The Senate in American Samoa is assessing how much money is sent out of the territory in remittances.
Local financial institutions and money transfer companies have been asked by the senate president Lolo Moliga to provide the necessary data.
Lolo says foreigners working in the territory send part of their incomes home to meet the needs of their families or relatives.
However, he says no attempt has ever been made to try to quantify the money involved.
Lolo says the movement of this money impacts on the financial planning for the territory so it is appropriate for the senate to know the level of transfer payments.
Several thousand people from neighbouring Samoa are employed in American Samoa.
