Two American Samoa lawmakers are calling for support from a regional association on Congressman Faleomavaega Eni’s American Samoa Protection of Industry, Resources and Employment (ASPIRE) bill now pending in the U.S. House. ASPIRE provides subsidies to the canneries and fishing vessels for direct delivery of whole tuna to the canneries in American Samoa.

The subsidies are funded with fees placed in a trust fund administered by the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI).

Territorial Sen. Lemanu P. Mauga and Rep. Galu Satele Jr., sponsored a resolution, asking the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL) to support the ASPIRE bill, which was the subject of a U.S. House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife hearing last month.

The resolution was introduced yesterday during day-two of the 50th Meeting of the APIL board of directors currently hosted by Hawai’i, said Satele via e-mail from Honolulu. The APIL resolution would support the ASPIRE legislation.

Satele said ASPIRE is very important to American Samoa and the support of APIL will further support the territory’s push for passage of the measure. He said the resolution Lemanu and he sponsored requests APIL to support a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to support the ASPIRE bill, that will greatly assist American Samoa with development especially in the area of cannery and fishery industries.

Also introduced yesterday were two other resolutions sponsored by the American Samoa delegation: a resolution extending the APIL’s condolences and sympathy to widow Sive Matautia Liufau for the passing of the late Sen. Liufau Sonoma, who was a member of the APIL board of directors from 2005 to 2008. Liufau passed away in August.

The third resolution extends APIL’s thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross and all other non-profit, faith-based organizations, who contributed and assisted in the recovery efforts in American Samoa following the Sept. 29 earthquake and tsunami, said Satele.

Once the resolutions are approved they will then be transmitted to all respective agencies and groups cited in each resolution. At press time last night there was no confirmation from Honolulu on the status of the resolutions.

The APIL board meeting, held at the Hawai’i state Legislature, opened on Tuesday and closes today with a tour this afternoon of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach and a farewell reception tonight at the Waikiki Aquarium.

Some of the issues on the agenda for discussion include efforts to streamline Compact Impact reimbursements by the federal government; medical libraries and future grants for AYUDA Foundation; update from APIL members on the services to the islands provided by Reach Out Pacific (REAPAC) and discussions about the Pacific Islands Development Bank (PIDB).

APIL has been unable to convince American Samoa to be a member of PIDB and every year has urged local leaders to join. There is a $1 million membership fee requirement.

American Samoa is bound up in the history of PIDB. It was in American Samoa that PIDB was first discussed and approved by the Association when the territory hosted a meeting of APIL in about 1986.

The process for American Samoa to join PIDB must be through a resolution by the territorial government, approved by both the Fono and the Executive Branch.

REAPAC, a Honolulu-based non-profit group headed by Hawai’i Rep. Glen Wakai, has provided a wide range of support for American Samoa through donations.

Also traveling with Lemanu and Satele to Honolulu is American Samoa’s Secretariat to APIL, Ricky Salanoa.