U.S. Senate funds office
benefiting HawaiiansCoordination of federal programs
will be the office's goal
The U.S. Senate has approved legislation that would establish and fund a federal Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, acknowledging the special relationship between the federal government and native Hawaiians.
Paul Cardus, spokesman for Sen. Daniel Akaka, said the legislation creating the new office is identical to a section of the pending federal recognition bill, also known as the Akaka bill.
However, Cardus emphasized that the bill approved yesterday does not extend federal recognition to native Hawaiians.
The measure already has passed the House and now goes to President Bush for his signature.
The conference report on the Omnibus Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2004 includes $100,000 to fund the new office within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Akaka advocated this bill before he introduced the recognition bill, which is stalled in the Senate, Cardus said.
The bill stems from the 1993 apology resolution in which the U.S. government apologized for the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, he said.
The office's mission is to bring about and implement the special legal relationship between native Hawaiians and the United States; to continue the process of reconciliation; and conduct meaningful, regular and appropriate consultation with native Hawaiians, according to Akaka.
"The establishment of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations is an integral element in the ongoing reconciliation process between native Hawaiians and the federal government that we initiated under the 1993 Apology Resolution," Akaka said.
"The creation of this office is another important step toward reconciliation and provides a federal office to administer the special legal and political relationship between native Hawaiians and the United States," he said.
Sen. Daniel Inouye hailed the creation of the office and said he was committed to working toward passage of the full federal recognition bill.
Creation of the new office is "one element of the total vision of federal recognition," said Haunani Apoliona, chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "This is a very commendable first step in the reconciliation with native Hawaiians by the United States."
The new office will bring together all federal programs benefiting Hawaiians and allow better coordination, Apoliona said.
The federal office will not pose a threat to OHA, she said.
"It will be more of an enhancement to help meet the needs of native Hawaiians," she said.