STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1722

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.C.R. No. 108

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 S.C.R. No. 108 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO INCLUDE RESIDENT CITIZENS OF THE FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES WHO LAWFULLY RESIDE IN THE UNITED STATES AS "QUALIFIED ALIENS" UNDER THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1996 IN RECOGNIZING 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 of 1996.

The Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, HealthyPacific.org, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, SHIP-HOOPS(FSM nonprofit), Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Papa Ola Lokahi, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  Healthy Pacific Organization 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 S.C.R. No. 108 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair