#TBT: September 18, 2025
From September to October 1895, Andrew Jenson toured the Samoan islands, including American Samoa, as part of his extensive 1895-1897 world tour to gather historical data for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He wrote of the natives being "kind and...
Recent business tax cuts in Guam spark political reaction
On August 15, 2025, the Republican majority in Guam voted on an amendment to the original 2026 budget bill. Senator Eulogio Shawn Gumataotao (R) proposed the amendment, which cuts the business privilege tax (BPT) from five percent to four percent. It will take effect...
How to register to vote in the US territories
Residents of the United States territories, like those on the mainland, participate in local elections to choose their leaders and shape policies at home. But unlike states, the territories do not have voting power in federal elections. On National Voter Registration...
How the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will impact the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico’s rum Industry
On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) signed HR 1 into law, referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” First introduced on May 20 by Representative Jodey Arrington (R) of Texas, the bill includes signature policies from President Trump’s second-term...
Democracy in the US territories, in context
Being a part of the United States, but not represented as a state, ensures the territories' democracies are unique. The US territories consist of five different islands. These include Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana...
Weekly Action Checklist: September 12, 2025
Take Action with the Americans of Conscience Checklist: Action 1: Celebrate Voter Registration Day, September 16, 2025. Action 2: Advocate for heat protections for farm workers. Action 3: Protect your state's voter rolls from federal overreach. ...
#TBT: September 11, 2025
Senator Hiram L. Fong of Hawaii introduced S. Con. Res. 50 in August 1965, proposing that Micronesia, including the Northern Mariana Islands, merge with the state of Hawaii, an effort, he claimed, to push Congress to reach a consensus over the fate of the territories.
Bryan administration expands US Virgin Islands parkland with historic land purchase
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. announced the acquisition of 2,469 acres at Maroon Ridge and Annaly Bay on St Croix, marking one of the largest land purchases in the territory’s history. The $17.5 million acquisition, finalized on August 15, was funded through the United...
For Puerto Rico, an empty PROMESA
Puerto Ricans are no strangers to power outages, from Hurricane Maria's blackout in 2017 to the constant outages under LUMA Energy’s management. But the lights are about to go out across the whole territory, and this time the outage is not just electrical, but...
Scientists and fishermen partner to study fish populations in the Mariana Islands
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries completed a research mission in July in partnership with local fishermen to better understand fish populations across the Mariana Islands. From July 7 to July 21, 2025, scientists and anglers worked together to...
