WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech applauds President Trump and Congress for signing the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, Public Law 116-94, which includes among other things funding increases for key programs provided by the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) to the insular areas, and provides temporary increases in Medicaid funding for the territories.

“The President has signed budget and defense authorization legislation that includes several provisions important to our work and for the people in the insular areas,” said Assistant Secretary Domenech. “We appreciate the President and Congress for their mindfulness and attention in providing funding and support for the U.S. territories and freely associated states.”

Additional details on the highlights for American Samoa are as follows:

OFFICE OF INSULAR AFFAIRS BUDGET INCREASES: The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) received a $2.2 million increase in its budget for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The OIA programs that received additional funding for FY 2020 are Energizing Insular Communities, American Samoa Operations, the Maintenance Assistance Program, the Coral Reef and Natural Resources Initiative, and the Enewetak Program.

MEDICAID: The FY 2020 budget included several important changes with respect to Medicaid for the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The key change provides a temporary increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) from the statutory level currently set at 55 percent to the maximum of 83 percent, two figures both set by law under the Social Security Act. The change takes effect for the period beginning December 21, 2019 and ending September 30, 2021.

The full text of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94) is available at: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr1865/BILLS-116hr1865enr.pdf

The full text of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92) is available at: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s1790/BILLS-116s1790enr.pdf