Aloha. I am truly honored to join you this morning in celebration of the Indigenous Peoples of the United States: American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. As a Native Hawaiian, I believe that we, as indigenous peoples, have within ourselves the tools and knowledge to be successful in the 21st century. We can and will perpetuate our culture and tradition in a manner that benefits our nation.

I firmly believe that it is essential that we know and understand the ways of our ancestors. We must embrace and perpetuate our culture and tradition. In this day and age, however, it is also important to succeed in our multi-cultural society. We must be able to appreciate all cultures and traditions, and as indigenous peoples, we must be able to function effectively between indigenous and non-indigenous settings. The federal policy of self-determination and self-governance and the partnerships formed between the United States and native governments, I believe, is the appropriate avenue to accomplish this goal.

As you know, I have been working with my colleagues in Congress to extend the federal policy of self-governance and self-determination to Native Hawaiians. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is scheduled to markup S. 344 this morning, so my comments today will be brief, as I am intending on participating in the markup.

I want to thank Senator Stevens for cosponsoring this legislation. His support as well as the support from the Alaska Natives is greatly appreciated. Likewise, I want to express my deep appreciation to the other cosponsors of the legislation, Senators Inouye and Reid in the Senate, and Representatives Abercrombie and Case in the House of Representatives. I also thank the tribes who have expressed support for this legislation with their members of Congress. You have made a tremendous difference in helping my colleagues to understand that indigenous peoples are united in their support for the rights of indigenous peoples.

I applaud the goals of this forum. It is only by coming together, sharing information, and working cooperatively that we will be able to collectively address our health and education, and increase our economic development and business opportunities. It is important for us all to share our knowledge, or mana'o, as we refer to it in Hawaii. While we may be small in number when counted individually, we are a formidable power when we unite. Together we can make changes. Together we can educate policy makers about the needs of our peoples. Together we can ensure a better future for our children and grandchildren.

Once again, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate in this splendid event. I stand before you not only as a member of the United States Senate, but also as a Native Hawaiian who is proud to witness the progress we have made and who is excited about the future we will build together. A hui hou! Until we meet again.