Washington, D.C. -- “On this day 116 years ago, the monarchy of the Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown by agents of the United States,” began U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie in a Congressional hearing today on H.R. 2314, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.  Abercrombie is the House sponsor of the legislation, more often referred to as the Akaka Bill for its Senate sponsor, U.S. Senate Daniel K. Akaka. Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono is a co-sponsor of this bill.

                            
                            House Natural Resources Committee meets on the Akaka bill. (Photo/Dave Helfert)

Today’s hearing before the House Committee on Natural Resources was scheduled by Abercrombie on King Kamehameha Day. This is the bill’s first step in the legislative process in the new 111th Congress. Abercrombie gained approval for the legislation in the House in 2000, and he and Rep. Hirono won passage again in 2007. 

Abercrombie was joined in today’s hearing by legislative cosponsors, Reps. Madeleine Bordallo of Guam and Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa, also members of the Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over matters involving all indigenous people, including Native American tribes, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. 

Rep. Hirono also testified before the committee: “Today is a state holiday in Hawaii, where we celebrate King Kamehameha I, who united all of the Hawaiian Islands and established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810,” Hirono told the members of the committee. “It is for his people — the Native Hawaiians — that H.R. 2314 seeks to end years of injustice and provide a path to self-determination.”

The Committee also heard testimony supporting the legislation from Micah Kane, Director of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands; Haunani Apoliona, Chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees; U.S. Civil Rights Commissioner Michael Yaki; and former White House Associate Counsel H. Christopher Bartolomucci. 

“This legislation will allow Native Hawaiians to establish a government that can truly speak for them and their interests,” Abercrombie said.  “We have strong support in the House of Representatives.  We have a larger majority in the Senate.  We have a President who has already said he would sign it.  There has never been a better time to pass the Akaka Bill.”

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