Former and current ASTCA board members pressed on questions about spending on the American250 festivities
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Former and current members of the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) appeared before the Senate Government Operations Committee Monday, where l

![Former and current members of the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) testified before the Senate Government Operations Committee yesterday. (l-r) Ella Gurr, Molitogi Lemana, Andrew Berquist, Omar Shalhout, Avamua Dave Haleck, Maota Alex Sene, Jr., Lewis Seau, Karen Satele. [photo: Asi A. Fa'asau] Former and current members of ASTCA board](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/img_7302.jpg?itok=cxpQxsje)
![Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on September 14, 2026 that the United States could issue deep-sea mining permits within months. He was speaking at the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Abundance in Houston, which the United States is hosting. Asked when the permits would be issued, he gave no date. [photo: via Ocean Mining News] Interior Secretary Doug Burgum](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/burgum-deep-sea-mining-permits-within-months.jpg?itok=TmikPaMN)




![A teenager working on maths problems on a worksheet. [photo: Unsplash/ Joshua Hoehne] girl writing](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/4kc8f99_joshua_hoehne_azrbfoxp_3i_unsplash_jpg_copy.jpg?itok=C8kPl1LX)


