If you thought the Senate was the only ones getting heated about the $10 million ARPA fund mystery, think again. The House of Representatives has officially entered the chat, and they’ve brought out the heavy machinery: subpoenas.
It turns out Representatives are getting tired of finding out where public funds go by reading local gossip, and they’re starting to ask the kind of uncomfortable questions that make government accountants sweat.
"Subpoena Them or We’re Just Talking to the Wall"
Representative Faimealelei Anthony Allen didn’t mince words on the House floor. He pointed out that while everyone knows the administration shipped off the ARPA interest funds into some mystery investment, the only way the Fono is ever going to see actual proof—or a paper trail—is to slap the administration with a formal subpoena.
Representative Fagaima Larry Sanitoa brought up a painfully obvious point: wasn’t this interest money supposed to be used to pay off ASG’s mountain of debt to the Retirement Fund? You know, the money meant to make sure local retirees actually get paid?
Instead, the money took a detour to Kansas.
Vice Speaker Fetui Fetu backed Allen up with a classic reality check: if lawmakers just sit around complaining without taking real action, their words are completely worthless. Fetui made it clear that if the Governor really invested $10 million behind the Fono's back, it’s time for a full-scale investigation.
Because last time anyone checked, American Samoa isn’t run by a king. The executive branch doesn't just get to treat public tax dollars like a personal slush fund without legislative approval.
Meanwhile over at ASTCA: "That’s Confidential Information"
As if the missing $10 million wasn't enough drama for one day, the House also took a hard look at the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA).
Apparently, the ASTCA Board was quietly dissolved without anyone bothering to tell the Fono. When lawmakers tried to dig into ASTCA’s FY2027 budget submission, ASTCA essentially handed them a redacted document and claimed certain financial details were "confidential."
Representative Fagaima wasn't having any of it. He reminded ASTCA that they are a public entity, not a secret private corporation, and they don't get to decide what the Fono is allowed to see.
His solution? It's high time to officially establish ASTCA by statute so the executive branch stops running it like an off-the-books side project while keeping lawmakers completely in the dark.
The Bottom Line
Between mystery investments in Kansas and telecom agencies hiding behind "confidentiality" stamps, the House is finally drawing a line in the sand.
Will the subpoenas actually fly? Will anyone explain where the ARPA interest went? Stay tuned—the budget hearings this week are going to be wild.
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