Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 12, 1 December 1992 — 102nd Congress wrap-up [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

102nd Congress wrap-up

On Oct. 30, 1992, President George Bush signed the Western Water Act, whieh contains Title XL National Preservation Act Amendments. These amendments provide statutory recognition for an enhanced role for native Hawaiian organizations, specifically including OHA, in the nahonal preservation process. Also, as discussed in more detail elsewhere, the 01der Americans Act, whieh eontains the reauthorization of the Administration of Native Americans, was passed and signed into law after being grid-locked for almost a year. Within this pieee of legislation is the OHA-administered Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund. whieh was also reauthorized with additional funding. This leaves many items for the new Congress to address in January 1993. The potential agenda is extensive and goes directly to the issues of native Hawaiians' legal status: • the joint congressional resolution that would provide an official apology from the United States for the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy; • reauthorization of the Native Hawaiian Education Act; • American Indian Religious Freedom Act amendments; • Native Fishing Rights legislation; • housing; • job training & employment; and perhaps, most importantly • the resolution of Native Hawaiian Claims (both Homes Commission Land and Ceded Land) and the restoration of self-governance for native Hawaiians.

There were also appropriations for fiscal year 1993 (Oct.l, 1992 - Sept. 30, 1993) that directly affect native Hawaiians: • $3.6 million for programs established under the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act; $500,000 for heahh care scholarships (no longer limited to just medical students); and the remainder to support Papa Ola Lokahi and native Hawaiian heahh care organizations. • $5.6 million was set aside for mental health and substance abuse block grants for native Hawaiians, • $500,000 for child welfare research and demonstration for the University of Hawaii's Center on Family Education for social and heahh related problem solving. • $34.7 million (nationwide) for the Administration for Native Americans. The Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Program will receive $1 million. OHA will match this amount). ANA also will provide funding to implement the Native American Languages Act. • $1.505 million in grants for native Hawaiians under the 01der Americans Act to provide supportive services for the elderly including nutrition services. • $20 million in impact aid funds for public education throughout the state of Hawai'i. • $123,000 for the Drug-free School program focusing on native Hawaiians. • $6.4 million for programs funded under the Native Hawaiian Education Act, whieh includes a

model curriculum implementation project, familybased education centers, a higher education demonstration projcct, a gifted and talented demonstration project, and a sp>ecia] education project. • $2.4 million for Native Hawaiian set-aside in vocational education grants, including a program that would target high-risk youth. • $2.4 million for a native Hawaiian library setaside, including $394,980 for interlibrary cooperation; $331,680 for library construction; and the balanee for library services. • $2 million for Native Hawaiian Culture & Arts program wilhin the NaUonal Parks system. Also receiving appropriations is the: • Native American Housing Loan program for housing on trust lands, including Hawaiian Home Lands; total loan guarantees available nationwide will be $58 million. Native Hawaiians are included in the definition of Native Americans. • $ 500,000 for the National Commission on American Inoian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Hou';ing. The Commission is evaluating the housing needs of native peoples and will make recommendations. • The Native American component of the U.S. Department of Labor Training and Employment services, including native Hawaiians, was funded nation-wide for $61 million; and finally • $1.2 million was provided for infrastructure development to the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

News from Mai Wakinekona Mai

Washington D.C.

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