Veterans bill for
Hawaiians sent to Bush
Congress has approved legislation to revive a program that assists veterans of native Hawaiian ancestry.
The legislation in the defense appropriations bill would remove a cap imposed on the Native American Veterans Direct Loan Program.
The bill has gone to President Bush for his signature.
The program was suspended earlier this year because it exceeded a $5 million cap imposed by the Bush administration.
As a result, the Office of Veterans Affairs in Honolulu was ordered on May 30 to halt all disbursements for the program.
That stopped the processing of about 50 new home construction loans and interest rate reduction loans for native Hawaiians.
The legislation to remove the cap was inserted into the bill by U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.
