Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Madam Chair, I rise to offer an amendment, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I rise for the purpose of offering an amendment to provide an increase in American Samoa's nutritional assistance grant funding by $13 million in order to ensure food security for the American Samoan population due to damages sustained by Cyclone Gita in February 2018.

Cyclone Gita's ravaging 100-miles-per-hour-plus winds and torrential rains of over 30 inches devastated family farms and small farm businesses, farms that most American Samoans need for their immediate and extended families for subsistence purposes or to generate small business income. Cyclone Gita wiped out an entire growing season for the American Samoan farmer.

But this is a hand up, not a hand out, Madam Chair. This emergency food aid, along with the additional Medicaid funding Federal matching support in this bill, will allow American Samoans to get back on their feet and fight for their community and country. It is what we do best.

American Samoa has been the number one Army recruiting station in America for 2 of the last 5 years and suffered the worst casualty rate in the Iraq war, both on a per capita basis. This bill will truly help our local veterans, soldiers, and their families, churches, and greater community get back to their fighting weight.

Madam Chair, I thank Chairman McGovern for his leadership on nutritional assistance programs for so many years and Ranking Member Cole and the Rules Committee members for listening to my testimony and providing this opportunity.

I thank Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger for their consideration, as well as thanks to Ag Subcommittee Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Aderholt.

I thank President Trump for swiftly declaring an emergency and FEMA for their response, and especially our Governor, Lolo Moliga, and his staff at home and in D.C., who have been so helpful on this request, and for his leadership in the recovery efforts.

Madam Chair, I ask again for your support for this emergency food assistance need for American Samoa.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment, although I am not opposed to it.

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Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Madam Chair, I rise in support of Vice Chairman Sablan's amendment to provide much-needed emergency funding to repair the wastewater treatment plants devastated by Typhoon Yutu.

I thank the vice chairman for his leadership on disaster assistance and for securing a Medicaid hearing for the U.S. territories. The upcoming hearing will provide an opportunity for territory Medicaid issues to be brought to the forefront of Congress so that we can solve our access and funding issues, ensuring future equity and accountability for our Medicaid programs.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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