Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 11, 1 November 1995 — OMB continues to review racial classifications [ARTICLE]

OMB continues to review racial classifications

by Patrick Johnston The Office of Budget and Management is continuing to move ahead on its review Statistical Policy Directive No.15, a guideline governing racial and ethnic data collection by federal agencies. The classifications were put into effect in 1977 for census purposes and so the federal government could track how different ethnic groups were faring in various fields including civil rights, access to programs for minorities employment, health, and education. Agencies use the information to monitor and enforce programs the government has in plaee. Important for native Hawaiians are proposals to have Hawaiians grouped with Native Americans and other indigenous groups in the country. Presently Hawaiians are listed in the "Asian or Pacific Islander" category, a classification critics argue distorts social and eeonomie statistics about Hawaiians in federal records and gives the impression that Hawaiians are immigrants and not indigenous peoples. A classification as a native group, supporters say, would go a long way toward educating the general public about Hawaiian issues and make Hawaiians eligible for programs that are presently the domain of Amenean Lndians and Alaska Natives. OMB has been receiving comment on changes for over a year and is now in the process of analyzing data and discussing options with affected groups. Sen. Daniel Akaka, a leading proponent in the movement to have Hawaiians reclassified has proposed that the category of "American Indian or Alaskan Native" be changed to "American Indian, Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian," and defined as "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North Ameiiea or the Hawaiian Islands and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition." Other proposals include: • Changing the category "American Indian or

Alaskan Native" to a general "Native American" and include native Hawaiians in that group, or; • Creating a separate category altogether for native Hawaiians. Sen. Akaka has eome out against both of these propositions, arguing that the former hides important distinctions between the different groups, and the latter gives the impression that Hawaiians are not an indigenous peoples and would be treated mueh as they were when they were listed as Asians or Pacific Islanders. OMB's Aug. 28 1995 Federal Register notes that native Hawaiians have been most supportive of creating a separate group for the country's indigenous peoples - mueh like Akaka has proposed - largely because, as Akaka argues, the category would eliminate the "immigrant' stigma attached to the Asian or Pacific Islander category and would accurately reflect their social and eeonomie conditions. However, according to the Register, the proposal has met resistance from American Indians, some of whom have said they would like to "maintain a category whieh refers specifically to them." There are also concerns that the "heterogeneous" (i.e. dissimilar) nature of the classification would make it difficult to determine trends and needs, specifically as they relate to heahh research. American Indians expressed eoneem that the change would affect the quality of data needed for programs and funding. 0MB will conducting a number of tests throughout 1996 and will be publishing results from those tests and proposed changes on Directive 15, if any, in the spring of 1997 . 0MB plans to publish any final decisions to Directive 15 by mid-1997 in a Federal Register notice. For information on the Directive No.15 contact Suzann Evinger, Statistical Policy Office, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, NEOB, Room 10201, 725 17th Street, N.W., Washington DC 20503. (202) 395-3093.