American Samoa Fono
Encyclopedia
The Legislature of American Samoa
or Fono is the territorial legislature of American Samoa. Like most state and territorial legislatures of the United States
, it is a bicameral
legislature with a House of Representatives
and a Senate
. The legislature is located in Fagatogo along Pago Pago harbor.
It is the only legislature on the state or territorial level in the United States that is both bicameral and nonpartisan
. The Nebraska Legislature
is similarly nonpartisan yet is a unicameral body.
As of March 2006, the American Samoa Fono remains the only state or territorial legislative body that does not have an official website
.
House of Representatives
has 21 members, elected for a two year term. It comprises 20 single-seat constituencies and one constituency decided upon by a public meeting on Swains Island
.
The Senate
has 18 members, elected for a four year term by and from the chiefs of the islands.
's the term in office, which lasted from 1947 until 1949, American Samoans moved towards greater self-government. Under Huber's encouragement, the legislature
of the territory, known as the American Samoa Fono, convened for the first time.
fale
. It is based on the same traditional building designs as the Fono
in Samoa
. A two storey main wing (housing the Legislature's and Governor's offices) is flanked by two single storey wings housing the chambers from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
This Fono building is the second to be located in Fagotogo
and opened in 1973. The first Fono was housed in the former home at the United States Navy
Tutuila Station
barracks. It was destroyed by a fire in 1970. The former Fono site is home to the ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank
's Head Office.
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
or Fono is the territorial legislature of American Samoa. Like most state and territorial legislatures of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it is a bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
legislature with a House of Representatives
American Samoa House of Representatives
The American Samoa House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono. The House consists of 21 representatives serving two-year terms, with 20 popular elected members, and one representative elected by a public meeting on Swains Island....
and a Senate
American Samoa Senate
The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term.-List of Senators:* Utu Abe Malae...
. The legislature is located in Fagatogo along Pago Pago harbor.
It is the only legislature on the state or territorial level in the United States that is both bicameral and nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
. The Nebraska Legislature
Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....
is similarly nonpartisan yet is a unicameral body.
As of March 2006, the American Samoa Fono remains the only state or territorial legislative body that does not have an official website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
.
Composition of the Fono
The lowerLower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
House of Representatives
American Samoa House of Representatives
The American Samoa House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono. The House consists of 21 representatives serving two-year terms, with 20 popular elected members, and one representative elected by a public meeting on Swains Island....
has 21 members, elected for a two year term. It comprises 20 single-seat constituencies and one constituency decided upon by a public meeting on Swains Island
Swains Island
Swains Island is an atoll in the Tokelau chain. Culturally a part of Tokelau, it is an unincorporated unorganized territory of the United States administered by American Samoa. Swains Island has also been known at various times as Olosenga Island, Olohega Island, Quiros Island, Gente Hermosa...
.
The Senate
American Samoa Senate
The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term.-List of Senators:* Utu Abe Malae...
has 18 members, elected for a four year term by and from the chiefs of the islands.
History
During Governor Vernon HuberVernon Huber
Vernon Huber was a United States Navy Rear admiral, and the 36th Governor of American Samoa from April 22, 1947 to June 15, 1949. He was born in Philadelphia, Illinois, and was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from that state. He served as the first commanding officer of the USS...
's the term in office, which lasted from 1947 until 1949, American Samoans moved towards greater self-government. Under Huber's encouragement, the legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the territory, known as the American Samoa Fono, convened for the first time.
Building
The American Samoa Fono is housed at the Maota Fono complex, a bee-hive shaped building based on the traditional SamoanSamoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
fale
Beach fale
Beach fale is a modern term for a simple thatched hut in Samoa. They are also common in other parts of Polynesia. They have become popular in tourism as low budget accommodation situated by the coast, built with a few posts, no walls and a thatched roof with a round or oval shape.The word fale is...
. It is based on the same traditional building designs as the Fono
Fono
The Legislative Assembly is the Parliament of Samoa based in the capital Apia where the country's central administration is situated.In the Samoan language, the Legislative Assembly of Samoa is sometimes referred to as the Samoan Fono while the government of the country is referred to as the...
in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. A two storey main wing (housing the Legislature's and Governor's offices) is flanked by two single storey wings housing the chambers from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
This Fono building is the second to be located in Fagotogo
Fagatogo, American Samoa
Fagatogo is village situated on Tutuila Island, Pago Pago Harbour. Population is 3000. Fagatogo is listed in the Constitution of American Samoa as the official seat of government.)-External links:...
and opened in 1973. The first Fono was housed in the former home at the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Tutuila Station
United States Naval Station Tutuila
United States Naval Station Tutuila was a naval station in Pago Pago Harbor on the island of Tutuila, part of American Samoa, built in 1899 and in operation until 1951. During the United States Navy rule of American Samoa, from 1900 to 1951, it was customary for the commandant of the station to...
barracks. It was destroyed by a fire in 1970. The former Fono site is home to the ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank
ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank
In 2001, ANZ completed the acquisition of ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank that it had begun in 1999. At the time of the acquisition, ASB was the second-largest bank in the country with a 44 percent market share. ASB has one overseas branch in Honolulu that it opened in 1997 to serve Samoans in Hawaii.-...
's Head Office.