[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 7755-7756]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIVE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION ACT

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, on January 17, 2007, Senator Inouye and I 
introduced S. 310, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 
2007 to extend the Federal policy of self-governance and self-
determination to Hawaii's indigenous people. This measure is of 
critical importance to the people of Hawaii. It would, at long last, 
clarify the existing legal and political relationship of Native 
Hawaiians with the United States, allowing for the formation of a 
government-to-government relationship.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am very well aware of the support of the 
Senator from Hawaii for this measure and his determination to see it 
enacted. As a result of the hard work by Senator Akaka as well as his 
colleague, Senator Inouye, on behalf of this legislation, every Member 
of this body should know how important this bill is to the people of 
Hawaii.
  Mr. INOUYE. I thank the Senator for his recognition of our continuing 
perseverance and unwavering resolve to move this measure forward. At 
its core, S. 310 is about equity. It is about establishing parity in 
the Federal policies towards Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and 
Native Hawaiians. Our U.S. Constitution is clear in the means by which 
it addresses the status of the indigenous, native people of this land. 
It is a status based not on consideration of race or ethnicity, but 
rather on the political relationship that existed between the United 
States and the native people who occupied and exercised sovereignty 
over lands that later became part of the United States.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, the senior Senator from Hawaii is 
absolutely correct, and I appreciate both his comments and that of our 
majority leader about my efforts to date. I first introduced this bill, 
together with the members of Hawaii's Congressional Delegation, in 
1999. And, I have introduced a similar bill every Congress. In each 
Congress, the bill has been favorably reported by the Senate Committee 
on Indian Affairs, and its companion measure has been favorably 
reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  During the 109th Congress, Senator Inouye and I were successful in 
filing a cloture motion to proceed to the bill. This procedural action 
required 60 votes to bring the bill, S. 147, to the Senate floor for a 
full debate and vote.

[[Page 7756]]

Falling four votes short of the required 60 votes, cloture was not 
invoked. As a result, the Senate has not yet voted on the substance and 
merits of this bill. In fact, the cloture vote demonstrated that if the 
measure was considered on an up-or-down vote, the votes are here to 
pass it by a simple majority.
  Senator Inouye and I are currently working to have S. 310 considered 
by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in the near future, and brought 
to the Senate floor shortly thereafter. In the U.S. House of 
Representatives, the companion measure, H.R. 505, was scheduled for 
markup by the House Natural Resources Committee, but Hawaii Congressman 
Abercrombie was not able to be present. At Congressman Abercrombie's 
request, H.R. 505 is being rescheduled for committee consideration 
shortly.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, through his position on the Indian Affairs 
Committee, the senior Senator from Hawaii has demonstrated leadership 
on and knowledge of Indian issues. He has been second to no Member in 
this body with his empathetic advocacy for fair and equitable treatment 
of Native Americans. I can clearly understand what drives both Hawaii 
Senators to secure some measure of fairness and self-determination for 
the indigenous people of their beautiful home State. Senator Akaka's 
description of events here in the Senate culminating with a failed 
cloture vote was accurate.
  However, I want to be very clear to every Member of this body: As a 
Senator from Nevada, I strongly support S. 310. As majority leader, I 
am committed to ensuring Senate consideration of S. 310 and will work 
with the Senators from Hawaii to gain the support of members from both 
sides of the aisle. This is my commitment to the gentlemen from Hawaii.
  Mr. INOUYE. We thank you, the leader. Native Hawaiian programs and 
institutions continue to be under attack in the courts. Hence, there is 
an urgency to act and to clarify that the status of Native Hawaiians is 
a political question best left to the political arena, namely the 
Congress, to resolve.
  Mr. AKAKA. I deeply appreciate the leader's commitment and support. 
Hawaii is the only homeland of the Native Hawaiian people, and I remain 
committed to empowering the people of Hawaii and our Nation to preserve 
a Hawaii that respects Native Hawaiians and the contributions made by 
those who have made Hawaii their home.

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