U.S. Senate Committee Passes Amata’s Bill

Chairman Manchin Voices Supports and Recalls His Welcome in American Samoa

News Release from Office of Rep Aumua Amata, R-AS, Nov 19, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming passage by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee of her bill for American Samoa, H.R. 6062. In Tuesday’s Senate Committee business meeting led by Chairman Joe Manchin of West Virginia, he thanked her for attending, expressed support for the bill, and recalled enjoying his recent stop in American Samoa with the warm welcome he received.

“I want to say to Congresswoman Radewagen, it’s such an honor to have you here,” said Chairman Manchin. “You’ve worked so hard on our Item Number 79, which is your House Resolution 6062, and in a nutshell what it does, that bill brings parity for American Samoa to all territories for the approval process of constitutional changes. That’s well-done, well-worked and well-deserved, but it’s been long overcoming, and you’ve done that, so we owe you gratitude, and all the Samoans. I’ve had a chance to visit with you, and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed anything I’ve done, to stop there for a short period of time to spend some time with all the wonderful people there. But thank you for your hospitality and thank you for your diligent and hard work that you’ve done to make this happen. I appreciate that.”

(Sen. Manchin’s remarks about Amata, the bill, and his visit to American Samoa are available HERE at the 1:36:17 time stamp.)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another senior senator, also welcomed Congresswoman Amata and expressed support for the passage of the legislation for American Samoa.

This self-determination bill fulfills the unanimous request by a Fono Resolution and Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga to remove unnecessary steps and provide a streamlined pathway for approval of amendments to American Samoa’s constitution as already voted by the people of American Samoa.

This week’s step sends it forward for consideration by the full U.S. Senate – the last legislative step necessary before it would be sent to the President of the United States to become law.

“With the support of Chairman Manchin and Vice Chairman John Barrasso, we have a great chance of seeing our bill signed by the President as we close out this year and the 118th Congress,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “Our bill was passed by unanimous consent, as it has been every step of the way. Thank you again for the key support in September from Subcommittee Chairman Ron Wyden and Vice Chairman James Risch, both of whom gave our bill momentum, along with several other senators.”

The bill reaffirms the principle supporting American Samoa's right to self-determination. Amata spoke on the House floor on July 9, when it was passed by the full House. It was previously passed by the House Natural Resources Committee, on which she serves, also by unanimous consent, a voting method reserved for noncontroversial bills.

Congresswoman Amata appreciates the support of House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva, Subcommittee Chair Harriet Hageman and Ranking Member Teresa Leger Fernández, along with the helpful co-sponsorship and support of Rep. James Moylan of Guam and Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan of CNMI.

Once the full Senate acts and then the bill is signed into law by President Biden, the Interior Secretary can approve American Samoa’s constitutional amendments now and in the future without unnecessary steps in Washington, D.C., that other territories do not have.

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H.R.6062: Text, Status