[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 443 Reported in House (RH)]






                                                 House Calendar No. 208
106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 443

                          [Report No. 106-582]

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with regard to the 
 centennial of the raising of the United States flag in American Samoa.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2000

 Mr. Faleomavaega (for himself, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. George Miller 
of California, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. John, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Ortiz, and 
   Mr. Romero-Barcelo) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                 referred to the Committee on Resources

                             April 13, 2000

  Additional sponsors: Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Kildee, Mr. 
   Pickett, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Underwood, and Mr. Abercrombie

                             April 13, 2000

Reported with an amendment, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered 
                             to be printed
    [Strike out the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with regard to the 
 centennial of the raising of the United States flag in American Samoa.

<DELETED>Whereas the people of American Samoa have inhabited Tutuila 
        and the Manu'a Islands for at least 4,000 years and developed a 
        unique and autonomous seafaring and agrarian culture, governing 
        themselves through their own form of government;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas in 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen became the 
        first European to sight--but not land on--the shores of the 
        Samoan Islands, islands which remained isolated for another 46 
        years because Roggeveen miscalculated their location;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas in 1768, French explorer Louis Antoine de 
        Bougainville, the second European to sight the Samoan islands, 
        became so impressed with the sailing skills of the natives he 
        named the islands ``L'Archipel des Navigateurs,'' and for 
        generations thereafter the entire Samoan island group was known 
        to the Western World as the ``Navigator Islands'';</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas in 1787, Frenchman Jean Francois La Perouse landed on 
        the shores of these islands and thus began the ``opening'' of 
        Samoa to the West, with American whalers as the principal group 
        to engage the people of Samoa in trade and commerce, followed 
        from 1830 on by English missionaries;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas in 1839, as part of a congressionally authorized trip 
        to the Pacific, United States Navy commander Charles Wilkes 
        visited the island of Tutuila and later reported favorably in 
        support of establishing a structured relationship between the 
        island and the United States;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas on March 2, 1872, Richard Meade, commander of the 
        U.S.S. Narragansett, visited Pago Pago, and, on his own 
        responsibility, made an agreement with High Chief Mauga 
        entitled ``Commercial Regulations, etc.,'' which was submitted 
        to, but never ratified by, the Senate;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas on February 13, 1878, a ``treaty of friendship and 
        commerce with the people of Samoa'' was proclaimed 
        ratified;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas on May 21, 1890, a treaty between the United States, 
        Germany, and Great Britain, and assented to by the Samoan 
        Government, ``to provide for the security of the life, property 
        and trade of the citizens and subjects of their respective 
        Governments residing in, or having commercial relations with 
        the Islands of Samoa,'' was proclaimed ratified;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas the treaties of 1878 and 1890 were annulled by a 
        treaty of December 2, 1899, between the United States, Germany, 
        and Great Britain;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas on April 17, 1900, the traditional chiefs of the South 
        Pacific Islands of Tutuila and Aunu'u agreed to become a part 
        of the United States, and the United States flag was raised on 
        what is now known as the United States Territory of American 
        Samoa;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas since that time, the residents of American Samoa have 
        been proud of their affiliation with this great Nation and have 
        demonstrated their loyalty and patriotism in countless 
        ways;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas April 17 is known as Flag Day in American Samoa and is 
        the biggest holiday in the territory, and is celebrated not 
        only in American Samoa, but throughout the United States 
        wherever there is a sizable Samoan community;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas American Samoans in Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, 
        Alaska, Washington, and other parts of the United States pause 
        each year on this important date to celebrate this monumental 
        occasion in American Samoa's history;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas the per capita rate of enlistment in the Armed Forces 
        is as high for American Samoa as for any State or territory, 
        with hundreds of American Samoans enlisting annually;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas for decades American Samoa served as a Naval coaling 
        station for United States ships in the Pacific, providing the 
        Nation with what is commonly referred to as the best deep-water 
        harbor in the entire Pacific--a harbor where American ships are 
        protected from severe and sudden tropical storms by natural, 
        high, sloping mountains--a harbor which, in the Nation's youth, 
        served as a critical and crucial refueling and replenishing 
        port for military and commercial interests, enabling the United 
        States to pursue its foreign and commercial policies, 
        logistically unrestrained, throughout the Asian Pacific 
        region;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas during World War II, American Samoa was the staging 
        point for 30,000 United States Marines involved in the Pacific 
        theater, with American Samoans serving both as hosts and as 
        fellow soldiers to these Marines via the revered Fita Fita 
        Guard;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas American Samoa was the first land astronauts from 
        numerous Apollo missions came to upon returning to Earth--
        including astronauts from Apollo 10, Apollo 12, Apollo 13, 
        Apollo 14, and Apollo 17;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas American Samoa produces more National Football League 
        players per capita than any other State or territory of the 
        United States, with approximately 18 Samoans currently playing 
        professionally;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas April 17, 2000, will mark the 100th anniversary of 
        American Samoa joining in political, military, and economic 
        union with the United States;</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas local government leaders in American Samoa have been 
        preparing for this centennial celebration for the last three 
        years; and</DELETED>
<DELETED>Whereas although 100 years have elapsed since the formation of 
        this mutually beneficial relationship, American Samoans today--
        as did their forebears in 1900--remain deeply thankful and 
        appreciative of the benefits they have received and continue to 
