American Samoa Constitutional Self-Determination
Current understanding
To be populated as evidence accumulates.
Evidence log
- 2025-01-04 — To restore the ability of the people of American Samoa to approve amendments to the territorial constitution based on majority rule in a democratic act of self-determination, as authorized pursuant to an Act of Congress delegating administration of Federal territorial law in the territory to the President, and to the Secretary of the Interior under Executive Order 10264, dated June 29, 1951, under which the Constitution of American Samoa was approved and may be amended without requirement for further congressional action, subject to the authority of Congress under the Territorial Clause in article IV, section 3, clause 2 of the United States Constitution.: Public Law 118-232 (HR6062, 118th Congress) repealed the prior statutory requirement that amendments to the American Samoa constitution receive an Act of Congress, restoring the territory’s ability to approve amendments by majority-rule self-determination, subject to Congress’s residual authority under the Territorial Clause (Art. IV, §3, cl. 2) and administrative oversight delegated to the Secretary of the Interior under Executive Order 10264. (novelty: 3)