stops in Guam, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Majuro.

“I was humbled that at each stop I was personally greeted by the head of government, and have important perspectives to share with my colleagues in Washington,” said Amata.

Her meetings came at the same time in Los Angeles that representatives of republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands were signing memoranda of understanding with U.S. officials on extension of financial provisions of the Compact of Free Association.

“Although we had laid the groundwork for holding planeside consultations earlier, we had advised the governments involved that the protracted House speakership election forced us to advise them that it looked like there would be insufficient time to get to Saipan for the inauguration of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David Apatang, which was to be the linchpin of the trip,” explained Amata.

When the speaker impasse broke in the wee hours of Saturday morning, the congresswoman discovered that if she were able to get to the airport for an 8:30am departure, she could get to Saipan at 2am Monday in time for a 10am inauguration. So, 36 hours after giving new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy a congratulatory hug, she set foot on Saipan. During her 30 hours on Saipan, Amata also had opportunities to meet with Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr., Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, and Speaker of the Guam Legislature Therese Terlaje. She then traveled to Guam, where she met with leaders of the Guam Chamber of Commerce.

Delegate Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa is shown in discussions with Chuuk Gov. Alexander R. Narruhn.

Delegate Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa is shown meeting with Marshall Islands President David Kabua.

Delegate Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa is shown meeting with Federayed States of Micronesia President David Panuelo.

Delegate Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa is pictured in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

From Guam, she took United Airlines’ “island hopper” to Chuuk State, Pohnpei, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia, and Majuro, the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. By the time her plane landed in Honolulu, she had completed over the course of three days consultations with the presidents of three countries, three governors and met with a variety of foreign ministers, legislative leaders, and other officials.

At the first stop in the Federated States of Micronesia, she met with Chuuk State Gov. Alexander R. Narruhn and Senate Vice President Wisney Nakayama, the son of the late first FSM president Tosiwo Nakayama of Chuuk. Next, on Pohnpei, she met with FSM President David Panuelo, foreign secretary Kandhi Elieisar, Compact negotiators Leo Falcam, Jr. and Asterio Takesy and other top national officials. In Majuro, where her family lived for four years while her father was head of government (district administrator), Amata met with President David Kabua, U.N. Ambassador Amatlain Kabua, Foreign Minister Kitlang Kabua, and other high government officials.

“This trip at the outset of a new Congress was an important opportunity to renew old friendships, meet new leaders, and update my understanding of the region’s most pressing problems. It is important for the island governments to reach agreements with the Biden administration,” she said, “but they still will need to work with Congress, which controls the funds.” (PR)