Radewagen meets with FSM President Simina on Pacific veterans’ issues

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Uifa’atali Amata Radewagen (R-A. Samoa) met with Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley Simina last Wednesday as a follow up to the recent passage of the Compact of Free Association Agreements with FSM, Palau, and the Marshall Islands to discuss implementation, especially related to improving veterans’ healthcare treatment for all Pacific islanders, including American Samoa, Guam, the CNMI, and all three Freely Associated States.

“Improving the efficiency of healthcare for all of our Pacific veterans is a top priority for our American Samoan veterans and their band of brothers and sisters throughout the Pacific islands,” said Radewagen. “Most of that care is and will continue to be handled in Hawaii, and I am committed as vice chairman of the Veterans Committee to make sure proper staffing and appointment time slots are available to our veterans travelling to Hawaii from such long distances.

“Veterans’ Committee chairman Mike Bost is a great supporter of all our veterans in the Pacific and around the globe and he has assured me he will continue to work with me to enhance Pacific veterans care. Chairman Bost understands the challenges of great distances that Pacific island veterans face,” she added.

Radewagen appreciates the opportunity to meet with Simina once again on veterans’ priorities, and Simina thanked the congresswoman for her work as chairman of the Natural Resources Committee’s Task Force on the Indo-Pacific that helped develop the national security agreements between the United States and Micronesia.

“Our national security is only as good as the quality of care that we deliver to our veterans,” said Radewagen. (PR)