Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga is pleased and very happy to announce that the American Samoa Government has just received $35,173,619.50 from the US Treasury Department pursuant to Section 601(b) of the Social Security Act, as added by Section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

These funds will be used to cover costs that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will also be used to cover costs not accounted for in the federal budget most recently approved as of Mar. 27, 2020 and were incurred during the period that begins Mar. 1, 2020 and ends on Dec. 30, 2020.

“I am very grateful and thankful to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for making sure that the needs of the further most of its insular areas are met and satisfied,” said Gov. Lolo.

“I also wish to thank the Department of Interior and its Office of Insular and International Affairs along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the US Department of Treasury for making sure that the needs of American Samoa are articulated at the highest level,” continued Gov. Lolo.

Lastly, the Governor expressed his appreciation to ASG Treasurer Ueligitone Tonumaipe’a and his staff for their quick actions in applying for and compelling the prompt release of these funds to address the financial needs of the American Samoa Government as it continues to implement programs and activities to push for the continued advancement of our collective objective not to lose one life to the clutches of the COVID-19 pandemic.