Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 5, 1 May 1988 — MaS Wakinekona [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MaS Wakinekona

By Larry Kamakawiwo'ole Federal Liaison Officer

Natioe Hawaiian Issues

During the months of March and April, native Hawaiian federal legislation progressed significantly in the legislative process. H.R. 5 (S. 373), the School Improvement Act of 1987, passed the eonference committee Mar. 31 and was subsenuentlv referred to the

full House for consideration. The good news for Hawaiians is that the Hawaiian provisions in H.R. 5 remain unchanged. As you may recall, H.R. 5 includes three important Hawaiian provisions: a gifted and talented program, a drug abuse education and prevention program, and various programs for model curriculum, family based education centers, and demonstration programs for higher education, special education, and gifted and talented students. Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Spark M. Matsunaga provided strong leadership as conferees on the conference committee, and both Representatives Daniel K. Akaka and Patricia Saiki added their firm support throughout the legislative process. S. 1441 (H.R. 1326), the Fublic Heahh Service Act Infant Mortality Amendments of 1987, passed the Senate on August 6, 1987 and is currently in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. H.R. 1326 passed the House on November 9, 1987 and was subsequently placed on the Senate calendar on November 13, 1987. H.R. 2290, the Indian Heahh Care Amendmenīs of 1987, is currently on the House Union Calendar and awaits floor action.

S. 1193, to add additional lands to the Kilauea Point Wildlife Refuge on Kaua'i, was introduced by Matsunaga and cosponsored by Inouye. The bill passed the Senate on Jan. 26, and was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries on Jan. 27. The purposes of S. 1193 are to provide wildlife protection and public access to the Kilauea Point area and to preserve the scenic beauty of the wildlife refuge. In order to achieve these purposes, the bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to aequire approximately 101.1 acres of Crater Hill and 37.6 acres of Mokolea Point. Four million dollars has been authorized to be appropriated for the purchases of these lands whieh are adjacent to the Kilauea Point Wildlife Refuge. H.R. 3927, the Indian Housing Act of 1988, was introduced by Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez of Texas on Feb. 9 and referred to the House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs. The bill was subsequently referred to the Commit-

tee's Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development of whieh Representative Gonzaiez is chairman. The purposes of H.R. 3927 are to allow an efficient implementation of the Indian Housing Program, whieh is currently under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), by the establishment of a separate program to provide housing assistance for Indians and Alaska Natives, and to make the Mutual Help Homeownership Opportunity Program more flexible by encouraging cooperative ownership and a self-help program with technical assistance. In the subcommittee's mark up session on Mar. 10, chairman Gonzalez introduced an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 3927, whieh in effect added another amendment to the bill. That amendment is to include in the annual report of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development an assessment of the housing needs of native Hawaiians and an evaluation of current Federal programs designed to meet the needs of housing assistance for lower ineome Hawaiian families. Additionally, the amendment includes an evaluation of the current Federal program of single-family mortgage insurance for native Hawaiians under section 247 of the National Housing Act. Rep. Saiki is a member of both the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, and its Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development. The subcommittee's recommendations were forwarded to the full committee on March 16. S. 2250, to ensure that Federal Iands are managed in a manner that does not impair or interfere with the exercise or practice of traditional American Indian religion, was introduced by Senator Alan Cranston of California on Mar. 31, and cosponsored bySenators Inouyeand DeConcini (Arizona). S. 2250 was subsequently referred to the Select Committee on Indian Affairs. The bill is an amendment to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, whieh sets forth the policy of the United States to protect and preserve the right of American Indians, Eskimo, Aleut and native Hawaiians to believe, express, and exercise their traditional religions. The Act required that appropriate Federal agencies develop policies and procedures in addition to establishing a working relationship with native traditional religious leaders to assure minimal interference with the religious practices of Native Americans. In a 1979 report submitted to Congress, it concluded that due to ignorance and attitudes, Federal policies and practices were directly or indirectly hostile toward native traditional religions or simply indifferent to their religious values. Furthermore, there were indications that Native Americans were denied access to sacred sites on Federal land for the purpose of worship, and in cases where they

did gain access, they were often disturbed during their worship by Federal officials and the public. Moreover, Native Americans have been disrupted in their efforts to gather and use natural substances whieh have a sacred or religious signifieanee. Thus, the purpose of the amendment is to strengthen the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 by requiring Federal agencies to manage Federal lands so that Native Americans ean practice their traditional religions without interference from Federal officials and the public. Moreover, the amendment provides the United States district courts with the authority to issue orders to enforce this requirement. Finally, S. 825, the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, became Public Law 100-242 on Feb. 5. The purpose of the Act is to provide Federal assistance to homeless persons and people of tow and moderate ineome who laek affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing.