December 11, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. ---- FALEOMAVAEGA WANTS TO KNOW WHY "HOME OF RECORD" NOT ACCURATE FOR SAMOAN SOLDIERS

Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that he has written to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, the Honorable Sandra K. Stuart, asking for a review of Department of Defense policy and procedures for recruiters in American Samoa involving enlistees' homes of record and legal residence. The request was made in response to complaints the Congressman has received from constituents and recent reports on the amount of income taxes ASG is receiving from Samoan service members.

"For some time now I have been receiving letters from Samoan soldiers requesting my assistance in changing the "home of record" entry in the service records from Hawaii to American Samoa. These requests have troubled me because I could not understand why American Samoa was not originally their home of record," said Faleomavaega.

"I have also been concerned with the reports from ASG that the local government has been receiving only about $200,000 per year in income taxes transferred from the Internal Revenue Service," continued the Congressman. "I know ASG has received considerably more income tax money from the IRS in the past, and as I began to put these different facts together, I felt it was necessary that current DOD policy and procedures be reviewed."

"I hope to have a response from the Department within 60 days, and I will report further as I obtain more information," concluded Faleomavaega.