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Amata's Journal

U.S. HOUSE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS BEGIN

 

There is so much to do at home that it was hard getting on the plane Monday night but I really had no choice because the earliest I could arrive was Wednesday morning for orientation that began Wednesday afternoon. But first was a long layover in Honolulu, which gave me a chance to meet with Kitty Simonds, the executive director of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council. Kitty and I go way back to when I was on Fuimaono's staff and she was working for Sen. Hiram Fong (R-HI) in Washington. Years later I served a term representing American Samoa on one of her advisory committees.

 

Kitty bought me up to speed on the problems her members face under President Obama's Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM), which I hope to take up with House Republican leaders as an early priority. Kitty also advised me she will be coming to Apia for a fisheries meeting in late November to go over a full range of issues and I hope to be able to join her.

 

After a brief layover in Honolulu, it was off to Washington via a long overnight leg to Chicago. On the plane, I had the chance to read over the nearly 100-page briefing book that covered all the things I need to know to start American Samoa's congressional office.

 

It is not a simple matter of me walking into Eni's office and just taking over.

 

No, his office dissolves on December 31 and he and his staff depart. Offices come in various shapes and sizes and every two years, returning members have the opportunity of taking over better office space from departing members. It is a whole chain of moves with freshmen getting the less desirable space. One of our earliest tasks was for Pulu and I to look at available space so we can make our choice when the time comes next week after we participate in a lottery. There are almost 70 new members so I am hoping to get a low number to get a good office.

 

Pulu and I then drove to the Capitol Hill Hotel, the venue for the orientation, where I was invited to lunch by Congressman Sablan, the delegate from the Northern Mariana Islands who is beginning his fourth term. I have known the congressman, whose nickname is Kilili, for many years and look forward to collaborating with him on issues of mutual interest. Kilili gave me some great tips of what to look for in orientation.

 

We started off with a reception co-hosted by the chairman and Ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Administration. Although we will have breakout session by party, most of our briefings are bipartisan, which is good. It gives us a chance to begin building relationships with members from the other party before political rancor sets in once Congress comes into session.

 

Because I have to meet the Samoa News filing deadline, I will have to wait until next week to tell you about our dinner with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), which was scheduled to be held in Statuary Hall in the Capitol Building Thursday evening. I regret this dinner directly conflicts with the wake for my mentor and one-time boss, former Rep. Phil Crane (R-IL), who was dean of the Republican Conference when he retired in 2005. I had very much hoped Phil would be present for my swearing in next month. This is the first of what I expect will be many hard choices I will have to make over the next two years as I have to decide which events have the best chance to help American Samoa.

 

This afternoon, we were to have driven to Pittsburgh where I have been invited by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu to be his guest at his foundation's annual charity luau. More about that event next week as well.

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