Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 7, 1 July 1989 — Dates announced for senate homestead hearings [ARTICLE]

Dates announced for senate homestead hearings

By Ann L. Moore Assistant editor, Ka Wai Ola O OHA The Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs has set the sequence of the hearings to be held in the Hawaiian Islands according to a memo from the office of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, chairmanof the committee. The hearings are joint-hearings with the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. Dates are: O'ahu on Aug. 7, Kaua'i on Aug. 8, Moloka'i on Aug. 9, Maui on Aug. 10, and Hawai'i on Aug. 11. Locations have not been announced. The memo noted that some modifications are still possible. People should confirm the dates by consulting loeal news media around Aug. 1. Testimony will be heard by the committee eaeh day from noon to 4 p.m. and from 5 to 9 p.m. The committee will handle scheduling of expert testimony from noon to 3 p.m. during the afternoon sessions. The hour from 3 to 4 p.m. will be set aside so the committee may receive testimony from beneficiaries who are on the homestead waiting list but who have not received assignments of land; native Hawaiians who are not on the waiting list; Hawaiians who are not members of the homestead associations. The Hawaiian Homestead Associations have the responsibility for developing the evening sessions, the memo said. Expert testimony is currently scheduled for afternoon sessions as follows: Monday, Aug. 7, O'ahu: history of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act; whether or not policy ean be effectively carried out in the form of 99-year leases; missing lands and an inventory of lands that were to be set aside; what is encompassed within state trust responsibility and what is the role of the federal government in assisting the state to fulfill its responsibility; identifying specific homeland areas; Department of Hawaiian Homelands objectives for future development of homelands; DHHL initiatives to expand the land base; the role of the federal government in addressing the needs of the homelands committees. On O'ahu, Governor John Waihe'e has been invited to make a presentation to the committee. Tuesday, Aug. 8, on Kaua'i there will be two panels. The first panel will be a discussion of the implementation of the federal-state task force recommendations. On the second panel the Office of Hawaiian Affairs will be invited to speak on issues concerning ceded lands including identifying to what purpose the lands are currently dedicated (airports, harbors, etc.); enumerating what revenues are actually realized; current negotiation status with the state govemment; Department of Transportation management of ceded lands; and housing.

Wednesday, Aug. 9 on Moloka'i the water issues will be addressed and the issue of who has the right to sue for breach of trust. (The state has enacted legislation but the federal government has not yet acted.) Thursday, Aug. 10, on Maui, agricultural issues are on the agenda including leasing policies; eultural rights andconcerns; DHHL funding; and programs for elderly Native Hawaiians. Friday, Aug. 11, on Hawai'i the list includes: eommunity and eeonomie development; land exchange policies; the DHHL waiting list. AIl hearings are open to the public. Anyone may attend to listen to testimony at any committee session, afternoon or evening. However, only those who have registered ahead of time may testify. Letters from the general public are weleome and will be included in the record of the hearing, if received by Sept. 15. Letters may be mailed or faxed to the:

Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, Daniel K. Inouye, chairman, 772 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510, phone: (202) 224-3934 or to the senator's office in Honolulu at Prince Kuhio Federal Building, Room 7325, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96850, phone: (808) 541-2542. Written testimony may be hand-delivered to either office. There is no special form the letters must take, according to the senate staff. A simple letter expressing views, for or against any matter, is sufficient. People may submit written testimony on matters covered or not covered in testimony before the comrpittee. People may send in additional information on any matter, covered or not. People may also send in written material in addition to their own testimony, acccording to senate staff members. See "How To Testify," page 3.