Akaka pursues
2 tracks to get
bill to Senate floor

He speaks again with Majority Leader
Frist to move the Akaka Bill

Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka is again threatening to force a vote on the long-stalled native Hawaiian sovereignty bill.

Akaka and fellow Democratic Sen. Daniel Inouye had expected to debate the bill on the Senate floor last week, but it has been blocked by Republican senators.

Yesterday, Akaka said he talked again with Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to move the bill.

A spokeswoman for Akaka said yesterday, "Sen. Akaka spoke with Majority Leader Bill Frist, who believes an agreement to proceed to the bill can be worked out by tomorrow."

Akaka, who said Friday that he would file a motion of cloture Monday, said he would file the motion today to move the bill for a floor vote.

"I am pursuing both tracks of action because I intend to make sure that (Senate Bill) 147 is considered this week," Akaka said.

He had said he had a deal with Senate Republicans for the bill to come to the floor for debate. He spent last week and the weekend trying to maneuver the measure through the roadblock.

Gov. Linda Lingle, who also lobbied for the bill last week while in Washington, said yesterday she still thinks it would pass if it got to the floor.

"Really, the effort now has to come from the senators themselves, and I know that Sen. Akaka is working very hard and I'm sure Sen. Inouye is as well," Lingle said.

"It's now their challenge to try to get it to the floor for a vote, and I remain confident that if it gets to the floor, we'll win the vote. It's just getting it there right now," she added.