Senators Daniel K. Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye announced today that the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Resources will conduct joint hearings in the State of Hawaii on S. 2899 and H.R. 4904, bills to express the policy of the United States regarding the United States' relationship with Native Hawaiians, and for other purposes.

Based upon the testimony received by the committees, the bills will be further refined before they are brought before the respective Senate and House committees for report to the full Senate or full House of Representatives. Invitations to present the Administration's position on the bills at the August hearings have been extended to the Attorney General of the United States and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Consistent with the rules of the Congress, the committees are notifying those interested in presenting testimony on these measures of the following procedures that are designed to assure that the maximum number of interested persons may have the opportunity to present testimony to the committees:

• Written Testimony: Written testimony may be of any length and will be included in the record of the hearings in full. The committees request that five (5) copies of written testimony be submitted to the committees. Written testimony may be submitted directly to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, 838 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, or to the office of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Room 7-212, Prince Kuhio Federal Building, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850. Written testimony must be submitted to the committees no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2000. Faxed testimony will not be accepted.

• Oral Testimony: To present oral testimony to the committees, a person must sign up in advance of the hearings. This can be accomplished by either calling 808/541-2545 and leaving a full name, address, and telephone number, or by faxing the full name, address and telephone number of anyone desiring to testify to 808/541-2549. Whether calling or faxing, each person must specify on which island they wish to present testimony. In order to assure that the witness list for each island is composed of the residents of that island, the committees are requiring that those who wish to present testimony to the committees on a particular island are residents of that island.

• Time-Frame for Signing Up in Advance of the Hearings to Present Oral Testimony: Calls and facsimiles will be received beginning on August 14, 2000, and ending on Wednesday, August 23, 2000. Persons desiring to present oral testimony will be placed on the witness list in the order that calls and facsimiles are received. Confirmation of Witness List and Waiting List: All witnesses will receive confirmation that they have been placed on the witness list provided that they have submitted a phone number to the committees. Witnesses will be notified when the witness list is full, and a witness may elect to be placed on a waiting list, should there be time remaining in the hearing after other witnesses have testified.

Requirements for Presentation of Oral Testimony: In order to assure that the committees may receive testimony from as many witnesses as possible, each person desiring to present oral testimony may only testify once, and must be a resident of the island on which they wish to present oral testimony. Twenty (20) copies of the testimony to be delivered orally must be delivered to the office of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Room 7-212, Prince Kuhio Federal Building, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2000. Faxed testimony will not be accepted.

Oral Testimony may be no more than five (5) minutes in length. In order to assure that the committees may receive testimony from as many witnesses as possible, a five-minute limitation on oral testimony will be strictly enforced.

Hearing Dates, Locations and Times:

Monday, August 28, 2000

Performing Arts Building, Kauai Community College 3-1901 Kaumualii Highway, Lihue, Kauai

8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 1:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, August 29, 2000

Kulana Oiwi Halau, 24 Maunaloa Highway, Kalamaula, Molokai

9:40 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.

Hale Kupuna O Lanai Community Center 1144 Ilima Street, Lanai City, Lanai

3:45 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday, August 30, 2000

Pikake Room, Neal Blaisdell Center 777 Ward Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii

7:45 a.m. - 12:30 noon 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 31, 2000

Campus Theatre (Auditorium), University of Hawaii 200 W. Kawili Street, Hilo, Hawaii

8:50 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. 1:20 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.

Friday, September 1, 2000

Student Lounge, Maui Community College 310 W. Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului, Maui

9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Press Contact: For questions or further information, please contact Paul Cardus or Noelani Kalipi at 202/224-6361.