Akaka faces new challenges in Senate

Star-Bulletin article considers the effect of the loss of Democrat’s supermajority in the Senate on the fate of the Akaka bill:

Although its author expresses optimism that the Akaka Bill will pass this year, the loss of the Democrats’ supermajority in the Senate and last-minute changes to the bill that fueled objections in Hawaii may pose significant hurdles during this ninth try.
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House approval, achieved twice before, again is expected.

The difficulty remains in the Senate, which, already bogged down in health care, energy and fiscal legislation, now is reacting to the special election in Massachusetts, in which a Republican railing against big government, back-room dealing and special interests won the seat held for decades by liberal lion Edward Kennedy.

Before Kennedy’s death and Brown’s election, the Akaka Bill enjoyed the support of all 60 Senate Democrats and Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. So Akaka’s office insists it should still have the necessary 60 votes, even without Brown.

His vote may not be essential, but Brown’s election has drastically changed the climate in Washington. Democrats facing midterm elections are running scared, once beleaguered Republicans are feeling newly powerful, and any legislation lacking bipartisan support is suddenly a much tougher sell.

It’s hard to imagine that the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act will be a high priority outside the Hawaii delegation in such a topsy-turvy political environment, and the lack of transparency surrounding the late changes in the Senate version may come to haunt its author.