Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs is scheduled to hold an oversight field hearing in American Samoa in February 2008 during the week of the President’s Day holiday.  Under the leadership of Chairwoman Donna Christensen (D-VI), the Subcommittee plans to hear testimonies and comments from the leaders and residents of American Samoa especially on the issue of the Federal minimum wage law.

“This is part of the subcommittee’s series of hearings which includes other hearings conducted earlier this year in Saipan and Guam, and I am very grateful that Chairwoman Donna Christensen and other Members of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs have accepted my invitation to visit American Samoa,” Faleomavaega said. 

“The fact that American Samoa is about 8,000 miles away from Washington, DC is a problem in getting the attention of federal agencies and the Congress.  But I am extremely pleased that Chairwoman Christensen will be coming to American Samoa, and we have not held a Congressional field hearing for some time now – and her presence is part of her commitment to assist our insular territories.”

 “This subcommittee hearing will focus specifically on the issue of minimum wage relative to the impact on the economy of American Samoa.  Members of the subcommittee will have a chance to review the Department of Labor’s economic status report, expected to be released next month and it is a good opportunity to revisit and address some of the contentious elements in the minimum wage issue,” Faleomavaega concluded.