[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIVE HAWAIIAN REORGANIZATION ACT

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, today the Senator from Hawaii, Mr. 
Akaka, reintroduced the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, a bill that 
would create a new, race-based government within the borders of the 
United States. I strongly oppose this bill. This legislation was 
considered and rejected by the Senate last year; we ought not waste one 
moment of the Senate's time on it this year. Instead, we should 
consider legislation that unites us all as Americans. Our Nation must 
remain ``one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice 
for all''--``not many Nations, divided by race, with special privileges 
for some.'' Here are four reasons this bill should be stopped in its 
tracks: 1. It would create a new, sovereign government within our 
borders. 2. As noted by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the bill 
``would discriminate on the basis of race or national origin.'' 3. The 
bill is really about transferring control over ``land'' and ``other 
assets'' to this new, race-based government. 4. Native Hawaiians are 
not just ``another Indian tribe'' since they do not meet the 
requirements under current law of being sovereign for the last 100 
years, living as a separate and distinct community, and having a 
preexisting political organization.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in opposing this dangerous piece of 
legislation.

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