Posted on: Thursday, July 3, 2003

Backers of Akaka bill plan unified campaign

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's congressional delegation and other proponents of a bill giving federal recognition to Native Hawaiians met yesterday in the governor's office to map out a unified push in the coming two months.

The all-Democratic delegation asked Republican Gov. Linda Lingle for the meeting — which also included trustees and staff of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and other state officials — because the time is right to prod the "Akaka bill" along before Congress goes into recess in early August, U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye said.

"There's an important window that will open in mid-July and close in August," Inouye said. "I leave this meeting enthused and extremely gratified with the governor's position."

Lingle said she is ready to do "what it takes" to rally support for the bill, including making another trip to Washington, D.C., although no trip has been scheduled yet. OHA trustees are planning their next Capitol lobbying visit for mid-July, said Haunani Apoliona, the trustees' chairwoman.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, whose name has been attached to various forms of the bill over the years, said the power lies with the Senate leadership to put the bill on the mid- to late-August calendar.

He said he and Inouye plan to approach those leaders now that the bill has cleared the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and could move to the full Senate for a vote.

Inouye said he was impressed with the strategies outlined in the meeting. Akaka added that the delegation is banking on the strength of its unified front with the state administration, but nobody wanted to say more.

U.S. Rep. Ed Case, the newest member of the delegation, said the time has arrived for Lingle to deliver on election promises to sway the GOP president.

"We currently have people who say they can influence the Bush administration," Case said. "We we need to turn up the heat on that."