Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The U.S Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) proposed budget for the new fiscal year 2024 includes a request for $28.1 million to support American Samoa government operations, according to the FY2024 OIA budget summary document released last week — the same day President Joe Biden laid out his annual 2024 budget blueprint.

Data in the summary budget document shows that American Samoa received $27.1 million in FY 2022, while $28.1 million was approved for the current fiscal year 2023. And the same amount — $28.1 million — is requested for FY 2024, which begins on Oct. 1, 2023.

OIA said in the budget document that the economies in the Insular Areas — American Samoa and other U.S territories —  are small, isolated,
and dependent on one or two main sources of income. In most areas, Federal programs and grants represent a major contribution to the economy.

“OIA strengthens insular economies through strategic investments in infrastructure, public services, and technical assistance, which attracts private sector investment,” it says.

ASSISTANCE TO TERRITORIES

According to OIA, the 2024 budget includes $120.8 million for the main account, Assistance to Territories. Within this account, the budget contains $61.0 million for Territorial Assistance programs, which consists of $10.8 million for OIA operations, including financial oversight efforts; $23.3 million for Technical Assistance, an increase of $1.0 million for Climate Resiliency grants; $4.4 million for Maintenance Assistance; $3.5 million for the Coral Reef and Natural Resources Initiative, an increase of $900,000; $15.5 million for Energizing Insular Communities; and $3.5 million for Brown Tree Snake Control.

Furthermore, the budget includes $28.1 million for American Samoa Operations support, and the request for the Capital Improvement Project grant program is $31.7 million, of which $27.7 million is current mandatory funding and $4.0 million is discretionary funding.

“This is the first time the budget has included discretionary funding for Capital Improvement Projects, which will further support critical infrastructure projects in the territories,” the summary budget document notes.

In a separate news release, DOI said that President Biden’s FY 2024 budget includes $537 million in funding for OIA. The budget proposal would fund initiatives benefitting fellow Americans in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and support certain programs for the freely associated states: the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau.

“President Biden has proposed an important blueprint for our country’s future that reflects the importance of science, equity and collaboration in carrying out the Department of the Interior’s important missions,” Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor is quoted in the news release.

 “The 2024 budget request makes critical, targeted investments in the American people and in the Territories that will promote greater prosperity and economic growth for decades to come. For the Insular Areas, the budget will provide for investments in infrastructure, energy resiliency and security, and promote racial justice and equity in underserved communities allowing Interior to fulfill its responsibilities in the Pacific and the Caribbean,” she said.

OIA news release and summary budget document online (www.doi.gov/oia).