NEW U.S. ASST. SECRETARY FOR INSULAR AREAS CONFIRMED Tia Belau. June 30th, 2014. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel released the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Esther Puakela Kia’aina to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas. “Esther will bring considerable expertise to the issues facing the U.S. territories and the freely associated states, and I am pleased the Senate has voted to confirm her to this important leadership post at the Interior Department. Born in Guam to Native Hawaiian parents, Esther has strong connections to Pacific Islanders and extensive experience on Capitol Hill. She will be a valuable asset to this Department as we work with island leaders, the White House Interagency Group on Insular Areas, and partners across the federal government to further the islands’ social and economic progress.” Once sworn into office, Kian’aina would lead the Department’s effort to coordinate federal policy for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. She would also have the responsibility to administer and to oversee Federal assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. The Secretary of the Interior has administrative responsibility for coordinating federal policy in the territories and is responsible for administering grant and budget assistance for three Freely Associated States under the Compacts of Free Association. The Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas and the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out these responsibilities on behalf of the Secretary. Kia’aina currently serves as the First Deputy Director of the Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources. She was appointed by Gov. Neil Abercombe to oversee the management of 1.3 million acres of public lands and near shore ocean resources in the State of Hawai’i. Kia’aina served for nearly two decades on Capitol Hill, as Chief of Staff to former U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-Hawai’i) and Robert A. Underwood (D-Guam), and as Legislative Assistant to former U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawai’i).
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 17:55:46 +0000
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