[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 21, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF REP. ENI FALEOMAVAEGA OF AMERICAN SAMOA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 21, 2017

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of my 
good friend and our former colleague from American Samoa, Congressman 
Eni Faleomavaega, who passed away on February 22, 2017. Throughout his 
26 years here in the House of Representatives, Eni was a tireless 
champion for the people of American Samoa, an advocate for the U.S. 
territories, and leader on issues affecting the Asian American and 
Pacific Islander community. He was also a leader on the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee on issues important to the Asia-Pacific region. More 
importantly, he got leaders in Congress and in administration after 
administration to focus on the importance of the Pacific Islands. We 
are often overlooked in grand Asia strategy but he got policymakers to 
understand our importance to the world community.
  I am proud to have worked with Eni on a number of issues that impact 
the Asia-Pacific region and the 4.5 million Americans living in the 
territories. For much of my time here in Congress, Eni was the longest 
serving representative from a U.S. territory, so he was the Dean of 
what we refer to as our Territorial Caucus. I leaned on his advice and 
appreciated his insightful perspectives that were grounded in not only 
his almost three decades as a Member of Congress, but also his work in 
public service as American Samoa's Lieutenant Governor and Deputy 
Attorney General, as a staffer here on Capitol Hill, and service in the 
U.S. Army. He, like many Members in this body, fought hard to secure 
much needed federal funding for American Samoa. Eni had a broad vision 
but never forgot his constituents. He never forgot the people that gave 
him the privilege to serve in this esteemed body. His depth of 
knowledge and compassion for the less fortunate were evident to 
everyone he met, and I will look back fondly on the work that we did 
together in Congress.
  Eni's passing is a great loss for the people of American Samoa and 
all Americans, and we are all better for having known him. I extend my 
sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and the people of 
American Samoa, and I join them in celebrating his memory. I thank my 
colleague from American Samoa, Congresswoman Radewagen for organizing 
this Special Order, so that this body can appropriately honor and pay 
tribute to Congressman Faleomavaega for his years of dedicated service 
to his constituents and to our nation. He is deeply missed, but he will 
forever be remembered by all who he served.

                          ____________________