Federal judge blocks President’s freeze, depts awaits info

US President Donald Trump

American Samoa Government departments and non-profit organisations receiving federal grants are scrambling to get information from their federal grantors about how the freeze ordered by President Trump will impact local services and personnel.

Talanei News reports that several were having conference calls this week with their federal partners to get more information.

The Acting Director of the Department of Human and Social Services Panisia Neueli said they were trying to drawdown approved federal grants. There was also a conference call with their funders for guidelines on how their programmes would continue.

Trump Administration officials have said federal assistance to individuals would not be affected, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid food stamps, student loans, Pell grants and scholarships.

Just minutes before the freeze was to take effect a federal judge, U.S District Court Judge Loren Alkhan blocked the action. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until next Monday.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Governor’s Office regarding any measures in response to the freeze were not successful.

This morning in the House of Representative Rep Larry Sanitoa said that with 80 percent-90 percent of the ASG budget coming from federal grants services and personnel will be greatly impacted.

KHJ News received reports that portals used by grantees to drawdown federal funds were temporarily frozen earlier this morning. They were open a few hours later.

Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata issued a statement reassuring the people of American Samoa that congressional grants are likely to continue following a brief review of federal spending that is in the pipeline, including billions in spending that President Biden ordered in his final days in office.

“President Trump’s order creates a review by the Office of Management and Budget with a working date of 10 February,” “American Samoa relies on federal support including grants for services. Many are yearly grants, so those local services should go forward, and I expect prompt federal resolution as Congress and the administration work on the President’s concerns. The President does have a clear responsibility to review spending and prevent waste, but Congress must ensure that funding mandated under the law takes place.”

She continued, “I understand the President’s urgency to get our massive national debt spending under control, and this nationwide order will be a temporary effort to rapidly assess spending and address waste, goals he campaigned on, then release important funding very soon. Much of federal spending is mandated by law, while in some cases the executive might have leeway to spend ‘up to’ the upper limit set by Congress. So, aspects of this order could be tested in the courts.”

The congresswoman said she will be transparent about whatever she learns regarding how this can affect American Samoa. She stated, “As always, I will work to secure what American Samoa needs and ensure we are fairly treated with the states.