Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. ( EH-nee fə-LAY-oh-mah-və-ENG-gə; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's third lieutenant governor, from 1985 to 1989 and non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, from 1989 to 2015. As a delegate, Faleomavaega served on committees and spoke on the House floor; however, he was not permitted to vote on the final passage of any legislation. He also was the father-in-law of former professional American football fullback Fui Vakapuna.
Throughout his career, Faleomavaega has been an advocate for greater autonomy and self-determination for American Samoa. He has worked towards achieving a status of free association with the United States, similar to the relationship between the Cook Islands and New Zealand, to address what he refers to as "colonial abuse" in the territory. Additionally, he has sought to diversify American Samoa's economy to reduce its dependency on federal support. One of his legislative achievements includes securing $4 million annually for scholarships enabling American Samoan students to attend colleges and universities in the United States.
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