[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 61 (Tuesday, May 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E798-E799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AMENDING PL 96-565, AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE KALAUPAPA NATIONAL 
HISTORICAL PARK TO ALLOW FOR LAND EXCHANGES OUTSIDE THE STATE OF HAWAII

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 2002

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill 
which will amend Public Law 96-565, the law that established the 
Kalaupapa National Historical Park, to remove the restrictions 
regarding the exchange of lands between the National Park Service and 
the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). PL 96-565 currently does 
not allow for land trades outside of the State of Hawaii between the 
two departments.
  Amending PL 96-565 will greatly increase the National Park Service's 
ability to locate and acquire lands to exchange for Hawaiian Home Lands 
located within the boundaries of Kalaupapa National Historical Park on 
the island of Molokai. Certain lands within the Kalaupapa Park are 
currently leased by the National Park Service. The best way for the 
lands within Kalaupapa to be permanently protected from development is 
to have the federal government acquire the lands.

[[Page E799]]

  As a result of the current law, the National Park Service is severely 
limited in acquiring lands to trade with the DHHL and has not been able 
to acquire land within Kaplaupapa.
  The DHHL has recently advised that it is not limited to accepting 
surplus federal property only within the State of Hawaii. As a result, 
the Congress should immediately move to amend PL 96-565, and allow the 
federal government to finally acquire precious lands within Kalaupapa 
National Historical Park. I urge my colleagues to support the passage 
of this bill.

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