Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has formally approved American Samoa’s 2022 constitutional amendments, capping a years-long legislative effort and victory for local self-determination. KHJ News Washington DC correspondent Matt Kaye reports…
Haaland signed the amendments in one of her last acts as Interior Secretary, as the Biden Administration prepares to leave office, Monday, when President-elect Trump will be sworn in.
The locally approved amendments are now officially a part of American Samoa’s constitution.
The signing caps a more than 2-year effort by Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata to pass H.R. 6062, requested by the Fono and former Governor Lemanu, to streamline approval without Congressional ok.
Amata spoke to us after the ceremony at the Interior Department…
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(Transc.) Congresswoman Amata: “With this signature today, the federal side is complete. The amendments can become part of our local constitution. It’s official, and they can be implemented. The Secretary of the Interior signed the necessary document, and she invited me to be there, when she signed. She knows this is going to be a project for our territory. I just want to say a public ‘Thank you,’ to Secretary Haaland.”
…and as with H.R. 6062 passed as one of the last Congress’ final acts and signed by President Biden January 4th, Haaland’s sign-off came not a minute too soon…
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(Transc.) Congresswoman Amata: “She made sure to get this done for us before the inauguration. And you know, she has a real heart for issues that affect indigenous people [and] groups. And as the Secretary of Interior, she herself, is historic as a native American in this role.”
And had Haaland handed off the signing to her expected successor, former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, the transition could have delayed a signing for weeks or longer.
So now, the long uphill slog to renew a right American Samoa had before 1983, when Congress gave itself a veto it doesn’t exercise with other territories, has come to an end.
After more than forty-years, American Samoa’s right to self-determination in amending its own constitution has finally been restored.
The constitutional changes that were approved in 2022:
- Gives Swains a vote in the House of Representatives.
- Provides an impeachment process for the Governor and Lt. Governor.
- Changes the name Government of American Samoa to American Samoa Government.
- Changes the name Mauputasi to Maoputasi.
- Changes the name Leasina to Leasina ma Aitulagi.
