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American Samoa

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About Faleomavaega

Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega was born in Vailoatai Village, American Samoa on August 15, 1943 and holds the matai, or chieftain, orator title of Faleomavaega.  He graduated from Kahuku High School, Hawaii in 1962 and later earned an Associate of Arts (AA) at Brigham Young University at Laie, Hawaii, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  Faleomavaega also holds a Juris Doctorate (JD) from the University of Houston Law School and a Master of Law (LLM) from the University of California at Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law.

Congressman Faleomavaega served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. From 1982-1989, Faleomavaega served as a member of the100th Battalion 442nd Infantry Reserve Unit and was a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.

From 1975-1981, Congressman Faleomavaega worked for the U.S. House of Representatives as Legal Counsel for the Resources Subcommittee on Interior and Insular Affairs which had oversight for American Samoa and all other U.S. Insular areas.  At the time, Democrats were the Majority party and Congressman Phil Burton (D-CA) was Chairman of the Subcommittee.  As Legal Counsel to the Subcommittee, Faleomavaega was responsible for drafting legislation to provide American Samoa with an elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor and that the Territory of American Samoa be represented in the United States Congress by a Delegate to the House of Representatives. 

Upon the advice of Paramount Chief Letuli, Faleomavaega returned to American Samoa to "eat the dust and walk on the rocks," or to serve at home.  From 1981-1984, Eni Faleomavaega served as the Deputy Attorney General of American Samoa.  From 1985-1988, he served as Lieutenant Governor.  In 1988, he successfully ran for the U.S. Congress and, from 1989 to present, he has served as American Samoa's Representative to the United States House of Representatives. 

Congressman Faleomavaega is a senior Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.  Faleomavaega is also one of the most senior members of the House Committee on Natural Resources which has jurisdiction for American Samoa and other U.S. Insular Areas. 

Congressman Faleomavaega is the author of Navigating the Future: A Samoan Perspective on U.S.-Pacific Relations and was a crew member of the Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hokule'a, which sailed from Tahiti to Hawaii in 1987. Congressman Faleomavaega also sailed on the Rainbow Warrior in protest of French nuclear testing in Polynesia.

He is married to Hinanui Bambridge Cave of Papeete, Tahiti.  They have five children and five grandchildren.


AMERICAN SAMOA
P.O. Box Drawer X
Pago Pago, AS
96799
ph (684) 633-1372
fax (684) 633-2680

WASHINGTON, DC
2422 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC
20515
ph (202) 225-8577
fax (202) 225-8757