Aumua Amata Radewagen

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend and former Member of Congress Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin who served honorably as the representative for American Samoa for 26 years. I want to thank everyone for being here and particularly want to acknowledge my friend Hinanui Hunkin, who came all the way from Utah with her children to be at this service. Because he spent over 30 years of his career in the nation's capital, it is only fitting to have a memorial service for Eni here. He would be gratified to see how he touched so many people who would come out to pay tribute to him. Congressman Faleomavaega was a soldier and a statesman who dedicated his entire life to serving the United States and the people of American Samoa. Indeed, his entire career was devoted to public service and social justice. He was a champion of Native Americans, Native Hawaiians and the Melanesian natives of West Papua. His causes were many. He strenuously fought against nuclear weaponry, from confronting France in French Polynesia over nuclear testing to pressing for nuclear cleanup in Central Asia. He took up the cause of Korean comfort women, expressed concern about disputes in the South China Sea and even helped solve land disputes in Rapa Nui. Even as his health began to deteriorate, he refused to cut back his workload or give up any of his important causes. Although we had our political differences, it never affected our personal friendship or devotion to the people of American Samoa. There was very little on which we disagreed when it came to the territory and, in fact, when I came into office, I picked up right where he left off in a lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court involving Samoan citizenship and voting rights. We both believed American Samoa's political should not be decided in a federal courtroom thousands of miles away; most importantly, it should be decided by our own people at a time of own choosing. Our approaches to issues were different and that often put us at odds with one another, but it was always with the utmost respect and grace, which allowed us to form the bond that we would come to share . . . One I am very thankful for, and will never forget. Ours was a true friendship that demonstrated that, despite our differences in political party, we can all come together for the good of those we serve. Partisan differences on national issues never interfered with our relationship because we were very much of one mind when it came to federal policy and funding for American Samoa. As a veteran, whose long-term health suffered due to his service in Vietnam, Eni dedicated his life to improving the conditions for our veterans in American Samoa, and took great pride in securing funds to build the local VA Clinic, which has served our veterans well. Although I myself am not a veteran, I come from a family with a strong military tradition. My grandfather, father, several brothers and three nephews are, so I appreciate the needs of our veterans and am as devoted to them as Eni was. As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I was in a position to offer legislation to name our local VA clinic in his honor. He was primarily responsible for the establishment of this clinic, so I could think of no more appropriate way to permanently honor his memory and legacy than by dedicating the clinic to him. Because of his long service in the House, he is remembered by many Members on both sides of the aisle who helped smooth the path for this tribute. As much as people complain about the slowness of the legislative process, my bill passed the House in less than a week, the Senate passed it a week later and in short order it was on the president's desk for signature. After enactment of this legislation, I made arrangements for Members to speak of their colleague Eni on the floor of the House and am pleased to say that those tributes were delivered for the record, in addition to press statements made and remarks by several members on the Floor when we debated the VA clinic bill. In most of the stories written about Eni's passing, he was described as the longest serving Member of Congress in American Samoa's history. That is a title I expect will be his alone for many, many years to come, perhaps forever. Goodbye My friend. Farewell and Godspeed. (The Samoan version is as follows): E muamua ona ou Fa'atulou Le Pa'ia o le Maota Namu Asi, i le Paia O le lagi, ma le lagi, ma le lagi tulou, tulouna ia, tulouna lava. O Paia o le aufaigaluega totofi a le Atua i ona Tafa'i Va'aia, ou to fa'atulou atu. E le vaea fo'i le fala fofola loa o Samoa mai Saua e o'o atu i Salafai nu'unu'u atu fa'atini o tausala. O lo'o mamalu fo'i le aofia i le Afio Mai O Le Kovana Sili o le malo o Amerika Samoa, le tofa i le to'oto'o ia Lolo Moliga ma le Masiofo ia Cynthia, le afio i le Lutena Kovana ma le kapeneta, le paia o maota e lua i le afio o le Peresetene ma le senate, le Fofogafetalai ma le Maota o Sui, o le mamalu lava lea o le afio o le fa'amasino sili ma le vaega o fa'amasinoga tulou, tulou lava. E le fa'agaloina le tapuaiga i uso i sisifo i le afio i le ao o le malo tuto'atasi, le Palemia ma le Palemene o Samoa, ma le usoga ia Tumua ma Pule. Ua tu mai nei Lagi le laga'ali a Tamafaiga, a ua tagita'amilo le Manuali'i ina ua ta'ape papa, ae tafea le tau'ofe i le Afioga a Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin sa tu i le tofi o lo'o o'u tauaveina nei i Uosigitone. O le lagia lava lea o le Tafatolu o lau faigamalo Amerika Samoa, tulou, tulou, tulou, tulouna lava. Taluai o lea ua ou tula'i mai i le tofi Faipule i le Konekeresi i le Laumua i Uosigitone, o lea ou te fa'apea atu ai i le Faletua ia Hinanui ma le nofo a Alo loto fa'avauvau aemaise le tagi mai ala o le paia i Aiga ma Paolo ma Gafa sili i lagi tainane le Malo o Amerika Samoa ma le tapuaiga I le Malo Tuto'atasi i le Usoga Tumua ma Pule: ``Amuia e fa'anoanoa, aua e fa'amafanafanaina i latou.''

