Amata Congratulates 75 Graduates of ASCC, Highlights Funding Efforts

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is congratulating the 75 graduates of the American Samoa Community College (ASCC). The college held its 84^th Commencement Ceremony on Friday in the Taeaoafua Gymnasium at Kanana Fou. Amata is thanking President Dr. Rosevonne Pato, and those taking part in officiating, including Pastor Francis Lolesio, and keynote speaker Agriculture Director Daniel Elisara Helsham, an ASCC alumnus, who also holds a Bachelor's from Chaminade University, Honolulu, and a Master's from Texas Tech University.

Amata Congratulating Graduates
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"I am delighted to be able to attend ASCC Commencement in honor of our graduates and their proud families. Congratulations to each graduate on this wonderful accomplishment, as you now have an education that lasts a lifetime and will serve your future well. Congratulations also to each parent, family member, and mentor in guiding any of these lives. Thank you to President Dr. Rosevonne Pato, and all the faculty and staff of the college for your roles in providing an education for these graduates and the rest of our current and future students. We appreciate all the planners and staff ensuring the commencement went well, and especially keynote speaker Director Helsham, and Pastor Lolesio. Their words and examples are excellent guidelines for these departing graduates. To each graduate, you earned your applause at the commencement, and we are all cheering you on in your next steps. We know your Samoan values, including family, faith and prayer will be a strong foundation for your continued growth ahead."

For 2026, Congresswoman Amata secured $3 million for ASCC, specified by Congress through the yearly ASG Operations Fund out of the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA). This fund receives $29 million for American Samoa in 2026 through Interior Appropriations, and Amata has repeated her request in Congress for 2027, and testified to the Appropriations Committee for this priority in March. At Amata's requests, Congress has boosted the annual amount American Samoa receives for this fund seven times for over $6.3 million growth since fiscal year 2018, which allows $3.3 million for other functions while supporting the college with the amount designated for ASCC.

Also in March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act, H.R. 6472, a bipartisan bill Amata is co-leading, and a policy she has helped champion in previous Congresses, that would guarantee in-state University tuition rates for territory students, including ASCC and high school graduates, choosing to pursue four-year degrees within the United States. The U.S. Senate must also pass this bill for it to become law.

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