By Jayvee Vallejera
The successful amendments to the Compacts of Free Association between the United States and the freely associated states are marred by delays in implementing some parts of that agreement, prompting the U.S. House of Representatives to hold an oversight hearing to examine these delays and find out what’s being done to get them back on track.
In an oversight hearing by the Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs on Sept. 10, American Samoa Rep. Uifa’atali Amata Radewagen, panel chair, said she was “gravely concerned” that some key provisions of the COFA Amendments Act of 2024 have not been implemented in a timely manner “consistent with the clearly expressed intent of the U.S. Congress."
Rep. Bruce Westerman, chair of the Natural Resources Committee, described the delays as “alarming,” especially in terms of commitments made to extend U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs services to the remote FAS.
The delay was “unacceptable but somewhat not surprising,” Westerman said, accusing the VA of forgetting “that their job is to serve all veterans.”
Citizens of Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia are known to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and enlist at higher rates per capita than any U.S. state.
In addition to delays in delivering veterans’ services to the FAS, the Biden administration also has yet to transmit a new signed Federal Programs and Services Agreement, or FPSA, with Palau, even as the current FPSA expires on Sept. 30, Westerman said.
On top of that, he said, the administration has yet to complete FPSA negotiations with the Marshall Islands.
Westerman also pointed out that the Biden administration must convene the Interagency Group authorized by Congress to improve interagency coordination and communication on implementing the COFA.
In his opening statement, Taylor Ruggles, senior advisor for COFA Implementation at the U.S. State Department, immediately addressed some of Westerman’s concerns.
He reported that the U.S. and Palau have completed a new FPSA and are now finalizing the agreement’s text for signing by both sides. He hopes to have that signed in the coming weeks. He also said they are “very close” to finalizing the FPAS with the Marshall Islands.
The FPAS lays out the specific services and programs the United States will provide to each of the countries in the FAS, including funding assistance and support for government services like health, education, postal service, defense and infrastructure.
Ruggles also told the subcommittee that the IAG that was created to smoothen collaboration between federal agencies and the FAS already met last April and took up COFA-related matters. He said the IAG will meet again on Sept. 12 to receive updates on what the U.S. is doing in implementing COFA.
He agrees that the passage of the COFA Amendments last March materially strengthened the relationships between the U.S. and the FAS and that the State Department is aware of the challenges facing the FAS, the tremendous economic pressures on these countries, and China’s increasing activities in the region, primarily through economic aid and proposed security arrangements.
At the start of the hearing, Radewagen said the timely passage of the COFA Amendments Act and successful renewal of the COFA agreements not only speaks of the United States’ commitment to preserving its special relationship with its FAS allies, but also plays a key role in countering the “maligned” activities of the Chinese Communist Party of China in the Pacific region.
“There is still more left to be done. The U.S. must remain committed to following through on obligations promised under the COFA Amendments Act,” she added. “Oversight and accountability will ensure that the COFA agreements continue to serve as the pillar of our relationship with the FAS for the decades to come, signaling to the region that the U.S. remains a reliable and committed partner.”
Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Teresa Fernandez described the signing of the COFA Amendments Act as a milestone in the relationship between the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific, but that doesn’t mean the work is done: “Now we must make sure that the United States implements, because the signed document is not enough. We need to make sure that we implement the commitments we made in the renewed Compacts.”
Biden signed the CIFA Amendments Act of 2024 in March.
According to a news release Radewagen’s office released, Tuesday’s hearing made clear that implementing the COFA agreements is vital to maintaining the United States' partnership with its allies in the Indo-Pacific and deterring the CCP’s increasing aggression in the region.
The hearing allowed members to hear directly from administration officials how the Biden-Harris administration plans to address and end delays in these important responsibilities under the COFA Amendments Act of 2024. The subcommittee also heard from the FAS ambassadors to the U.S. on the necessity of these services and prompt implementation.
Witnesses included Palau Ambassador to the U.S. Hersey Kyota; FSM Ambassador to the U.S.s Jackson Soram; and Marshall Islands Ambassador to the U.S. Charles Paul.
Besides Ruggles, the subcommittee also questioned John Brewer, Director, Office of Insular and International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior; Anka Lee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, U.S. Department of Defense; and Dr. Miguel LaPuz, Special Assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary for Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
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