Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Governor’s Chief of Staff has issued a directive for departments and agencies to submit a comprehensive assessment report detailing the impact of the recent federal government shutdown on local government workers in American Samoa. This report is due for submission by the close of business on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

In a memorandum dated Oct. 6, 2025, endorsed by Chief of Staff Leonard Seumanutafa, the emphasis was placed on the urgent need to evaluate the implications of the ongoing federal government shutdown on the workforce within the territory. The memorandum emphasizes the importance of maintaining operational continuity wherever feasible during this unprecedented period.

To meet this urgent request, all departments and agencies are instructed to swiftly compile data identifying the total number of employees whose salaries are either fully or partially funded through federal grants, cooperative agreements, or other federal financial sources. This includes not only the regular, full-time employees but also those classified as supplemental personnel, such as temporary, contract, or project-based staff.

Seumanutafa noted that each department is tasked with assessing how long federally funded and supplemental employees can sustain their employment under the current budget constraints.

Moreover, departments must proactively develop contingency plans that address potential scenarios where federal funding remains suspended for an extended time.

It’s noted that he completion of these comprehensive reports will be crucial for assessing the operational risks involved and enabling informed decision-making — to ensure adequate staffing and uninterrupted service delivery throughout the shutdown period.

As of October 1, 2025, the US federal government has entered a state of partial shutdown, now extending beyond seven days, due to Congress' inability to pass necessary appropriations legislation for the fiscal year 2026.

This impasse stems from profound partisan divisions surrounding key issues, including federal spending levels, proposed cuts to foreign aid, and allocations of health insurance subsidies.

The shutdown has resulted in the furlough of approximately 900,000 federal employees, while an additional 700,000 personnel are compelled to remain on duty without receiving their usual pay.

Essential services are still operational; however, agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program are experiencing significant disruptions, with partial or complete suspensions of their operations.

This shutdown represents the 11th instance of a government shutdown in U.S. history and marks the third occurrence during President Donald Trump’s administration.

Notably, this is the first federal government shutdown since the protracted one that transpired from late 2018 to early 2019.