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1362) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous materials.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1362, a bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic. I have sponsored this bill in order to honor my predecessor and a true public servant, the Honorable Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin. Born on August 15, 1943, in Vailoatai Village, American Samoa, Mr. Faleomavaega graduated from Brigham Young University in 1966 and subsequently joined the United States Army and served in Vietnam. However, his career in the Army was just the beginning of his public service. Mr. Faleomavaega served as a staff member to A.U. Fuimaono, American Samoa's first Delegate at-large to Washington, D.C., from 1973 to 1975. Having earned his law degree from the University of Houston, he next served as staff counsel to the Committee on the Interior and Insular Affairs. In 1981, Mr. Faleomavaega returned to American Samoa to serve as our deputy attorney general until 1984, then as our lieutenant governor until 1989. During this period, Mr. Faleomavaega reentered military service in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1982 to 1989. In 1989, Mr. Faleomavaega began his tenure as the congressional Delegate from American Samoa. He went on to win 13 consecutive terms, making him the longest serving Delegate to date from American Samoa. While in Congress, he diligently served the interests of his constituents as a member of both the House Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Natural Resources. Sadly, my friend Eni Faleomavaega passed away on February 22. He is survived by his wife, 5 children, and 10 grandchildren. I would now like to say a few personal words about the man whom I came to call a true friend. Given that I challenged him for his seat from 1994 until 2014, when I won my first term, Eni and I had a long and complicated relationship. Though we were often at odds politically, we always treated one another with the utmost respect and grace, allowing us to form a shared bond that I am very thankful for and will never forget. Ours was a true friendship that demonstrated that, despite whatever political differences we may have, we can all come together for the good of those we serve. While we may have had disagreements on national issues, we were very much in sync when it came to Federal policy and funding for American Samoa. As a veteran whose long-term health suffered due to his service in Vietnam, Eni dedicated his life to improving conditions for veterans in American Samoa and took great pride in securing funds to build the local VA clinic which has served our veterans well. Therefore, I can think of no better way to memorialize his dedication to the people of American Samoa and his service to our country in uniform than having the local VA clinic in Pago Pago, which he worked so hard for, named in his honor. I want to encourage my colleagues in the House and Senate to salute my predecessor by supporting this measure so that we may honor this good man for his lifelong service and dedication to the people of American Samoa and to veterans everywhere. This legislation satisfies all of the committee's naming criteria and is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Number 3391. Once again, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time until all Members have had an opportunity to speak on each side.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time. Once again, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank Chairman Shuster, Subcommittee Chairman LoBiondo, Ranking Members DeFazio and Larsen, and their staff for the effort and work they put in to quickly see this measure through this committee. They do an excellent job, and it is always encouraging to work with such bright people. I also want to thank Leader McCarthy and his staff for their assistance in getting this measure to the floor. I look forward to working under their leadership to bring prosperity to the American people, including those in the territories. Mr. Speaker, the people of American Samoa desperately need improvement to their access to reliable transportation between the islands of Tutuila and Manu'a. The remote Manu'a islands are losing residents at an alarming pace, mostly due to the lack of reliable transportation; and it is causing a great hardship on the families and businesses who reside on these islands which lie 60 miles from the main island of Tutuila. Also, the lack of reliable transportation poses a severe health risk to those who need emergency medical care, as the only hospital in American Samoa is in Tutuila. My bill, H.R. 276, will help alleviate this issue by easing some of the burdensome red tape causing the issue, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law by the President.