Akaka bill cleared for passage next year?
The Star-Bulletin
reports:
"The U.S. Senate will vote by next August on the long-stalled Akaka bill
granting formal federal recognition for native Hawaiians after key Republican
opponents agreed not to block the bill, Sen. Daniel Akaka says. After meeting
with Sen. Daniel Inouye and Akaka, Republican opponents Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.,
and Pete Domenici, R, N.M., promised they would drop their attempt to block the
native Hawaiian sovereignty
measure."Haunani Apoliona, chairwoman
of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, says passage of the Akaka bill is now
"inevitable."The
Advertiser
reports:
"A measure to allow federal recognition of Native Hawaiians is dead for this
year, but Hawai'i's senators yesterday secured a promise from Republican leaders
to let the so-called Akaka bill come to the Senate floor for a vote next year.
The action is being received here with guarded optimism — both from
supporters who say the bill will be in a better position to pass next year, and
from opponents who hope they
have bought a little more time to lobby against it."
Posted: Tue - October 12, 2004 at 09:43 AM