05/15/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

             SR   3-SAMOAN SERVICE & VOTING RIGHTS                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:35:00 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE  RESOLUTION  NO. 3  Urging  the  United                                                               
States Congress  to grant American  Samoans the ability  to serve                                                               
as commissioned officers in the  uniformed services of the United                                                               
States and the right to vote in federal elections.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:35:38 PM                                                                                                                    
MAXINE LABERGE,  Staff, Senator  Bill Wielechowski,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, introduced  SR 3  on behalf  of the                                                               
sponsor and read the following:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Senate Resolution  3 urges  the United  States Congress                                                                    
     to  grant  American Samoans  the  ability  to serve  as                                                                    
     commissioned officers in the  uniformed services of the                                                                    
     United  States  and  the  right   to  vote  in  federal                                                                    
     elections.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     This   issue  was   brought  to   Senator  Wielechowski                                                                    
     recently  by  several  members of  the  community.  Our                                                                    
     office  has been  working  with  these stakeholders  to                                                                    
     bring this resolution to the Senate.                                                                                       
     American Samoa has been  an unincorporated territory of                                                                    
     the United States since 1900.  It is the only inhabited                                                                    
     territory  of the  U.S whose  residents are  considered                                                                    
     nationals but  are not  citizens. American  Samoans can                                                                    
     obtain a  United States  passport as  well as  live and                                                                    
     work  anywhere in  the United  States, yet  they cannot                                                                    
     vote in federal elections  or hold certain positions in                                                                    
     the service.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:36:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI announced  invited  testimony  and opened  public                                                               
testimony on SR 3.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:37:23 PM                                                                                                                    
TAIVALEOAANA  'SEVEN'  TOLEAFOA,  representing  self,  Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska,  testified by  invitation on  SR 3  highlighted that  the                                                               
military   acronym  LDRSHIPloyalty,    duty,  respect,   selfless                                                               
service,  honor,  integrity,   and  personal  courageas   guiding                                                               
principles for non-commissioned officers.  He noted that American                                                               
Samoa recently  celebrated 125  years of  loyalty and  service to                                                               
the  United   States,  despite  economic  hardship   and  limited                                                               
opportunities.  Many  American  Samoans joined  the  military  to                                                               
provide for  families and proudly  serve the nation.  However, he                                                               
emphasized  the injustice  that American  Samoans, who  serve and                                                               
sacrifice for  the U.S., are denied  the right to vote.  He urged                                                               
fair  treatment and  equal voting  rights  for American  Samoans,                                                               
invoking a quote about self-determination:  "If we are not at the                                                               
table for discussion, we will be on the menu.".                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:41:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHARLES ALAILIMA,  Board Member,  Right to  Democracy, Washington                                                               
D.C.,  testified  in   support  of  SR  3   referenced  the  U.S.                                                               
Constitution and the 14th  Amendment's Citizenship Clause, noting                                                               
that people  born under U.S.  sovereignty should  have birthright                                                               
citizenship. He  recounted that in  1900 and 1904,  Samoan chiefs                                                               
voluntarily  ceded sovereignty  of  their islands  to the  United                                                               
States, with the  understanding that U.S. law  would hold supreme                                                               
authority  while respecting  Samoan traditions.  However, efforts                                                               
in  the 1920s  to  recognize American  Samoans  as U.S.  citizens                                                               
failed in Congress  due to racial prejudice. He  said since then,                                                               
American  Samoans have  been classified  only as  U.S. nationals,                                                               
not  citizens,  despite  generations   of  loyalty  and  military                                                               
service. This has caused widespread  confusion across federal and                                                               
state agencies,  including the military  and passport  system. He                                                               
argued that this  unequal status violates the  principle that all                                                               
are  created   equal,  urging  recognition  of   citizenship  for                                                               
American Samoans under the 14th Amendment.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:48:13 PM                                                                                                                    
TAFILISAOA  TOLEAFOA, Executive  Director,  Pacific Community  of                                                               
Alaska,  Anchorage,  Alaska,  testified  by invitation  on  SR  3                                                               
stated that  American Samoans continue  to serve in  the military                                                               
and  contribute   to  their  communities,  and   those  who  have                                                               
sacrificed  for the  country deserve  a  voice and  the right  to                                                               
vote.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KAWASAKI kept public testimony open for SR 3.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:49:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SR 3 in committee.