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6452) to implement the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean, to implement the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this minute to applaud the passage, by unanimous consent, of the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, which I was proud to cosponsor. I want to thank both Senator Hirono and Representative Gabbard for their efforts in seeing this measure get sent to the President's desk. They did a fantastic job, and I could not be more proud to work alongside other women in Congress who work so hard for those they serve. This has been a long time coming, and I am happy to see that we are finally recognizing these heroes who helped the United States win the war in the Pacific. The countless sacrifices and efforts by those men and women of the Philippines who answered the call to arms in defense of the ideals and values we hold so dear can never be forgotten. With the passage of this important legislation, the people of the United States can finally say thank you to those brave men and women. I look forward to seeing the President sign this legislation into law and want to once again thank the men and women of the Philippines who fought alongside the United States in defense of freedom.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of a truly good and humble man. In the time I had the pleasure of knowing Mark, I was able to call him not only a colleague, but also, proudly, a friend. Mark and I came to Congress in the same class almost 2 short years ago. Upon meeting Mark, I instantly knew that I had a new colleague that I could talk openly to, and I knew that he would always listen with an open mind. We also shared a mutual love and desire to serve our constituents who also have so much in common, including a shared heritage. Mark's heart was that of a public servant. Always willing to do whatever it took to best serve the people of Hawaii, Mark set an example for us all on how to put our communities above ourselves and serve for the betterment of everyone. This includes his service in the United States Army National Guard, during which time he served as a medical officer in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I want to express my deepest condolences to Mark's wife, Sami, his two children, Matthew and Kaila, and wish for them comfort during this difficult time. I know that they can take solace in the fact that Mark was a great man who will always be respected and revered not for what he did for himself, but what he did for others. I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about my friend, Mark. He will be dearly missed. I thank Representative Gabbard. God bless Mark, his family, and the United States.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 295) to reauthorize the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program, as amended.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 295, introduced by Congressman Clyburn of South Carolina, reauthorizes the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program. Since 1988, this program has allowed historically Black colleges and universities to document, preserve, and stabilize historic structures on their campuses. Over $60 million has been awarded to these colleges and universities for this program, ensuring that their rich history remains preserved for future generations. I urge my colleagues to adopt this important measure. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentleman that I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4576) to implement the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean, to implement the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in American Samoa, there are no issues that carry more weight to the people who I represent than those of our fisheries, which comprise over 80 percent of the island's revenue generation. It is for that reason I introduced the Ensuring Access to Pacific Fisheries Act with my colleague from Alaska, Congressman Don Young. Our bill ensures that our fishermen can operate on a level playing field with foreign nation vessels. Specifically, the bill implements U.S. participation in two new international fishery management agreements to which the United States helped negotiate: the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean. The bill also includes the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention Act which was adopted from the Senate bill, among other provisions. I am proud to say that this bill does exactly what the title suggests. It ensures our fishermen's access to fisheries in international waters where we set the example for the rest of the world on how to best manage and conserve the ocean's resources. Based on the administration's proposal, this bill makes necessary additions to ensure that our fishermen are properly represented in these international forums. Specifically, the first two titles of this bill ensure participation of the relevant regional fishery management councils and territories in the international negotiations of the North and South