Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 12, 1 December 1992 — Hawaiian community briefed on federal legislation [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian community briefed on federal legislation

by Jeff Clark In a weeklong series of informational meetings helel by the staff of Sen. Daniel Inouye in midOctober, the Hawaiian community was briefed on legislation dealing with a variety of subjects important to Hawaiians, including eeonomie programs, education, the Hawaiian language, religious freedom, historic preservation, and housing. Patricia M. Zell, Inouye's staff director and chief counsel, said the purpose of the meetings was to inform the community about, and to solicit mana'o regarding, legislation passed in the last session of Congress or awaiting action in the next session. "We will return to Washington and develop our agenda for the 103rd Congress" after being apprised of concerns here in Hawai'i, Zell said. Senate bi 1 1 1717, the Native American Programs Act Amendments of 1992, passed Sept. 30. This bill originated in the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, whieh Inouye chairs, and included the much-publicized reauthorization of the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund. The law amends some of the procedures of the Administration for Native Americans (ANA), an agency within the Dept. of Health and Human Services. This includes establishing an intra-departmental eouneil that will ensure communication between the ANA and the rest of the department and increase access to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The eouneil will issue an annual report on the eeonomie status of Native Americans. The bill

also provides for an Indian Policy Research Center and increases technical assistance funding. Senate bill 2044, the Native American Languages Act of 1992, amends the Native American Programs Act of 1974 by establishing a grant program "to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native American languages." lt was signed by President Bush Oct. 26. The Act states grants may be used for such purposes as establishing community language projects to bring elders and youngsters together to encourage the transfer of the language from one generation to another; training Native Americans to be teachers, interpreters or translators; broadcasting TV or radio programs in native languages; publishing language education materials; purchasing equipment and software; and compiling oral history. The Native Hawaiian Education Act, whieh is up for reauthorization in 1993, calls for the establishment of at least 1 1 family education centers, and Kamehameha Schools early education director Bob Springer reported on the state of Kamehameha's 13 family-based education centers. Springer recommended that funding be continued. Representatives of Pūnana Leo, the Hawaiian language immersion pre-school program, and Na Pua No'eau, the Gifted and Talented program for Hawaiian students based at UH-Hilo, also spoke. Zell said the Select Committee on Indian Affairs will have at least one hearing on the Native Hawaiian Education Act and other Hawaiian educa-

tion programs sometime after February. The second day of the meetings, Oct. 13, provided an opportunity to discuss amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act. The fundamental change in the Act is that cultural significance, in addition to historic and archeological importance, has been added as a criterion for protection and preservation. A site ean now be eligible for plaeement on the National Register of Historic Places if it is culturally significant to native people. Senate bill 2528, the Native American Veterans' Home Loan Equity Act of 1992, was an important pieee of legislation affecting housing. Introduced by Sen. Daniel Akaka and co-sponsored by Inouye and other members of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, this act establishes a Native American Veteran Housing Loan Pilot Program. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing loans ean now be made directly to Native American veterans - including native Hawaiians - for housing on trust lands, including Hawaiian Homelands. The bill was included with House Resolution 939 and signed by President Bush Oct. 28. There was also a discussion on the implementation of recommendations made by the National Commission on American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing. Other topics discussed during the week of meetings were the right-to-sue legislation, Hawaiian sovereignty, native Hawaiian heahh care, and a bill to provide for the consolidation of federal employment programs designed to benefit native Hawaiians.