On April 19, American Samoa Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga signed an executive order creating the Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review and Federal Relations. The office was established to collaborate with the Legislature and Judiciary on constitutional amendments or other political status issues that may be presented as referendums to the voters of American Samoa in the November 2016 general elections or the elections in 2018, according to the Samoa News.

Issues facing the unincorporated territory of the United States include those of self-determination, citizenship with the United States, and immigration. The U.S. Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs awarded American Samoa $300,000 in technical assistance funds help create the office, according to Talanei.com.