STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1297

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.C.R. No. 117

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 117 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO INCLUDE RESIDENT CITIZENS OF THE FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES AS "QUALIFIED ALIENS" UNDER THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR UNIQUE HISTORIC AND ONGOING SACRIFICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to restore access to important and fundamental federal programs for United States resident workers, taxpayers, students, and community members present under the Compacts of Free Association by urging Congress to include resident citizens of the Freely Associated States as "qualified aliens" and restore their program eligibility under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.

The Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Healthy Pacific Organization, UNITE HERE Local 5, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Kokua Kalihi Valley, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, COFA Community Advocacy Network, Hepatitis Support Network of Hawaii, Healthy Pacific.Org, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  Two concerned individuals provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 117 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair