Biography

Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen, commonly known as Aumua Amata, has served as the Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large district since January 3, 2015. A member of the Republican Party, she is the first woman to represent American Samoa in Congress and the first Republican to hold this position since its creation in 1970.

Born on December 29, 1947, in Pago Pago, American Samoa, she is the daughter of Peter Tali Coleman, the first popularly elected Governor of American Samoa, and Nora Stewart Coleman. Her father was of Samoan descent, while her mother had Chinese, German, Native Hawaiian, and Scottish ancestry.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Guam
  • Additional studies at Loyola Marymount University and George Mason University

• Political Experience:

  • Early Career:
  • Served as an executive assistant to the first Delegate-at-Large from American Samoa
  • Staff member for U.S. Representative Phil Crane
  • Staff member for U.S. Representative J.C. Watts, Jr.
  • Staff member for the House Republican Conference
    
  • Republican National Committee:
  • National Committeewoman for American Samoa since 1986
  • Most senior member of the Republican National Committee since 2012
  • U.S. House of Representatives:
  • Elected as Delegate in 2014, defeating incumbent Eni Faleomavaega
  • Re-elected in 2016 with 75.4% of the vote, the highest in American Samoa's history
  • Re-elected in 2018 with 83.3% of the vote
  • Committee Assignments:
  • House Veterans’ Affairs Committee
  • House Natural Resources Committee
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee
    
  • Bipartisan Efforts:
  • Ranked 19th among all 441 House Members in the 117th Congress for bipartisan activity by the Bipartisan Index
  • Legislative Achievements:
  • Co-introduced the bipartisan FISHES Act, which was sent to the President for signing
  • Advocated for and secured a $500,000 grant for opioid efforts in American Samoa

Personal Life

Aumua Amata is married to Fred Radewagen, and they have three children and two grandchildren. She holds the orator title of Aumua from Pago Pago, her hometown.

Community Involvement

• Founding member of the American Samoa Society
• Member of the Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women's Association
• Advocate for breast cancer awareness, serving as a spokesperson for the Samoan Women's Health Project and liaison to the National Breast Cancer Coalition since 1993

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