[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 22]
[Senate]
[Pages 30803-30804]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIVE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION ACT

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise to seek clarification from our 
esteemed majority leader, Senator Frist, on the scheduling of S. 147, 
the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, for consideration of 
the full Senate.
  As you may recall, in December of last year, the majority and 
minority leaders joined us in reaching agreement on a schedule for the 
Senate's action on the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act 
bill with Senators Domenici and Kyl. Specifically, in an exchange of 
correspondence that was made part of the Congressional Record for the 
108th session of the Congress, the leaders agreed that S. 147 would be 
brought before the Senate on or before August 7, 2005.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, we commend our majority leader for his 
diligent efforts to secure the agreement of other Senators so that the 
Senate could proceed to consideration of this measure that is so 
important to the citizens of Hawaii. I know that Senator Inouye joins 
me in expressing our deep appreciation for our leader's action in 
laying down a cloture petition prior to the August recess when 
unanimous consent could not be achieved.

[[Page 30804]]

  However, when the Senate reconvened in September, the tragic 
devastation of Hurricane Katrina clearly demanded the Congress's 
immediate action, and thus, Senator Inouye and I agreed to the proposal 
of the minority and the majority leader, that the cloture petition be 
vitiated.
  As we now approach the end of the first session of the 109th 
Congress--with pressing matters requiring the Nation's attention once 
again moving the Senate's consideration of S. 147 to the sidelines--we 
seek the guidance of the majority leader as to when our Leader 
anticipates that this measure may be brought before the Senate.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I thank the Senators from Hawaii for their 
review of our actions and intent in securing the Senate's action on S. 
147. In addition to our two Senators from Hawaii, the Governor of 
Hawaii has consistently sought our action on this bill, and I am fully 
committed to assuring that the measure is brought before the Senate 
early in the next session of the Congress.
  Mr. President, because a few of our colleagues are apparently not 
inclined to allow the bill to be considered under unanimous consent, it 
may be necessary to once again file a cloture petition to enable the 
measure to be given the Senate's full consideration. I want to assure 
my colleagues from Hawaii that the commitment I made in December of 
last year remains firm, and that I will work with them to take the 
appropriate steps to assure Senate action on S. 147 early in the second 
session of the 109th Congress.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader for his 
clarification and his commitment. We look forward to working with both 
leaders to bring S. 147 to the Senate floor at the earliest possible 
time in the second session of the 109th Congress.

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