.The second reading of a bill to increase the salaries of American Samoa's Governor and Lt. Governor has been halted after Senator Tuaolo Fruean questioned the revenue source for the bill.
Tuaolo said that the constitution requires all appropriations bills to have a funding source and questioned one of the bill's sponsors Senator Vaitautolu Liugalua to identify how the increases would be financed.
Vaitautolu said the Senate should just pass the bill and leave it up to Treasury to find the money to fund the increases.
Tuaolo said Vaitautolu's response showed that he did not understand the requirements of the law and he moved that the bill be referred back to the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Senators then voted and the bill was returned to the Committee to identify a revenue source.
