Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 8, 1 August 2000 — Akana lobbies Congress again [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Akana lobbies Congress again

N AN effort to raise the awareness of some congressmen and their staffs as to the current situations affecting Hawaiians, I spent two weeks in Washington, D.C., lobbying them as well as White House officials. My objective was to sensitize them to issues affecting us as a people. I shared the history of our people as well as the climate resulting from the unfavorable Rice vj. Cayetano decision. The people with whom I met were very interested and sympathetic to our phght. It was apparent to all there that Hawaiians are faced with an emergency requiring immediate attention. After the appointments, it was clear to me that our race, the future of our people, and Hawaiian programs and services must be immediately protected. At the forefront of addressing these pertinent issues is the legislation Senator Daniel Akaka has proposed recognizing Native Hawaiians as indigenous peoples

who have a trast relationship with the United States, and hold a right to self-determination. The revised draft bill is mueh stronger than what was ftrst proposed, thanks to the help of the astute Working Groups. The groups thoroughly reviewed the potential for a constitutional challenge. It is important to note that a constitutionally sound bill is tantamount to the perpetuity of this measure. I underscore the importance of this because of the expertise and experience the working groups shared in eliminating the risk of a challenge as was wimessed in Rice vs. Cayetano. Contained within this legislation is a process that gives the Native Hawaiian community input and authority to develop the entity that will serve as the principal agency charged with conducting government-to-gov-ernment relations with the United States. Our community would have one year to develop a hst

("roll") of all who ean prove through their genealogical records, kupuna or birth records that they are related to Hawaiians who lived in our islands in 1893 — the year our queen was overthrown. After the hst has been certified, hsted adults would be ehgible to elect a temporary

body charged with creating the bylaws and the constitution for the proposed governing body. f ubsequently, an eleehon f would be held to ratify these documents. Fohowing this J step, another eleehon would W be held to determine the leaders of the governing body, as outlined and dictated by the ratified bylaws and constitution. Onee that occurs, the interim eouneil is dissolved. Onee the governing body leadership is elected, the next step would be to provide for federal recognition and estabhshment of a government-to-government relationship with the United States. In November, voters will be electing a new president of the United States. This president wih be appointing three Supreme Court justices. There is eoneem that the next president may not be ahgned with native peoples, and may select conservative jus-

tices who would make the high court, probably for the first time in its history, an aU-conservative court. At risk are women and minorities, including Native Americans and certainly Native Hawaiians. To date, the current conservative Supreme Court has reversed at least 20 Ameiiean Indian cases. Hawahans cannot let this happen to us. Joint Committees on Indian Affairs wiU hold statewide hearings on this legislation Aug. 28Sept. 1. We must move forward with this biU, because the window of opportunity is slowly closing. I encourage aU Hawaiians to participate and leam more about this important biU by attending these meetings. We Hawaiians must not be left out of Uie loop. For more information on this article, contact my office at 594-1750, or visit http://www.rowenaakana.homestead.com. ■

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