Amata Highlights National Park of American Samoa During National Park Week

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is highlighting the beautiful National Park of American Samoa during National Park Week. Typically held in April, park week was moved to August this year to align with this week's National Park Service's 110^th birthday, celebrated August 25^th. National Park Week is an annual celebration of gorgeous natural landscapes, viewpoints, hiking trails, shorelines, historic battlefields, and protected wildlife and woodland areas.

Recent ASG photo with Park Liaison Pua Tuaua, Lt Governor Pulumataala, and Park Superintendent Paul PT Lathrop

"Our National Park of American Samoa emphasizes special places within our beautiful islands, showcases our ancient culture, and protects wildlife and bird habitat," said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. "Thank you to our entire Park team, and happy birthday to the National Park Service and all its personnel. Thank you also to all our people who take personal care and responsibility in the seemingly small choices that cumulatively do so much to help our islands stay beautiful, whether in or out of the Park borders."

American Samoa and its National Park has birds such as the Ti'otola (bright-plumed Pacific kingfishers and flat-billed kingfishers of regional varieties that differ from those elsewhere), while rugged Pola Island, offshore from Vatia, is among American Samoa's nesting sites for tropical seabirds including the Fua'o (brown and red-footed boobies), and Ta'i'o (shearwaters) as part of a rich diversity of species, with local and migratory birds from as far as Alaska, like the Bristle-thighed Curlew.

The National Park of American Samoa has several unique and rare features within the national system. It is the only one in the South Pacific, so it has plants and species not found anywhere else in the United States. It is also a multi-site Park, within several islands, and it protects certain offshore coral reefs.

The NPS is part of the Department of the Interior, under the jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Committee, where Amata serves as Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, and serves on the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. The United States has 63 National Parks and 433 total sites, and National Park Week is an initiative of the NPS and the National Park Foundation.

In related legislation, Amata is an original cosponsor of the Committee-passed bipartisan America the Beautiful Act, H.R. 9250, also known as the Great American Outdoors Act 250, which has since its introduction attracted the public support of well more than half of the House of Representatives. This bill builds on the original GAOA, signed into law in 2020, a landmark generational investment in national parks and public lands, and reauthorizes its Legacy Restoration Fund at $1.9 billion yearly to maintain, restore, and improve parks and related infrastructure. Notably, the bill states that "amounts remaining in the Fund after the allocations required under subparagraph (A) may be allocated for transportation projects of the covered agencies, including paved and unpaved roads, bridges (etc.) …"

Also, Amata is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan EXPLORE Act (Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act), which became law on January 4, 2025. This Congress, the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act was passed by the House 279-141 and awaits a Senate vote.

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