Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 3, 1 March 2006 — Bar Association backs federal recognition [ARTICLE]

Bar Association backs federal recognition

The American Bar Association's leadership has passed a resolution urging Congress to extend federal poliīieal recognition to Native Hawaiians. On Feb. 13, the legal association's House of Delegates, whieh includes about 550 members, passed a measure in support of "legislative efforts to fulfill the legal and moral obligation of the United States to reconcile with the Native Hawaiian people, and to create a process for their formal federal recognition and self determination." "American Indians and Alaska Natives have poliīieal authority to deal with the United States on a government-to-govern-ment basis," ABA President Miehael S. Greco said in a press release. "Native Hawaiians as an indigenous people in our country should be afforded the right to create their own governing body." Supporters of the Native Hawaiian Go vernment Reorganization Act of 2005 - better known as the Akaka Bill - hailed the ABA's support as a valuable boost in the effort to get the bill passed. "The validation of our efforts by such an esteemed legal organization is a significant step forward," said Sen. Daniel Akaka, primary sponsor of the recognition measure. Akaka said he was continuing to work with Senate leaders to secure a date for "prompt consideration" of the bill. According to the ABA's website, the association, with more than 400,000 members, is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world and the "national voice of the legal profession." E3