[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 165 (Monday, October 29, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NATIVE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 24, 2007

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank the 261 Members who 
supported H.R. 505, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act 
of 2007. I also want to encourage my colleagues who did not support the 
bill to talk to me and Congressman Abercrombie to learn more about the 
merits of the legislation. The passage of the bill has been celebrated 
by the people of Hawaii--Native Hawaiians and non-Native Hawaiian 
alike. I thank all the members of this body for the respectful and 
deliberate manner in which the debate was conducted.
  During the course of my remarks on the bill, I was privileged to 
place into the record several recent letters of support for H.R. 505, 
including letters from the Governor of the State of Hawaii, as well as 
the National Congress of American Indians and the American Bar 
Association, two of more than 50 national and state organizations that 
worked hard on behalf of the bill.
  After the vote on the bill, I received another letter of support from 
the Japanese American Citizens League, one of many civil rights 
organizations championing the efforts of Native Hawaiians to regain 
their right of self-governance and self-determination.
  Americans of Japanese ancestry fought their own battles against 
discrimination and subjugation, although for a shorter duration, when 
they were sent to relocation camps during World War II. They understand 
all too well the deprivation suffered by the Native Hawaiians, since 
their sovereign government was overthrown, and have lent their full 
support to the Native Hawaiian cause, which I deeply appreciate.
  It is therefore important that this letter from the Japanese American 
Citizens League be inserted into the Congressional Record to reflect 
the support of the JACL for this historic vote to recognize the 
inherent sovereignty of the indigenous, native people of Hawaii. I 
thank the members of JACL for their valuable support.
                                                 Japanese American


                                              Citizens League,

                                    Washington, DC, Oct. 23, 2007.
     Hon. Mazie K. Hirono,
     1229 Longworth House Office Building, U.S. House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Hirono: The Japanese American Citizens 
     League (JACL), the nation's oldest and largest Asian American 
     civil rights organization, fully supports the passage of H.R. 
     505, The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 
     2007 (NHGRA), introduced by the Members of the Hawai`i 
     Congressional Delegation. The bill is scheduled for a vote 
     before the House on Wednesday, October 24th and I ask that 
     you vote in favor of the bill and against any motion to 
     recommit H.R. 505.
       A process of U.S. recognition is already available to 
     American Indians and Alaska Natives, and enactment of NHGRA 
     extends a similar process to Native Hawaiians. There are over 
     560 federally recognized Native governing entities 
     functioning in the U.S, along side local, state and federal 
     governing entities. Native Hawaiians are the indigenous 
     people of Hawai`i, whose ancestors practiced sovereignty in 
     their ancestral lands that later became part of the United 
     States. The establishment of a process of federal recognition 
     for Native Hawaiians moves us toward fairness in federal 
     policy toward American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native 
     Hawaiians.
       Protection of Native Hawaiian culture, as well as existing 
     Native Hawaiian programs is critical for future generations. 
     Perpetuation of distinct, living cultures requires self-
     determination, and that is necessary for the Native Hawaiian 
     culture as well. Enactment of NHGRA protects this greater 
     self-determination, and thus the distinct culture. It 
     protects existing programs because it establishes a single 
     U.S. policy reaffirming that as the indigenous people of 
     Hawai`i, Native Hawaiian people have a special political and 
     legal relationship with the U.S., consistent with the Hawai`i 
     Constitution, over 150 existing Federal laws addressing 
     Native Hawaiians and the U.S. Constitution regarding Native 
     people of the lands of the 50 states.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Floyd Mori,
     National Director.

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