Representatives from opposing camps in the debate over federal recognition of Native Hawaiians are in Washington, D.C., pushing their positions on senators before a crucial vote on the so-called Akaka bill that's expected today.

Publicity efforts in Honolulu include a flurry of advertisements by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in support of the bill, and a two-hour "occupation" of the second-floor balcony of 'Iolani Palace by Native Hawaiians who oppose the measure because they think it doesn't go far enough.

Sixty of the 100 senators must agree to a cloture petition to remove blocks placed on the bill by six conservative Republican senators. Once past cloture, 51 votes would be necessary to approve the bill.

Robin Danner, executive director of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, joined contingents led by Gov. Linda Lingle and several key members of her Cabinet and nearly all OHA members in chatting up senators who remain uncommitted.

"I think she's met with the staffs of four of the senators and she's got four more meetings scheduled this week," said Jade Danner, Robin's sister and council vice president.

INFORMATIVE CHATS

Jade Danner said the discussions with the staffers have centered around educating them about the Native Hawaiian plight. "Many American senators need a course in American history," she said.

H. William Burgess of the group Aloha For All, which opposes the bill on the belief that is race-based, said he and three other supporters also have pursued an instructional campaign. Their purpose, however, is "to educate the public and the senators about the perils of the Akaka bill."

Among those working with Burgess is Sen. Sam Slom, R-8th (Kahala, Hawai'i Kai), who is aligned with the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, which also opposes the bill. "We've been making appointments and talking to anybody who will listen," Burgess said.

A network of like-minded individuals also were urged to communicate with key senators, Burgess said.

"We're still bombarding the Senate with calls, faxes and e-mails," he said.

Native Hawaiian groups opposed to the bill on the grounds that they don't believe it goes far enough in addressing wrongs committed against their ancestors, also have been busy. Several appeared at a news conference yesterday with Senate Republicans.

Additionally, the Koani Foundation asked its supporters to contact 15 senators that the group believed were undecided on the bill and express objections.

PALACE PROTEST

About 10 members of Hui Pu, an umbrella organization of Native Hawaiian organizations opposed to the bill, yesterday entered 'Iolani Palace, once the center of the Hawaiian monarchy and still a symbol of sovereignty for Hawaiians, and hung upside-down Hawaiian flags and banners from the second-floor balcony overlooking King Street.

Andre Perez, a Hui Pu spokesman, said the group wanted to make senators and the public aware that a sizeable number of Hawaiians oppose the measure and that government officials from Hawai'i, nearly all of whom support the bill, do not represent their view.

State sheriffs and palace staff declined to make arrests at the gathering so protesters exited peacefully through the front steps of the palace.

"We accomplished our mission, which was to express our opposition to the bill and get some media attention," Perez said.

OHA, meanwhile, has purchased advertisements to remind the public that a good number of people continue to support the bill. The state agency paid $14,000 for a full-page ad that ran in Sunday's Honolulu Advertiser. Additionally, $5,000 was spent on a series of ads placed in The Advertiser that feature former Gov. George Ariyoshi, Hawaiian music icon Genoa Keawe and others.

OHA, which has been ripped by bill critics for spending more than $1 million in lobbying and advertising expenses in support of the measure, also spent about $22,000 to broadcast a one-hour television special on the bill that aired May 28 and Monday, and promotional spots on local television station KGMB.

OHA public information officer Manu Boyd said the goal of the show was to "dispel some of the myths" about the bill.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.