[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 757 Introduced in House (IH)]







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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``American Samoa Development Act of 
1997''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a Commission on the 
Economic Future of American Samoa (hereafter in this Act referred to as 
the ``Commission''). The Commission shall consist of six members 
appointed by the President, three of whom shall be selected from 
nominations made by the Governor of American Samoa, and the Secretary 
of Interior, ex officio. The President shall designate one of the 
appointed members of the Commission to be Chairman. Members of the 
Commission shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.
    (b) Qualifications.--Members of the Commission appointed by the 
President shall be persons who, by virtue of their background and 
experience, are particularly suited to contribute to the achievement of 
the purposes of the Commission.
    (c) Expenses.--Members of the Commission shall serve without 
compensation, but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence and other 
necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties 
in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States 
Code.
    (d) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
same manner as the original appointment was made.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE AND REPORT.

    (a) In General.--The purpose of the Commission is to make 
recommendations to the President and Congress on the policies and 
actions necessary to provide for a secure and self-sustaining future 
for the local economy of American Samoa through 2020 and on the role of 
the Federal Government related thereto. In developing recommendations, 
the Commission shall--
            (1) solicit and analyze information on projected private 
        sector development, including, but not limited to, tourism, 
        manufacturing and industry, agriculture and transportation and 
        shifting trends based on alternative forecasts of economic, 
        political and social conditions in the Pacific;
            (2) analyze capital infrastructure, education, social, 
        health and environmental needs in light of these alternative 
        forecasts;
            (3) assemble relevant demographic, economic and revenue and 
        expenditure data from over the past twenty-five years;
            (4) review the application of Federal laws and programs and 
        the effects of such laws and programs on the local economy and 
        make such recommendations for changes in the application as the 
        Commission deems advisable; and
            (5) consider the impact of Federal trade and other 
        international agreements, including, but not limited to those 
        related to marine resources, on American Samoa and make such 
        recommendations as may be necessary to minimize or eliminate 
any adverse effects on the local economy.
    (b) Report.--The recommendations of the Commission shall be 
transmitted in a report to the President, the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on 
Resources of the United States House of Representatives no later than 
June 30, 1999. The report shall set forth the basis for the 
recommendations and shall include an analysis of the capability of 
American Samoa to meet projected needs based on reasonable alternative 
economic, political and social conditions in the Pacific Basin. The 
report shall also include projections of the need for direct or 
indirect Federal assistance for operations and infrastructure over the 
next decade and what additional assistance will be necessary to develop 
the local economy to a level sufficient to minimize or eliminate the 
need for direct Federal operational assistance.
    (c) Inclusion of Historical Overview.--As part of its report, the 
Commission shall also include an overview of the history of American 
Samoa and its relationship to the United States from 1872, with 
emphasis on those events or actions that affect future economic 
development and shall include, as an appendix to its report, copies of 
the relevant documents, including, but not limited to, the Tripartite 
Agreement signed on December 2, 1899, in Washington, District of 
Columbia and the documents of Cessions of 1900 and 1904.

SEC. 4. POWERS AND DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--(1) The Commission may--
            (A) hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and 
        places, take such testimony and receive such evidence as it may 
        deem advisable;
            (B) use the United States mail in the same manner and upon 
        the same conditions as departments and agencies of the United 
        States; and
            (C) within available funds, incur such expenses and enter 
        into contracts or agreements for studies and surveys with 
        public and private organizations and transfer funds to Federal 
        agencies to carry out the Commission's functions.
    (2) In carrying out paragraph (1)(A), the Commission shall conduct 
public meetings in Tutuila, Ofu, Olosega and Ta'u.
    (b) Office Space and Staff.--Within funds available for the 
Commission, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide such office 
space, furnishings, equipment, staff and fiscal and administrative 
services as the Commission may require.
    (c) Other Federal Assistance.--The President, upon request of the 
Commission, may direct the head of any Federal agency or department to 
assist the Commission and if so directed such head shall--
            (1) furnish the Commission to the extent permitted by law 
        and within available appropriations such information as may be 
        necessary for carrying out the functions of the Commission and 
        as may be available to or procurable by such department or 
        agency; and
            (2) detail to temporary duty with the Commission on a 
        reimbursable basis such personnel within his administrative 
        jurisdiction as the Commission may need or believe to be useful 
        for carrying out its functions, each such detail to be without 
        loss of seniority, pay or other employee status.

SEC. 5. CHAIRMAN.

    Subject to general policies that the Commission may adopt, the 
Chairman of the Commission shall be the chief executive officer of the 
Commission and shall exercise its executive and administrative powers. 
The Chairman may make such provisions as he may deem appropriate 
authorizing the performance of his executive and administrative 
functions by the staff of the Commission.

SEC. 6. FUNDING.

    The Department of the Interior is authorized to provide up to 
$300,000 each in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 in technical assistance 
funding for the work of the Commission.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate three months after the transmission 
of the report and recommendations under section 3(b).
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