Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Last week, the Senate rejected the House amendments and as of yesterday, no word on whether there will be a conference committee on the proposed constitutional amendment that would extend the Fono session.

Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean had asked that the House to act on the Senate measure and send it back so senators may review their changes before the current session ends.

The Senate Joint Resolution proposed that there be one session, which lasts the whole year, except for holidays.

The House of Representatives last week amended the Senate resolution, endorsing two, 60-day sessions a year instead of the current two, 45-day sessions.

The House amendments leave intact the opening date of the sessions, which is the second Monday of January and the second Monday of July each year.

Before the amendments were unanimously approved by the House, several faipule stated that a year long session fono is not good for the House because they have a lot of obligations.

Rep. Lavea Fatulegaee Palepoi Mauga said this is not the first time this bill has been introduced into the Fono. He recalled a House bill that was introduced in past years to amend the Constitutional to allow the Legislature to convene in two 60-day sessions a year. The bill did not go through that time either, according to Lavea.

He reminded legislators that a faipule is a person who works for the whole year and if this resolution passes and the Fono convenes for the whole year, faipule would not have the chance to visit his or her district.

The Fono’s Third Regular Session ends April 1st.