Amata corrects the record in Tribune editorial on her role on wage credit for American Samoa
August 07, 2006

Dear Editor,

Thank you for taking an interest in our congressional election this year. I've never had the pleasure of meeting you personally but did meet your lovely wife and look forward to making your aquaintance.

Your editorial of August 3, 2006 titled, "AND SO THE RACE FOR CONGRESS BEGINS," contains a number of inaccuracies which I'd like to clarify and correct for the record.

FACT#1. I called for a wage credit publicly while our Delegate was still asking Congress to pass 936, almost ten years after Congress in an overwhelmingly bipartisan consensus, made the decision to repeal and phase out 936 as "corporate welfare." I'm not exaggerating my role. I've stated it simply, over and over. I was one of the voices the staff listened to. The Delegate did not come up with the idea, he didn't even bring it forward. This is not bragging. It is the truth.

You also twice said I took credit for the bill's passage. Wrong. I take no credit for passage although the wage credit issue is something I've been working on for the past couple of years. It's not rocket science, it's not a secret, it's U.S. public law which applies to Puerto Rico and I felt it could be applied to American Samoa if customized to meet our unique needs so I took it to the staff. That's where the rubber meets the road because if the majority staff shows no interest, most likely the idea will not advance. Even back in 2004 I found absolutely no serious support nor enthusiasm among Democrat and GOP staffers for 936 but I did find a sincere desire to help American Samoa if an alternative could be found.

FACT#2. I've been right here at home with trips off-island now and then. In 2005 I stayed with my dying mother in Honolulu before she passed away and also flew to Washington to help staff the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs annual meeting. Earlier this year I traveled to the M.E.N.A. Region (Middle East and North Africa) and in May I visited U.S. troops in Germany, on behalf of the federal government. I own a house in Washington and one in Delaware. However, I was raised here in American Samoa during my formative years and this is where I grew up so this is home to me and it is where my heart is.

FACT#3. You talked about my "ll years Washington experience." Actually I worked for Congress from 1997-2005 but I also served in other U.S. government positions (i.e., U.S. Navy, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Peace Corps), including a 3-year stint as a White House Commissioner for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. My Washington experience spans the course of over 25 years and I spent some of those years staying at home to raise a family. My husband and I have three grown children, all of whom we're very proud. While at home, as an unpaid volunteer I organized and handled Gov. Coleman's Washington schedule and made sure he got to see key people who could help American Samoa.

FACT#4. Many Samoans accumulate additional names and titles throughout life and I'm no different. My full name is Aumua Amataupulevasegaotupu Talileleia Catherine Bernadette Coleman Radewagen but most people just call me "Amata" or "Aumua" or both and I'd be pleased if you did the same. Please don't disrespect my Pago Pago title as Faleomavaega and Lisa Williams seem to do at campaign time.

FACT#5. As to verification or proof, that has already been covered by me and reported by the Trib. Getting the idea in front of the majority staff was the most important thing. Having worked closely with the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee professional staff members (that's the title they're given) from 1997-1999 I can tell you that these extremely bright folks do not need to have a map drawn for them when you bring tax issues to them. They know their stuff. You'd have to ask our Delegate how it's done on the minority side, but on the majority leadership side where I worked, Professional Staff Members on key committees such as W&M make almost the same salary as a Congressman - that's how good they are.

The point that can't be denied is that I proposed this employment credit publicly before the Delegate did and he can't tolerate the fact that he's not in control. As to bragging and not saying "Thank You" to God, don't even go there. We are deeply Christian people so we thank God at length for everything everyday. This is why we have 400 churches in these islands alone. I thanked our people and leaders in an earlier statement and also expressed my gratitude to House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas, whom I first met back in the mid 1990s when I worked for the House W&M Committee Vice Chairman who also chaired the powerful tax writing Subcommittee on Trade, Congressman Phil Crane. My relationship with Bill Thomas is fine. Our Delegate should worry about his own relationships.

In conclusion, I believe you missed some nuances of this tax benefit issue but my request is, please don't misstate things that have already been misstated publicly by another individual because it only worsens the situation.

Thanks again for your time and interest in our federal race. Let me offer you a sincere open invitation to sit down and discuss issues of concern to our people. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised to find that I'm not the person you've perhaps unintentionally made me out to be in your editorial.

AMATA AUMUA