Posted on 08/15/2006 7:49:43 PM PDT by coconutt2000
Tours of the canneries and part of the National Park of American Samoa in Vatia is being planned for members of the U.S. House Committee on International Relations that are arriving on Wednesday. Their actual time of arrival has not yet been confirmed.
The delegation, headed by committee chairman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), includes Congressman Faleomavaega Eni, Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Melvin Watt (D-N.C.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and support staff, will be on island for five to six hours. They have already visited the Philippines and South Korea.
The governor said on his weekend radio program the delegation will be hosted at an ava ceremony at Pago Pago village followed by a tour of the canneries. He said one of the big issues being discussed in congress is the tax credit that affects the two canneries.
On July 28, the US House passed a tax measure which includes a two-year extension of possession tax credits for American Samoa's canneries. The tax credit is being resurrected under 30A, no longer under IRC Section 936 Faleomavaega announced at the time.
Unable to reach cloture in the U.S. Senate, the bill containing the 30A tax credit is now on hold in the Senate until they return from recess in September.
Cloture is a procedure which allows the Senate to consider a bill without dissecting it for amendment or debate. Failing to reach cloture means the bill cannot be voted on as is and, if considered, would be open to debate or amendment, Faleomavaega explained.
The governor said it's important that the delegation is aware of the canneries importance to the local economy as well as the people of American Samoa for now and the future, so they can further support Faleomavaega's efforts in Congress on the tax credit.
He said the tax credit is important not only to the canneries, but for other companies the government is trying to attract, to do business in American Samoa. He hopes the delegation will witness for themselves that American Samoa is trying to attract new investors to help diversify the local economy.
Togiola also said the visit will give the delegation a chance to view firsthand how American Samoa is using federal funds and they will return to Washington with the knowledge that these funds are used properly for local developments.
The delegation will also tour part of the National Park in Vatia. Togiola said it is important that the congressional members see for themselves the usefulness of this park should Congress be asked to support any future request from us to extend the current 50 year lease. The current lease was approved by Congress in 1980.
The delegation is also expected to visit the Konelio Pele Army Reserve Center.
Togiola urged residents, especially road side villagers - from the airport up to Vatia - to do their part in cleaning up their yards and villages, so that the congressional members will leave with a positive picture of American Samoa being a beautiful and clean territory.
Last Friday, the Beautify Your Environmental committee, headed by First Lady Mrs. Maryann Tulafono, were seen cleaning portions of the town area in the rain and the governor congratulated the committee for doing their part in beautifying American Samoa.
Reach the reporter at fili@samoanews.com
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