Deep-Sea Mining Push: The U.S. is moving ahead with plans to auction about 31 million acres of ocean near American Samoa for mineral exploration as early as November, drawing fresh alarm from Pacific leaders and spiritual groups who say there were “no consultations” and warn of threats to food security and marine life. Marine Protections Rollback: Trump also moved to allow commercial fishing inside three Bush-era Pacific marine national monuments, including the Rose Atoll area in American Samoa, sparking condemnation from conservationists and Indigenous communities. Foreign Worker Rules: In American Samoa, the Senate Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee heard testimony on a proposed 12-month moratorium on the “special provision” clause, which currently lets businesses bring in foreign workers without a numerical cap; officials cited 3,489 workers under the provision. Local Governance & Trust Land: Manu‘a residents discussed steps to ensure transparent oversight of Atu‘u trust land lease payments under a 1911 indenture. Ports Resilience: Commonwealth Ports Authority leaders urged rebuilding airport and seaport facilities “better and more resilient” after super typhoons, shifting from emergency response back to day-to-day operations. Health & Services: A Senate Health Committee hearing focused on reliability and staffing problems at the LBJ Hemodialysis Clinic, including water filtration breakdowns and shortened sessions. Cybersecurity: The Department of Education warned staff about phishing emails targeting ASDOE accounts and urged reporting and deleting suspicious messages. Congressional Outreach: Rep. Uifa’atali Amata joined a bipartisan congressional delegation and discussed interest in American Samoa hosting similar weather research as seen in Cabo Verde. Sports & Community: Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the Samoa Open 2026, highlighting sport’s role in tourism, youth opportunity, and regional ties.