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105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 757

To develop the economy of Samoa.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 13, 1997

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Resources

A BILL

To develop the economy of Samoa.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Samoa De5 velopment Act of 1997’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established a

8 Commission on the Economic Future of American Samoa

9 (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

10 The Commission shall consist of six members appointed

11 by the President, three of whom shall be selected from

12 nominations made by the Governor of American Samoa,
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1 and the Secretary of Interior, ex officio. The President

2 shall designate one of the appointed members of the Com3 mission to be Chairman. Members of the Commission shall

4 be appointed for the life of the Commission.

5 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the Commission

6 appointed by the President shall be persons who, by virtue

7 of their background and experience, are particularly suited

8 to contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the

9 Commission.

10 (c) EXPENSES.—Members of the Commission shall

11 serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for

12 travel, subsistence and other necessary expenses incurred

13 by them in the performance of their duties in accordance

14 with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States

15 Code.

16 (d) VACANCY.—Any vacancy in the Commission shall

17 be filled in the same manner as the original appointment

18 was made.

19 SEC. 3. PURPOSE AND REPORT.

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—The purpose of the Commission

21 is to make recommendations to the President and Con22 gress on the policies and actions necessary to provide for

23 a secure and self-sustaining future for the local economy

24 of American Samoa through 2020 and on the role of the
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1 Federal Government related thereto. In developing rec2 ommendations, the Commission shall—

3 (1) solicit and analyze information on projected

4 private sector development, including, but not lim5 ited to, tourism, manufacturing and industry, agri6 culture and transportation and shifting trends based

7 on alternative forecasts of economic, political and so8 cial conditions in the Pacific;

9 (2) analyze capital infrastructure, education, so10 cial, health and environmental needs in light of these

11 alternative forecasts;

12 (3) assemble relevant demographic, economic

13 and revenue and expenditure data from over the

14 past twenty-five years;

15 (4) review the application of Federal laws and

16 programs and the effects of such laws and programs

17 on the local economy and make such recommenda18 tions for changes in the application as the Commis19 sion deems advisable; and

20 (5) consider the impact of Federal trade and

21 other international agreements, including, but not

22 limited to those related to marine resources, on

23 American Samoa and make such recommendations

24 as may be necessary to minimize or eliminate any

25 adverse effects on the local economy.
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1 (b) REPORT.—The recommendations of the Commis2 sion shall be transmitted in a report to the President, the

3 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Unit4 ed States Senate and the Committee on Resources of the

5 United States House of Representatives no later than

6 June 30, 1999. The report shall set forth the basis for

7 the recommendations and shall include an analysis of the

8 capability of American Samoa to meet projected needs

9 based on reasonable alternative economic, political and so10 cial conditions in the Pacific Basin. The report shall also

11 include projections of the need for direct or indirect Fed12 eral assistance for operations and infrastructure over the

13 next decade and what additional assistance will be nec14 essary to develop the local economy to a level sufficient

15 to minimize or eliminate the need for direct Federal oper16 ational assistance.

17 (c) INCLUSION OF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW.—As part

18 of its report, the Commission shall also include an over19 view of the history of American Samoa and its relationship

20 to the United States from 1872, with emphasis on those

21 events or actions that affect future economic development

22 and shall include, as an appendix to its report, copies of

23 the relevant documents, including, but not limited to, the

24 Tripartite Agreement signed on December 2, 1899, in
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1 Washington, District of Columbia and the documents of

2 Cessions of 1900 and 1904.

3 SEC. 4. POWERS AND DUTIES.

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Commission may—

5 (A) hold such hearings, sit and act at such

6 times and places, take such testimony and receive

7 such evidence as it may deem advisable;

8 (B) use the United States mail in the same

9 manner and upon the same conditions as depart10 ments and agencies of the United States; and

11 (C) within available funds, incur such expenses

12 and enter into contracts or agreements for studies

13 and surveys with public and private organizations

14 and transfer funds to Federal agencies to carry out

15 the Commission’s functions.

16 (2) In carrying out paragraph (1)(A), the Commis17 sion shall conduct public meetings in Tutuila, Ofu,

18 Olosega and Ta’u.

19 (b) OFFICE SPACE AND STAFF.—Within funds avail20 able for the Commission, the Secretary of the Interior

21 shall provide such office space, furnishings, equipment,

22 staff and fiscal and administrative services as the Commis23 sion may require.

24 (c) OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.—The President,

25 upon request of the Commission, may direct the head of
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1 any Federal agency or department to assist the Commis2 sion and if so directed such head shall—

3 (1) furnish the Commission to the extent per4 mitted by law and within available appropriations

5 such information as may be necessary for carrying

6 out the functions of the Commission and as may be

7 available to or procurable by such department or

8 agency; and

9 (2) detail to temporary duty with the Commis10 sion on a reimbursable basis such personnel within

11 his administrative jurisdiction as the Commission

12 may need or believe to be useful for carrying out its

13 functions, each such detail to be without loss of se14 niority, pay or other employee status.

15 SEC. 5. CHAIRMAN.

16 Subject to general policies that the Commission may

17 adopt, the Chairman of the Commission shall be the chief

18 executive officer of the Commission and shall exercise its

19 executive and administrative powers. The Chairman may

20 make such provisions as he may deem appropriate author21 izing the performance of his executive and administrative

22 functions by the staff of the Commission.

23 SEC. 6. FUNDING.

24 The Department of the Interior is authorized to pro25 vide up to $300,000 each in fiscal years 1997 and 1998
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1 in technical assistance funding for the work of the Com2 mission.

3 SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

4 The Commission shall terminate three months after

5 the transmission of the report and recommendations under

6 section 3(b).

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