[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 23 (Thursday, February 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 546--DESIGNATING FEBRUARY 2024 AS ``HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE 
                  MONTH'' OR `` `OLELO HAWAI`I MONTH''

  Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Ms. Hirono) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 546

       Whereas the Hawaiian language, or `Olelo Hawai`i--
       (1) is the Native language of Native Hawaiians, the 
     aboriginal, Indigenous people who--
          (A) settled the Hawaiian archipelago as early as 300 
     A.D., over which they exercised sovereignty; and
          (B) over time, founded the Kingdom of Hawai`i; and
       (2) was once widely spoken by Native Hawaiians and non-
     Native Hawaiians throughout the Kingdom of Hawai`i, which 
     held one of the highest literacy rates in the world prior to 
     the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai`i in 1893 and 
     the establishment of the Republic of Hawai`i;

       Whereas the Republic of Hawai`i enacted a law in 1896 
     effectively banning school instruction in `Olelo Hawai`i, 
     which led to the near extinction of the language by the 1980s 
     when fewer than 50 fluent speakers under 18 years old 
     remained;
       Whereas, since the 1960s, Native Hawaiians have led a 
     grassroots revitalization of their Native language, launching 
     a number of historic initiatives, including--
       (1) `Aha Punana Leo's Hawaiian language immersion 
     preschools;
       (2) the Hawaiian language immersion program of the Hawai`i 
     State Department of Education; and
       (3) the Hawaiian language programs of the University of 
     Hawai`i system;

       Whereas the Hawaiian language revitalization movement 
     inspired systemic Native language policy reform, including--
       (1) the State of Hawai`i recognizing `Olelo Hawai`i as an 
     official language in the Constitution of the State of Hawai`i 
     in 1978;
       (2) the State of Hawai`i removing the 90-year ban on 
     teaching `Olelo Hawai`i in public and private schools in 
     1986;
       (3) the enactment of the Native American Languages Act (25 
     U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) in 1990, which established the policy of 
     the United States to preserve, protect, and promote the 
     rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and 
     develop Native American languages; and
       (4) the State of Hawai`i designating the month of February 
     as `` `Olelo Hawai`i Month'' to celebrate and encourage the 
     use of the Hawaiian language; and

       Whereas the enactment of the Native American Language 
     Resource Center Act of 2022 (20 U.S.C. 6301 note; Public Law 
     117-335) in 2023--
       (1) reconfirmed a Federal commitment to revitalizing 
     Indigenous languages, including the Hawaiian language; and
       (2) resulted in the Department of Education awarding the 
     University of Hawai`i at Hilo a 5-year grant to establish the 
     first National Native American Language Resource Center: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates February 2024 as ``Hawaiian Language Month'' 
     or `` `Olelo Hawai`i Month'';
       (2) commits to preserving, protecting, and promoting the 
     use, practice, and development of `Olelo Hawai`i in alignment 
     with the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et 
     seq.); and
       (3) urges the people of the United States and interested 
     groups to celebrate `Olelo Hawai`i Month with appropriate 
     activities and programs to demonstrate support for `Olelo 
     Hawai`i.

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