Indians, Alaskans back Hawaiian bill
By Susan Roth
Advertiser Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — A group of Hawaiians returned to Washington this week to step up lobbying on the Native Hawaiian federal recognition bill, with help from major American Indian and Alaska Native groups.
The lobbying campaign, which officially kicked off the week before Kamehameha Day in June, gained added heft this week with the addition of veteran lobbyists from the National Congress of American Indians, which represents 250 tribes, and the Alaska Federation of Natives.
Hawaiians' sense of urgency on the recognition bill has increased recently, especially in light of the controversy back home over the decision to allow a non-Hawaiian to attend the historically all-Hawaiian Kamehameha Schools.
The measure by Democratic Sens. Daniel Akaka and Dan Inouye, which would allow the creation of a Native Hawaiian government similar to those of American Indian tribes, passed a House committee in May 2001 and a Senate committee in July 2001. Republicans who say it would create a racial preference system in Hawai'i are continuing to block action on the bill in both the House and the Senate.
Hawaiian officials acknowledged that they have not yet seen much response to their efforts in the way of movement on the bill. But they feel they are laying the groundwork for future passage, though it may not happen this year.
"Will we see passage? I don't know," said Ray Soon, chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission. "But with each visit to Washington, people here are more educated and they understand the issue better. That makes it easier to have a conversation" with legislative staff on Capitol Hill.
Soon, who spent Tuesday meeting with Senate Democratic leadership staff, said he felt a difference in his meetings "because there has already been so much contact."
With Soon in Washington were several board members from the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, officials from the state Office of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and Kamehameha Schools alumni. The lobbying coalition also includes the state Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations.
Members of the group also planned to meet with staff of the House Republican leadership, which is keeping the bill from hitting the floor in the House.
In addition, Soon said, they had contacted Hawaiians living on the Mainland and initiated an e-mail and telephone campaign to members of Congress from all over the country. "We are reaching out to their constituents on the Mainland, because it always strengthens the message for them to hear from their constituents," Soon said.
"We are telling people it is time to allow Hawaiians the same status that other native indigenous people enjoy," he said, and supporters from the American Indian and Alaska Native groups were helping to drive that point home.
With the Senate Indian Affairs Committee chaired by Inouye, the American Indian and Alaska Native groups helped sponsor a Capitol Hill forum on Monday on the military contributions of Hawaiian, Indian and Alaska Native veterans and on the federal policy on self-determination for all native peoples.
Tuesday, they repeated part of the forum at the White House with a few Bush administration officials present, and they also briefed members of the Asian-Pacific American community on the bill.
A Capitol Hill reception Tuesday evening paid special tribute to the late Myron "Pinky" Thompson, a decorated World War II Army veteran and beloved Native Hawaiian leader who founded several groups to aid Hawaiians. The rest of the week, the lobbying delegation planned to visit more lawmakers' offices with American Indian and Alaska Native leaders.
"We put this roundtable discussion and the other activities together to increase the visibility of Native Hawaiian issues and to emphasize that we want to see equity for them: parity with all our native groups," said Julie Kitka, executive director of the Alaska Federation of Natives. "We think it must happen this year."
"We see this as the beginning of a larger partnership on a whole range of common issues," Kitka said. "And we are helping to open doors for them, introducing them to people who might be able to help."
Haunani Apoliona, chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, said: "This opportunity to work with the other indigenous groups is critical. They will speak publicly and nationally about the bill. It's all part of an effort to raise awareness on the issue. We want to be a visible, continuous presence here, to say to Congress that we are the other indigenous group: Hawaiians in the 50th state."
