"The administration believes that tribal recognition is inappropriate and unwise for Native Hawaiians," Gregory G. Katsas, principal associate attorney general for the Justice Department, said in a prepared statement to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

But Hawai'i Attorney General Mark Bennett said the bill provides "long overdue" federal recognition for Native Hawaiians.

"The notion of critics that (the bill) creates some sort of unique race-based government at odds with our constitutional and congressional heritage contradicts Congress' longstanding recognition of other native peoples," Bennett said.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, a committee member, also said she was not favorably impressed with the language in the Justice Department's statement, which used words like secession, balkanization, racially isolated government, preferential treatment and corrosive effect.

Murkowski said the "harsh and divisive words" were used to draw conclusions about the distinction between Native Hawaiians and indigenous groups of the United States — American Indians and Alaska Natives — that have gained federal recognition.

"Yet nowhere in the statement do I find any historical or anthropological references to support these conclusions," she said.

The bill, first introduced in 2000, would create a process for a future Native Hawaiian government to gain federal recognition.

Sen. Dan Akaka, D-Hawai'i, the lead sponsor of the so-called Akaka bill, said many checks and balances exist in the bill's process, which complies with federal law and maintains the flexibility for Native Hawaiians to determine the outcome.