Eni Faleomavaega | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives fromAmerican Samoa'sat-large district | |
| In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Fofó Sunia |
| Succeeded by | Amata Coleman Radewagen |
| 3rdLieutenant Governor of American Samoa | |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 2, 1989 | |
| Governor | A. P. Lutali |
| Preceded by | Tufele Liamatua |
| Succeeded by | Galea'i Peni Poumele |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eni Fa'aua'a HunkinFaleomavaega Jr. (1943-08-15)August 15, 1943 |
| Died | February 22, 2017(2017-02-22) (aged 73) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Hinanui Bambridge Cave |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | BYU–Hawaii(AA) BYU(BA) University of Houston(JD) UC Berkeley(LLM) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch | |
| Years of service | 1966–1969 (Active) 1982–1990 (Reserve) |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment |
| Conflict | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Commendation Medal |
Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. (/ˈɛniːfəˌleɪ.oʊmɑːvəˈɛŋɡə/EH-nee fə-LAY-oh-mah-və-ENG-gə; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was anAmerican Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's thirdlieutenant governor from 1985 to 1989 andnon-voting delegate to theUnited States House of Representatives from 1989 to 2015.[1][2] As a delegate, Faleomavaega served incommittees and spoke on the House floor; however, he was not permitted to vote on the final passage of any legislation. He was the father-in-law of former professionalAmerican footballfullbackFui Vakapuna.
Throughout his career, Faleomavaega was an advocate for greater autonomy and self-determination for American Samoa. He worked towards achieving a status of free association with the United States, similar to the relationship between theCook Islands andNew Zealand, to address what he referred to as "colonial abuse" in the territory. Additionally, he sought to diversify American Samoa's economy to reduce its dependency on federal support. One of his legislative achievements included securing $4 million annually for scholarships enabling American Samoan students to attend colleges and universities in the United States.[3]
Eni Faleomavaega's parents were Eni and Taualai Faaua’ā Hunkin. His father served as a member of the Fitafita Guard and later as a communications specialist for the U.S. Navy, a role that led the family to reside onSwains Island. Faleomavaega spent his early years on the islands ofTutuila and Swains. Following the U.S. Navy's withdrawal from American Samoa in 1951, the family relocated toLāʻie,Hawaii.[4]
In 1995, he authoredNavigating the Future: A Samoan Perspective in U.S.-Pacific Relations, a book examining American Samoa’s political and social framework. In 1987, he participated in a significant cultural journey aboard the Hokule’a, a Polynesian voyaging canoe, sailing fromTahiti to Hawai’i.[4]
The title "Faleomavaega" was conferred upon him by his Faiivae family inLeone. He married Hinanui Bambridge Cave ofPapeete,French Polynesia, and they had five children.[4]
Faleomavaega was born inVailoatai, American Samoa and grew up inOahu, Hawaii. He graduated fromKahuku High School and initially attendedChurch College of Hawaii (now Brigham Young University–Hawaii), where he completed hisassociate's degree. He then transferred toBrigham Young University's main campus inUtah and earned aB.A. inpolitical science andhistory in 1966. He received hisJ.D. from theUniversity of Houston Law Center in 1972 andLL.M. from theUC Berkeley School of Law in 1973.
He served as anenlistee in theUnited States Army from 1966 to 1969, and as an officer in theUnited States Army Reserve from 1982 to 1989. He completed a tour in theVietnam War[5] and left the military with the rank ofcaptain following his second term of service. He and his wife were active members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[6]
Faleomavaega served as the administrative assistant to American Samoa DelegateA. U. Fuimaono from 1973 to 1975 and as staff counsel for the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs from 1975 to 1981. He served as theDeputy Attorney General of American Samoa from 1981 to 1984.[7]
Faleomavaega was a candidate in the inaugural election for American Samoa’s Delegate to the U.S. Congress in 1978.[4] He ran alongsideA. P. Lutali in the 1985 gubernatorial race, and served asLieutenant Governor of American Samoa from 1985 to 1989. In 1987, he participated in an event that followed traditional Polynesian life experiences by sailing fromTahiti to Hawaii in a canoe.[8] In 1988, he was elected as the Delegate to the U.S. Congress, a position he held through subsequent elections.[4]
Faleomavaega was elected as aDemocrat to the House of Representatives in 1988, serving from January 3, 1989 until January 2015.[8] As a delegate, he worked to receive more federal funding for his home territory, particularly for health care and other essential services. He opposed free trade deals involving meats and seafood, as nearly one-third of American Samoa's population is involved in the tuna industry. He proposed legislation that would allow residents of US territories to vote in presidential elections if they are active duty members of the military.[9] Faleomavaega also participated in a boycott of French presidentJacques Chirac, who made a speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress in 1996, due to French nuclear testing in the Pacific.
Faleomavaega was a member of the following committees in the House of Representatives:
Faleomavaega has said that it is more opportune if the United States could refrain from interfering in the internal affairs ofSri Lanka, especially in regards to the country'scivil war against the rebelLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He took the initiative of briefing members of the Sub Committee on Asia and the Pacific of the US House of Representatives in this respect.[10]
In 2012, both Faleomavaega andTogiola Tulafono, American Samoa's Governor, called for the populace to consider a move towards autonomy if not independence, to a mixed response.[11][12]
Faleomavaega was known for his vocal support ofBahrain'smonarchy during theBahraini uprising. One of Faleomavaega's top campaign donors, William Nixon, is a Washington, D.C.-basedlobbyist whose firm, Policy Impact Communications, founded the pro-monarchyBahrain American Council.[13] Faleomavaega has taken various paid trips to Bahrain to meet with the country's rulers.[14]
On March 31, 2017, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 1362 into law. H.R. 1362 names the VA clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the "Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic."[15] The bill was sponsored by DelegateAmata Coleman Radewagen, Faleomavaega's successor as representative from American Samoa, and co-sponsored by five others.[16]
Faleomavaega suffered from complications that he said are from his exposure toAgent Orange during theVietnam War.[17][18] Faleomavaega's declining health was speculated to have contributed to his 2014 electoral defeat.[17][18]
Faleomavaega died at the age of 73 on February 22, 2017. The cause of death was not specified. He was survived by his wife, 5 children, and 10 grandchildren.[19]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa 1985–1989 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Delegate to theU.S. House of Representatives fromAmerican Samoa's at-large congressional district 1989–2015 | Succeeded by |
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| U.S. Delegates | ||
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