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Senators have hope
for Hawaiian status bill

Akaka and Inouye are optimistic
the legislation, which has passed the
House, will still get through the Senate

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By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

A federal bill that clarifies the political status of native Hawaiians is looking for a second wind as Congress gets back to work following its recess.

For now, the U.S. Senate's priority is to approve four appropriation, or spending, bills for federal departments needed to keep government operating.

Beyond that, Hawaii's two senators remain optimistic that the Akaka bill will get a chance at passage, but they are not saying much, according to their top aides.

"It's not dead, and we're just going to have to wait to see what kind of action is possible," said Jennifer Goto Sabas, chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

Goto Sabas said the political atmosphere in Washington, D.C., is a free-for-all because of the presidential election turmoil. She said the Senate's agenda remains open for any legislation put on hold when Congress took a recess for the general election.

The U.S. House passed an identical version of the bill in September, raising hope for quick passage in the Senate, where it got bogged down. President Clinton said during his stopover last month in Hawaii that he would sign the bill if it's approved by the Senate.

Inouye and Akaka want the bill passed during this session because they fear the next president may oppose the bill and veto it.

Paul Cardus, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, said it remains to be seen if the recess helped or hampered the bill. Both Akaka and Inouye continue to lobby for it with fellow senators, but they are reticent to predict if it will pass before the 106th Congress leaves on Jan. 2, Cardus said.

"So much of this work has been and is being done at the member level -- and they don't always let me know what's going on," he said.

Cardus said the break was beneficial because there are now more ways the bill could pass. Prior to the congressional recess, the only option left was if the proposal was added to another bill. Now, the measure could pass as an amendment or as stand-alone legislation needing unanimous consent by senators. "As long as they're in session, all options remains open," Cardus said.

Hawaii's delegation drafted the Akaka bill during the summer to strengthen native Hawaiian rights and entitlements after the the U.S. Supreme Court struck down state law that allowed only native Hawaiians to vote for trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

A subsequent ruling by a U.S. District Court judge opened the OHA election to candidates of any ethnicity.

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