Uifa’atali backs House resolution, meets Gov. Lemanu

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Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata says she, Governor Lemanu, and the Fono are all on the same page behind ending required Congressional approval for local constitutional amendments. KHJ Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports…

The way Congresswoman Amata sees the requirement for Congressional approval of amendments to American Samoa’s constitution…

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…and that the Fono sees as a matter of “self-governance.”

Amata spoke with Governor Lemanu about the Fono’s request during his Capitol Hill visit this week…

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…support the Governor’s pressing for DOI, in the lead up to this week’s IGIA meeting at Interior …

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Amata and Governor Lemanu will speak at the IGIA meeting, closed to the press, which Amata says will show where the islands’ interests overlap with American Samoa’s. A Senate hearing with island governors will follow a day later.

Separately, Amata spoke ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union speech she planned to attend…

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Uifa’atali Amata expects to hear more from Biden on the Chinese surveillance balloon the US shot down off South Carolina, after it crossed the entire mainland.

Amata plans to meet, next week, with the Coast Guard Admiral on her request to station Coast Guard cutters in American Samoa in response to the continuing regional Chinese threat.