STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1808
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: H.C.R. No. 56
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 56 entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS RECOGNIZE AN OFFICIAL POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE INDIGENOUS HAWAIIAN PEOPLE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request that the federal government:
(1) Recognize the political relationship between the United States and the indigenous Hawaiian people in a similar manner afforded to Native Americans and Alaska natives; and
(2) Designate a permanent agency to address indigenous Hawaiian reconciliation proceedings and the political status of indigenous Hawaiians.
Your Committee has amended the measure by deleting its title and contents and inserting therefor provisions that request the United States Congress and the President of the United States to support the passage of S. 147, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005, otherwise known as the Akaka Bill.
The amended measure also urges the United States Congress and the President of the United States, upon passage of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005, to expeditiously facilitate formal federal recognition of Native Hawaiians as indigenous people, self-governance, and redress
Your Committee received testimony in support of the amended measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Attorney General, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. A private citizen supported the amended measure if the measure was further amended to address certain concerns. Two private citizens testified in opposition to the amended measure.
Your Committee finds that the Akaka Bill would:
(1) Authorize the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations in the Department of the Interior to serve as a liaison between Native Hawaiians and the federal government;
(2) Establish the Native Hawaiian Interagency Coordinating Group - an interagency group to be composed of federal officials from agencies that administer Native Hawaiian programs and services; and
(3) Establish a process for the reorganization of the Native Hawaiian governing entity.
Your Committee also finds that, while the United States Congress has traditionally treated Native Hawaiians in a manner parallel to American Indians and Alaska Natives, the federal policy of self-governance and self-determination has not been formally extended to Native Hawaiians.
Your Committee believes that the Akaka Bill would remedy this discrepancy and extend to Native Hawaiians the policy of self-governance and self-determination currently practiced by American Indians and Alaska Natives.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 56, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 56, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,
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____________________________ COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair |
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