Pacific Commissions. However, it is the third title of this bill that matters most to the people of American Samoa and our other fishing communities. Title III makes critical amendments to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act to minimize the disadvantage and maximize opportunities for our fishing fleets, especially those targeting migratory tuna stocks in the Pacific, which are essential to the stability of the American Samoa economy. Our committee heard firsthand during the hearing on this bill last March that science has taken a back seat to geopolitics in these negotiations, and our fishermen are bearing the burden, especially those in the area of fishing for bigeye tuna. In an effort to remain fair and true to the fishermen in American Samoa, title III also ensures access to traditional fishing grounds, which our people have utilized for centuries and long before any relationship with the United States, by requiring such grounds to be considered in any formal stance taken by United States commissioners at the WCPFC. These are necessary measures due to the pressures facing the industry from all sides, from the closing off of large swaths of the ocean, which the American Samoan people have utilized for centuries, to irresponsible federally mandated wage hikes which aim to put our remote and economically isolated islands on the same level as the States. It is clear that we must ensure that those who are negotiating on behalf of our interests are doing just that, if we are to have any sort of viable fishing industry at all. I want to thank the minority side for working with us in a bipartisan fashion on this bill. Their input and suggestions were very helpful in crafting this bill and allowing it to pass by unanimous consent. I would also like to thank the executive directors of the North Pacific and Western Pacific Councils for working with us as well. It is always helpful when drafting a bill to make sure that those affected by it have some input in the process. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Kevin Brady of the Ways and Means Committee for agreeing to help expedite consideration of this bill today. This bill, particularly title III, is of the utmost importance to the people of American Samoa. I respectfully urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, August 3, 2016. Hon. Kevin Brady, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: On July 13, 2016, the Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported as amended H.R. 4576, the Ensuring Access to Pacific Fisheries Act, by unanimous consent. My staff has shared the reported text of the bill with your staff. The reported bill contains provisions regarding fishery exports and imports, a matter within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. I ask that the Committee on Ways and Means not seek a sequential referral of the bill so that it may be scheduled by the Majority Leader when the House returns from the August District Work Period. This concession in no way affects your jurisdiction over the subject matter of the bill, and it will not serve as precedent for future referrals. In addition, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I would support your request to have the Committee on Ways and Means represented on the conference committee. Finally, I would be pleased to include this letter and any response in the Congressional Record to document this agreement. Thank you for your consideration of my request, and I look forward to further opportunities to work with you this Congress. Sincerely, Rob Bishop, Chairman.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 246) to establish the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of S. 246, the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act. This bill would establish a commission in the Office of Tribal Justice at the Department of Justice. The commission would be composed of 11 members appointed by the President and congressional leadership. Each commissioner would be required to have significant expertise in Indian affairs, healthcare issues facing Native children, Indian education, juvenile justice programs focused on reducing incarceration and recidivism, and social services programs used by Native children. The commission would report to Congress and to the President with legislative and administrative recommendations for improving support for mental and physical health and increased educational opportunities for Native children. Protecting Native children and providing safe and supportive communities has always been a top priority identified by tribal leaders, yet the lack of sufficient coordinated research on the full scope of the causes, existing issues, and challenges inhibits the Federal and tribal governments from developing appropriate tailored programs to deliver the most efficient and targeted services to Native children. S. 246 is a companion bill to H.R. 2751, sponsored by the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum). I urge adoption of S. 246. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1579) to enhance and integrate Native American tourism, empower Native American communities, increase coordination and collaboration between Federal tourism assets, and expand heritage and cultural tourism opportunities in the United States.