By voice vote, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs favorably reported S. 344, legislation sponsored by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) to clarify the political relationship between Native Hawaiians and the United States by extending the federal policy of self-determination and self-governance to Native Hawaiians. The Committee adopted a substitute amendment that inserts a simplified process into the bill to facilitate the reorganization of the Native Hawaiian governing entity. The Committee action clears the bill for consideration by the full Senate.

"I appreciate the leadership of Chairman Campbell and Vice Chairman Inouye in ensuring the swift consideration of this important legislation," Akaka said. "This bill reflects input received from the people of Hawaii, my colleagues in Congress, and federal officials. The amendments make the bill a better bill by providing additional clarity and guidance regarding the process that will be utilized to reorganize the Native Hawaiian governing entity for the purpose of a government-to-government relationship with the United States.

"Over the course of the past several months we have refined the legislation to clarify and strengthen our effort to provide a process for federal recognition of the Native Hawaiian governing entity for a government-to-government relationship with the United States. The changes that we made are not new changes, but rather they clarify concepts that have been in the legislation in one form or another. Initially, we had a very detailed process in the legislation, which we removed in response to concerns that it was too restrictive. Once we removed the process, however, we began to hear concerns about how the governing entity would be formed. We have balanced these concerns by reinserting a simplified version of the process mandating how the Native Hawaiian governing entity is to be reorganized.

"The legislation still has three fundamental objectives: it provides a process for federal recognition of the Native Hawaiian governing entity, it establishes an office within the Department of the Interior to focus on Native Hawaiian issues and serve as a liaison between Native Hawaiians and the Federal government, and it creates an interagency coordinating group to be composed of representatives of federal agencies which administer programs and implement policies impacting Native Hawaiians.

"This measure does not establish entitlements or special treatment for Native Hawaiians based on race. It focuses on the political relationship afforded to Native Hawaiians based on the United States' recognition of Native Hawaiians as the aboriginal, indigenous peoples of Hawaii."