Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 1, 1 January 1994 — Clinton signs apology resolution [ARTICLE]

Clinton signs apology resolution

On November 23, 1993, surrounded by the entire Hawai'i Congressional delegation and Vice President A1 Gore, President Clinton signed a resolution apologizing on behalf of the American people for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. The signing eame a week after the bill, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka, was passed by the House, represented the culmination of a 15-month legislative effort on his part. (See December 1993 issue of Ka Wai Ola O OHA.) "This is one of the most satisfying days of my life," Akaka said in a statement. "We began the year in grim remembrance of the darkest episode in our history and we end it having established a firm foundation for reconciliation and ho'oponopono." In response to criticism that the resolution represents an ineffective pieee of legislation, Akaka argued that "a comprehensive national policy addressing the rights and needs of Native Hawaiians ean only be realistically achieved onee the Congress and the Administration are educated about, formally acknowledge, and statutorily recognize and apologize for the role of the United States in the illegal overthrow and profound ramifications of that action."