[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 146 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HISTORICAL RECORD ON PASSAGE OF FALEOMAVAEGA'S LEGISLATION TO INCREASE 
    THE NUMBER OF MILITARY ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS FROM AMERICAN SAMOA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 3, 2014

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include, for 
historical purposes, the following information on the passage of 
legislation to increase the number of military academy appointments 
from American Samoa.

                     [Press Release, Nov. 24, 2003]

    President Signs into Law Legislation Faleomavaega Introduced to 
  Increase the Number of Military Academy Appointments from American 
                                 Samoa

       Congressman Faleomavaega announced that President Bush 
     signed into law today the National Defense Authorization Act 
     for FY04 which included language Faleomavaega offered to 
     increase the number of military academy appointments from 
     American Samoa.
       On May 7, 2003, the House Subcommittee on Total Force 
     unanimously voted in favor of my amendment to increase the 
     number of military academy appointments from America Samoa to 
     the U.S. Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, 
     and the United States Air Force Academy, Congressman 
     Faleomavaega said. On May 9, 2003, the Armed Services 
     Committee also agreed to include this language in the 
     National Defense Authorization Act of 2004.
       This legislation passed the House on May 22, 2003 and the 
     Senate and the House agreed to the conference report as of 
     November 12, 2004. I am now pleased that President Bush has 
     signed this historic legislation into law. As a result of 
     this new law, American Samoa will be able to send two 
     students to each service academy. Prior to this law being 
     passed, American Samoa was only able to send one student to 
     each academy.
       This also means that I will be able to nominate up to 
     twenty students per academy. Each academy scholarship is 
     worth approximately $250,000 and each service academy is 
     ranked among the top rated educational institutions in the 
     U.S. Given that American Samoa has a population of about 
     60,000, a per capita income of less than $4,500 and almost 
     5,000 men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Services, I am 
     pleased that we may be able to offer more students the 
     opportunity to attend one of our nations prestigious military 
     academies.
       At this time, I want to thank my colleagues, both 
     Democratic and Republican, for supporting my initiative to 
     increase American Samoa's academy appointments and, again, I 
     commend President Bush for signing this important legislation 
     into law, the Congressman concluded.

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