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Native Hawaiian
rights bill given
50-50 chance

The chairman of the Senate
Indian Affairs Committee says he
believes the measure could
be approved this year

Statewide hearings set

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By Craig Gima
Star-Bulletin

PHILADELPHIA -- The chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee thinks there's a 50-50 chance that Congress will pass a bill this year that would give native Hawaiians a relationship with the federal government similar to that of American Indian tribes and preserve federal benefits aimed at native Hawaiians.

"They are aboriginal groups just like American Indians are. I think they have certain rights because of the lands they lost to the federal government," said Sen. Ben Campbell, R-Colo., in an interview last week at the Republican National Convention.

"They were sovereign before the Anglos got there, just like Indians were. Just because there were a lot of newcomers that came into the islands doesn't mean they should automatically lose their sovereignty," he said.

Campbell said so far he has not heard of opposition to the bill.

However, since the bill was introduced just three weeks ago, many lawmakers are not familiar with it.

"We've only got 28 days left, whether it passes or not is anybody's guess, but I'm going to help Sen. (Dan) Inouye with it," Campbell said. "What happens at the end is there's such a bottleneck of everybody trying to shove their bills through. There's a lot of gamesmanship going on where people hold each other's bill hostage until they can get one through, that kind of stuff, but I think it has a 50-50 chance of getting through."

Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., a member of the Indian Affairs Committee which will consider the bill, said he has not heard of it yet but the key to passage this year is how much it will change current law. "If it has big ramifications then it won't (pass). If it doesn't, then we'll get it done," he said.

Campbell noted there may be some Indian groups that are concerned about the bill because it may cut into the limited funds available for Indians. However, he said that will be taken care of.

"There are two parts to the bill. You do the authorizing, then later you have to pay for it, and that's a whole another set of circumstances," he said.

Lingle says don't rush it

State Republican Party chairwoman Linda Lingle says she would like to see the bill be given full consideration and not rushed through, but noted, "I don't think many people understand it at this point."

She also believes the rush by Hawaii Democrats to introduce the bill and get it passed this year is "clearly for political purposes."

She doesn't agree with those who say Hawaiians would have a better chance at sovereignty under a Democratic administration.

"It's just a false assumption," she said.

Campbell agrees.

"I think it has an equally good chance on either side, frankly," he said. "I haven't had anybody on the Republican party tell me they opposed it or didn't like it."

However, some Native Hawaiian GOP delegates to the convention think the bill may have a better chance with Democrats.

"Republicans in Hawaii are not for gambling," said Lorraine Shin, who is half-Hawaiian. Shin believes a sovereign Hawaiian government could eventually start up a casino in Hawaii, something she would support.

Different view on gambling

But unlike other states with native casinos, Hawaii does not allow gambling. So under current law, the state Legislature would have to pass a bill legalizing a lottery or some other form of gambling before a native Hawaiian government could open a casino.

Shin supports the bill and would like to see it passed as soon as possible. "I believe Hawaiians should have the benefits," she said.

Danny Rodrigues, a delegate from Waianae, also would like to see the bill passed but hopes it would not lead to gambling and to putting Hawaiians on reservations.

He believes it's important to keep federal funding for programs that help native Hawaiians.

"I support programs that give Hawaiians an opportunity to succeed, it it's programs that work," he said. "I don't mind helping people out who need it," he continued. "But sometimes (government) programs make things worse."