Republicans kill funding for Hawaiian housing

State officials plan to revive the bill in the U.S. House

State officials say they plan to continue lobbying to win passage of a bill in the U.S. House to reauthorize federal funding for native Hawaiian housing assistance programs.

Although the bill was supported 262-162, it fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage under a special House procedure. The vote came after Republican leadership in the House argued it could be unconstitutional.

NATIVE HOUSING BILL IS DEFEATED U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and members of the Lingle administration plan to continue lobbying efforts after Republicans in the U.S. House defeated a bill to reauthorize federal funding for native Hawaiian housing assistance programs. The vote was 262-162, short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage under a special House procedure. Abercrombie said he will work to bring the bill back to the floor under standard procedure, which would require only a simple majority for passage. While no projects are immediately put at risk by the bill's defeat, state Hawaiian Homes Director Micah Kane says it could affect planning for future projects.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie said he will work to bring the bill back to the floor under standard procedure, which would require only a simple majority for passage. That vote could come as early as next week, he said.

"I think it's very unfortunate that at this stage the Republican leadership is trying to politicize this bill," Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, said in a telephone interview from Washington.

While no projects are immediately put at risk by the bill's defeat, state Hawaiian Homes Director Micah Kane said planning for future projects could be affected if the bill is ultimately defeated.

"There is no immediate impact right now, but should this program not be funded, it will have a significant impact on our construction budget," Kane said.

Abercrombie and Kane said they will continue talking with lawmakers to ensure the bill's passage if and when it comes up for another vote.

The bill would have reauthorized a 2000 provision of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act. Under that provision, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands had received about $10 million a year in federal block grant money for housing assistance projects for native Hawaiians.

The provision expired in 2005, but funding has been included each year for the department through various spending bills: $8.8 million in 2006 and $9.4 million in 2005.

Kane said the renewal of the provision is needed to ensure a secure source of funding over several years, rather than having to fight for funding each year.

"We've been successful in doing that, but it's hard to plan -- development is a three-year process at minimum," Kane said.

"It does highlight and recognize the importance of the department's efforts to generate income and not rely on this type of funding, because there's just too much uncertainty."

The reauthorization fell 28 votes short of the two-thirds needed for passage under a special procedure aimed at limiting debate on noncontroversial bills.

Abercrombie said on the House floor that he and Republican Leader John Boehner (R, Ohio) had come to an agreement on the measure, but while Abercrombie was speaking, the GOP leader's office issued an e-mail alert urging a no vote.

A telephone message left after business hours at Boehner's Washington office was not immediately returned.

In his news release, Boehner argued that benefits for native Hawaiians were unconstitutional because of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Rice v. Cayetano, which declared they could not have different statewide voting rights than other Hawaii citizens. Boehner said the court had suggested that special legal privileges for native Hawaiians are unconstitutional.

Abercrombie argued that the decision has nothing to do with the funding bill, noting that it is simply carrying out the provisions set forth by Congress in 2000.

"Unfortunately, there's an element in the Republican party that is hell-bent on attacking Hawaiians as symbolic of their opposition to native interests," Abercrombie said. "I'm hoping that Mr. Boehner will understand that if we want to have an argument on what the proper role for native Hawaiian legislation is, that we not confuse that with this activity."

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