        receive as a result of the unique relationship American Samoa 
        shares with this great Republic, and they are proud that in 
        return for the benefits received under this relationship, they 
        actively contribute economically, militarily, and culturally to 
        the health and well-being of this great Nation: Now, therefore, 
        be it</DELETED>
Whereas the people of American Samoa have inhabited Tutuila and the 
        Manu'a Islands for at least 3,000 years and developed a unique 
        and autonomous seafaring and agrarian culture, governing 
        themselves through their own form of government;
Whereas in 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen became the first 
        European to sight--but not land on--the shores of the Samoan 
        Islands, islands which remained isolated for another 46 years 
        because Roggeveen miscalculated their location;
Whereas in 1768, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville, the 
        second European to sight the Samoan islands, became so 
        impressed with the sailing skills of the natives he named the 
        islands ``L'Archipel des Navigateurs,'' and for generations 
        thereafter the entire Samoan island group was known to the 
        Western World as the ``Navigator Islands'';
Whereas in 1787, Frenchman Jean Francois La Perouse landed on the 
        shores of these islands and thus began the ``opening'' of Samoa 
        to the West, with American whalers as the principal group to 
        engage the people of Samoa in trade and commerce, followed from 
        1830 on by English missionaries;
Whereas in 1839, as part of a congressionally authorized trip to the 
        Pacific, United States Navy commander Charles Wilkes visited 
        the island of Tutuila and later reported favorably in support 
        of establishing a structured relationship between the island 
        and the United States;
Whereas on March 2, 1872, Richard Meade, commander of the U.S.S. 
        Narragansett, visited Pago Pago, and, on his own 
        responsibility, made an agreement with High Chief Mauga 
        entitled ``Commercial Regulations, etc.,'' which was submitted 
        to, but never ratified by, the Senate;
Whereas on February 13, 1878, a ``treaty of friendship and commerce 
        with the people of Samoa'' was proclaimed ratified;
Whereas on June 14, 1889, a treaty known as the General Act of 1889, 
        between the United States, Germany, and Great Britain, and 
        assented to by the Samoan Government, ``to provide for the 
        security of the life, property and trade of the citizens and 
        subjects of their respective Governments residing in, or having 
        commercial relations with the Islands of Samoa,'' was concluded 
        and later ratified;
Whereas on December 2, 1899, a tripartite treaty between the United 
        States, Germany, and Great Britain, which provided for the 
        division of the several islands of Samoa, was signed by the 
        three parties in Washington, D.C.;
Whereas on April 17, 1900, by treaty of cession, the traditional chiefs 
        of the South Pacific Islands of Tutuila and Aunu'u agreed to 
        become a part of the United States in return for protection of 
        their land and culture, and the United States flag was raised 
        on what is now known as the United States Territory of American 
        Samoa;
Whereas on July 14, 1904, by treaty of cession, His Majesty the King of 
        Manu'a and his traditional chiefs from the Islands of Ta'u, 
        Ofu, and Olosega, agreed to become part of the United States in 
        return for the protection of their land and culture;
Whereas since that time, the residents of American Samoa have been 
        proud of their affiliation with this great Nation and have 
        demonstrated their loyalty and patriotism in countless ways;
Whereas April 17 is known as Flag Day in American Samoa and is the 
        biggest holiday in the territory, and is celebrated not only in 
        American Samoa, but throughout the United States wherever there 
        is a sizable Samoan community;
Whereas American Samoans in Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, Alaska, 
        Washington, and other parts of the United States pause each 
        year on this important date to celebrate this monumental 
        occasion in American Samoa's history;
Whereas the per capita rate of enlistment in the Armed Forces among 
        American Samoans is among the highest in the United States, 
        with hundreds of American Samoans enlisting annually;
Whereas for decades American Samoa served as a Naval coaling station 
        for United States ships in the Pacific, providing the Nation 
        with what is commonly referred to as the best deep-water harbor 
        in the entire Pacific--a harbor where American ships are 
        protected from severe and sudden tropical storms by natural, 
        high, sloping mountains--a harbor which, in the Nation's youth, 
        served as a critical and crucial refueling and replenishing 
        port for military and commercial interests, enabling the United 
        States to pursue its foreign and commercial policies, 
        logistically unrestrained, throughout the Asian Pacific region;
Whereas during World War II, American Samoa was the staging point for 
        30,000 United States Marines involved in the Pacific theater, 
        with American Samoans serving both as hosts and as fellow 
        soldiers to these Marines via the revered Fita Fita Guard;
Whereas American Samoa was the first land astronauts from numerous 
        Apollo missions came to upon returning to Earth--including 
        astronauts from Apollo 10, Apollo 12, Apollo 13, Apollo 14, and 
        Apollo 17;
Whereas American Samoa produces more National Football League players 
        per capita than any other State or territory of the United 
        States, with approximately 15 Samoans currently playing 
        professionally;
Whereas April 17, 2000, will mark the 100th anniversary of American 
        Samoa joining in political, military, and economic union with 
        the United States;
Whereas local government leaders in American Samoa have been preparing 
        for this centennial celebration for the last three years; and
Whereas although 100 years have elapsed since the formation of this 
        mutually beneficial relationship, American Samoans today--as 
        did their forebears in 1900--remain deeply thankful and 
        appreciative of the benefits they have received and continue to 
        receive as a result of the unique relationship American Samoa 
        shares with this great Republic, and they are proud that in 
        return for the benefits received under this relationship, they 
        actively contribute economically, militarily, and culturally to 
        the health and well-being of this great Nation: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the historical significance of the 
        centennial of the raising of the American flag over the United 
        States Territory of American Samoa;
            (2) acknowledges 100 years of American Samoa's loyalty and 
        service to the United States; and
            (3) reaffirms its commitment to the United States citizens 
        and nationals of American Samoa for improved self-governance, 
        economic development, and the expansion of domestic commerce, 
        consistent with the desires of the people of American Samoa.




                                                 House Calendar No. 208

106th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                              H. RES. 443

                          [Report No. 106-582]

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with regard to the 
 centennial of the raising of the United States flag in American Samoa.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             April 13, 2000

Reported with an amendment, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered 
                             to be printed