Pence Taps American Samoa Congresswoman to Join Transition Executive Body

News Release from Office of Rep Aumua Amata Radewagen, (R-AS)

Washington, D.C. –Saturday, Vice President-elect Mike Pence appointed Congresswoman Aumua Amata to the Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee.

“Amata is a great friend and colleague and I am delighted she will be joining our team,” said Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn, a senior Member of Congress from Tennessee, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. "This decision advances a commitment President-elect Trump made last spring to not forget the territories once elected.”

VP-elect Pence and Congresswoman Amata in the U.S. Capitol last month

Radewagen can be expected to be looked to as a key advisor on issues concerning the U.S. territories and Asian Pacific American (APA) communities.

As the highest ranking elected Republican federal official of APA heritage and as a Trump delegate to the Republican National Convention last summer, Amata is ideally suited to serve this powerful role within this prominent group of decision-makers.

Having served on President George W. Bush’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and as the current Vice Chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Native Alaskan Affairs, the Congresswoman is very familiar with leadership in both the Caribbean and Pacific territories and stateside APA communities.

The Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee is a body composed of national business, government and political leaders who are guiding the work of teams that have been dispatched to the White House and various government departments and agencies to coordinate with current Administration officials the smooth handover of the reins of government on January 20th.  In addition to Rep. Blackburn, the Committee includes a number of other members of Congress, incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and First Daughter Ivanka Trump.

"Governor Pence and I discussed this possibility when we met recently, and I'm pleased and honored to be selected by him to join the team,” said Amata.   “Following my conversation with the VP- elect, I spoke with my good friend Marsha Blackburn who saw the value for the territories and APA communities to have a voice on the Committee.”

Last month, Radewagen was re-elected for a second term to her House seat, having received the most votes for a candidate of any territory-wide office in the history of American Samoa. Amata first came into office by defeating a 22 year Democrat incumbent, in what has historically been a very “blue” territory.  Her selection to the Committee may be the first time a Pacific Islander has been part of the inner circle of a presidential transition.

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