U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye issued a statement in response to a protest today by Native Hawaiian groups at the state Capitol over the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009, also known as the Akaka Bill.

The groups claimed that Inouye is trying to “sneak” the so-called Akaka Bill into spending bills to get its passage.
“I have never suggested that the Akaka Native Hawaiian Recognition Bill be passed and adopted as part of the defense appropriations process,” Inouye said in his statement. “I don’t know where this nonsensical suggestion originated. The Akaka bill for the past many years has been considered under what we call the regular order. It has had hours upon hours of hearings, many, many revisions and amendments and has gone through the scrutiny of three administrations. We have had hearings in Washington and in Hawaii. It is not a measure that has been shepherded in the dark of the night. It has been fully transparent.”
The Akaka bill is scheduled for a markup in the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Thursday.