Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 2, 1 February 2004 — Senate authorizes federal Office of Native Hawaiian Relations [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Senate authorizes federal Office of Native Hawaiian Relations

Agency will facilitate government's '^peeial relationship/r with Hawaiians

By Sterling Kini Wong The U.S. Senate has passed a measure creating a federal Office of Native Hawaiian Relations within the Department of the Interior to administer the "speeial legal relationship between Native Hawaiians and the U.S." Although the measure stops short of extending full federal recognition to Hawaiians, its provisions and language are drawn from the proposed Native Hawaiian Federal Recognition Act (also known as the "Akaka Bill") currently under eonsideration by the Senate. The office, whieh was funded with $100,000, is intended to act as liaison between the federal government and Native Hawaiians. The measure authorizing the

creation of the office was included in the broad federal appropriations bill that passed the Senate by a vote of 65-28 on Jan. 22. The measure was passed by the House of Representatives last year, and Paul Cardus, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, said he expects the president to sign it fairly soon. Sen. Akaka said that the creation of the office is an important step in passing the federal recognition bill that bears his name, and an integral element in the reconciliation process that was initiated under the 1993 Apology Resolution. "H'll give (the recognition bill) a higher profile in the Congress and help with educating people about the bill," Akaka told the press. Sen. Daniel Inouye lauded the establishment of the office and reaffirmed his commitment to the Akaka bill. "The establishment of

the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations in the Department of the Interior advances the cause of self-determination for Native Hawaiians, and is an important component of the Akaka Bill that the Hawai'i congressional delegation supports," Inouye said. "I remain committed to working with Senator Akaka and the other mem-

bers of the Hawai'i delegation in passing the full measure this year." OHA Chairperson Haunani Apoliona commended the passage of the measure, but said that it will have no effect on the Native Hawaiian govemanee process that was initiated by the "Kau Inoa" registration launeh on Jan. 17. Apoliona said that the Akaka bill is just one approach to the reconciliation process. "In

the Hawaiian governanee process, we are listening to those on all sides of the spectrum," she said. "The critical thing is for our community to participate in the registration of Hawaiian people in the process of self-determination, and to step up and get involved in being a delegate when the time comes. That is self-determination." ■

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. i lnterior Secretary Gale Norton and federal-recognition bill sponsor Sen. Daniel Akaka met at an OHA-hosted dinner during Norton's brief January stopover in HonolulU. Photo: Sterling Kini Wong