$100,000 made to American Samoa and the NMI.
The matching
requirement waiver was raised to $200,000 in 1983 for American
Samoa and NMI, and in 1984 for Guam and the Virgin Islands.
being

and

There

is

tailored

American

two examples.
percent of the
food stuffs.
vides a needed

also

some

to meet

Samoa's

evidence

local

medicaid

that

needs.

program

individual

NMI's

food

programs

stamp

implemented

in

are

program

1982

are

NMI's food stamp program is structured so that 25
food stamps issued must be used to purchase local
According to the NMI Governor, the program prosocial service and benefits the local economy.

Recognizing American Samoa's unique circumstances, Congress

authorized

latitude

to

the

Department

waive

or

of

modify

Health

the

and

Human

Services

requirements of Title

qreat

XIX--the

federal medicaid program.
According to the Governor of American
Samoa, the flexible medicaid requirements tailored to American
Samoan conditions permitted
not disrupt local customs.

them to design a program which does

Waivers relieve some

3

In addition to legislation eliminating some administrative

burdens,

lations.

federal

agencies

have granted waivers to certain regu-

Territory officials

said

that

federal

agencies

have

become more receptive to the territories' needs and that administrative and program problems are handled directly by the territories and the appropriate federal agencies.
The. officials said
that good working relationships have been established with most
of the federal agencies involved in the territories' programs.
Because most program problems tend to be administrative,
many territorial leaders see no need to make major changes in
the current federal approach in administering programs.
How-

ever, many believe a mechanism should be put in place to ensure
that

the

territories

are

made

aware

of

federal

programs

avail-

able to them and that it provide a means for the territories to
express their view when unigue circumstances call
tions in the way they are treated in each program.

for modifica~

CONCLUSION
Despite progress in achieving some economic growth and
improving the general well-being of their residents, the territories depend heavily on federal assistance and most are not
making much progress toward economic self-reliance. Each territory has unique local constraints to development which preclude
complete economic and financial self-reliance in the foreseeable
future.
However, federal constraints caused by policies, laws,
and programs are raising questions about overall U.S. policy
objectives for its territories.
38

I00O245

egade TF gat
wt Viel * fetegtEER

‘

administrative problems

Select target paragraph3