Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, June 20, 2019
First Congressional Hearing on Citizenship Choice for Individual American Samoans
By News Release @ 6:12 PM :: 4618 Views :: National News, Military

First Congressional Hearing on Citizenship Choice for Individual American Samoans Rescheduled.

News Release from Office of Rep Aumua Amata, R-AS June 20, 2019

Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata was pleased to confirm that the House Natural Resources Committee has reaffirmed their commitment to hold a hearing to examine the need for a streamlined citizenship choice for those individual U.S. Nationals in American Samoa that want citizenship. While many American Samoans are happy with their status as US Nationals many American Samoans, especially those on the mainland choose naturalization often for purposes of military promotions, security clearances, along with other employment or personal reasons.

“This hearing has been a long time coming,” stated Amata. “My office has been researching and laying the groundwork on this issue since my first term in Congress, and despite the hurdles, I am pleased that my colleagues in Congress recognize the importance of this issue, and I thank everyone involved for ensuring that this hearing happens, and this issue is addressed.”

The hearing for the Congresswoman’s citizenship bill, H.R. 1208 was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 20th, but had to be rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts for administration witnesses. The new hearing has been confirmed for the 3rd week of July.

“I had the opportunity to discuss the bill last week with the Acting Governor Lemanu and my Legislative Director to brief him on the bill and answer any questions one of which included the question of a referendum.” Stated Amata. “After this discussion it was decided that any language regarding a referendum should be removed from the bill until after the results of the hearing. Any referendum can be done, should the local government choose to do so, and I look forward to hearing the testimony from the administration and Acting Governor’s designee at the hearing and discussing those options.” Amata continued.

The language in HR 1208 would have provided federal grant funding to help ASG hold a referendum on the question of citizenship. The Natural Resources Committee has allowed the Congresswoman to refile H.R. 1208 without the referendum language, and it should be ready ahead of the rescheduled hearing. The bill will be assigned a new number and the bill text that will be available at the hearing should closely match H.R. 5026 from the 115th congress. That language can be found here. No version of the bill would restrict the local governments authority to hold any type referendum should they so choose.

“Once again, I want to thank Acting Governor Lemanu for his insightful questions and comments regarding my bill. I also want to thank my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee for accommodating these changes, and I look forward to a productive hearing,” concluded Amata.

###

Background: American Samoa Citizenship Question Not So Simple

H.R. 1208: Text, Status

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT