Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 1, 1 January 1992 — Mai Wakinekona [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Mai Wakinekona

By Paul Alexander Washington, D.C. Counsel for OHA

Fate of some measures still uncertain

There is one substantive change to report. The legislation reauthorizing the Administration of Native Americans (ANA), failed to pass before the recess, for reasons totally unrelated to ANA. As had been expected, items of interest to Native Hawaiians, primarily the extension of the ANA-funded Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Program, were favorably resolved in the conferenee to iron out differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate. OHA was named as the recipient agency for the loan program. The ANA reauthorization was part of a larger legislative package — the 01der Americans Act Reauthorization. At the last moment, an amendment was added in the Senate to the 01der Americans Reauthorization increasing the level of non-taxable ineome allowed to people receiving Social Security. Because the amendment had serious budget and tax consequences, it required clearance from the House Ways and Means Committee — whieh has jurisdiction over taxation — before the House would act o'n the Senate amendment. Neither clearance nor any other arrangement

was obtained before Congress recessed. It is expected that Congress will take up the 01der American Act Reauthorization when it returns later this month. Passage is anticipated in February. In the meanhme, ANA has no authorization to make grants from fiscal year 1992 funds and this laek of authorization could create funding gaps for some programs. Because of funding cycles and OHA's own commitment of funds, the gap in ANA's authorization is not expected to affect the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Program. Although these funds are not available until the reauthorization is effective, the Appropriations Committees have provided approximately $34 million for ANA including $1 million specifically for the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Program. OHA is matching the federal funding level for the loan program. Onee again, the appropriations process, primarily the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriation Committees, continues to provide significant funding for programs for the benefit of Native Hawaiians. The two unique program areas statutorily provided for Native Hawaiians funded for fiscal 1992 (Oct. 1, 1991 through Sept. 30, 1992) are the Native Hawaiian Health Care and the Native Hawaiian Education Programs. Congress provided $3,600,000 for Native Hawaiian Health Care Services, an increase of $184,000 over ffscal year 1991. Of the $3.6 million, $2,350,000 is to be used to support the

developing Native Hawaiian Health Centers; $450,000 for administrative expenses of Papa 'Ola Lokahi; and $800,000 for the Health Professionals Scholarship Program administered by the Bishop Estate. The Appropriations Conference Committee instructed that the scholarship fund be "made available to the widest possible range of health professionals." For the Native Hawaiian Education Program, Congress provided $6,400,000 for fiscal year 1992, a slight increase of $34,000 over fiscal year 1991. Of this $6.4 million, $3,300,000 is for the family-based education centers, $1,250,000 for the Higher Education Demonstration Project, $950,000 for the Gifted and Talented Education Demonstration Project, $450,000 for the Special Education Demonstration Project, and $450,000 for the Model Curriculum Implementation Project. Approximately $24,300,000 was also made available to schools through the Federal Impact Aid program. Other appropriations highlights include: approximately $1,271,000 for Native Hawaiians in the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program, approximately $2,400,000 set-aside for Native Hawaiians in the vocation education funds, and approximately $600,000 set-aside for Native Hawaiians in public library funds. Also made available was $3 million in Hawai'i for employment training to traditional!y unemployed and underemployed including Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Samoans and Asian immigrants.

My last eolumn discussed the progress of various legislative items of interest to Native Hawaiians as the first session of this 102nd Congress was drawing to a close.Congress did recess on Nov. 27.