WASHINGTON — The Hawai'i congressional delegation yesterday reintroduced long-awaited legislation in both chambers of Congress that would create a process for Native Hawaiian self-governance.

The move was a formality that entailed filing the legislation with the clerks on Capitol Hill, but it started a process that could transform the political landscape of Hawai'i.

"We have been working together to enact the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act which is critical to the future of our state," the four-member congressional delegation said in a joint statement.

If passed, the Akaka bill — named for Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i — would create a process for reorganizing a Native Hawaiian government, including the election of an interim governing council.

Once the government receives federal recognition, negotiations could take place on the disposition of Native Hawaiian land, natural resources and other assets.

The bill must now go through the proper congressional vetting committees and then face votes in the full House and Senate.

The legislation was originally introduced in 2000, but it hit hurdles over the years in the Bush administration, where Justice Department officials said it created a racial preference.

Its chances of passage now in the heavily Democratic Congress have never been better.

President Obama, who was born in Hawai'i and graduated from Punahou School, has promised to sign the legislation if it makes it to his desk.

The legislation came closest to passing in 2007 when it cleared the full House, but was never brought to the Senate floor for a full vote.

The delegation reintroduced the 2007 version yesterday.

This version contains a provision barring any new Native Hawaiian government from authorizing gambling.

The provision was included to ease fears that newly empowered Native Hawaiians would set up gambling operations. Gambling is illegal in Hawai'i.

"After careful consideration, we have decided to move forward with the version of the bill which was approved by the relevant congressional committees and the full House in 2007," the delegation said in its statement.