Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 12, 1 December 1997 — Hawaiian intiatives make headway in Congress [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian intiatives make headway in Congress

By Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu. Esq. ALOHA MAI kākou. This marks the inaugural appearance of a bimonthly eolumn on federal issues of interest to Native Hawaiians. As the first session of the 105th Congress eame to a close, a number of Native Hawaiian initiatives had made headway. Foremost was the recent passage of S.714, whieh makes permanent the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Pilot Program, introduced by Senator Akaka and co-sponsored by Senator Inouye, whieh makes permanent the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Pilot Program. Passed earlier was a joint resolution to consent to amendments to the H<pyaiian ljjomes Commission Act enacted by the Hawai'i legislature whieh extended successor rights to grandchildren and whieh authorized DHHL to obtain homeowner insurance coverage for lessees and to issue revenue bonds. Two other bills were introduced whieh assist HHCA beneficiaries: S. 1 10, the

Native Hawaiian Housing Assistance Act, introduced by Senator Inouye and co-sponsored by Senator Akaka, enables Native Hawaiians to benefit from the same federal housing assistance programs available to all other Native Americans. S.818, co-sponsored by Senator Inouye, improves the condition and supply of housing in Native American eommunities by creating Native American Financial Services Organizations. S. 1 10 was reported favorably out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. The most far-reaching measure, in terms of Native Hawaiian youth, was the FY1998 Departments of Labor, Heakh and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. The bill, whieh passed on Nov. 8, resulted in a $3 million increase in funding for programs under the Native Hawaiian Education Act, bringing the total to $18 million. Senator Inouye, a member of the Appropriations Committee, had made this increase a priority. The same bill also provided $3.1 million for Native Hawaiian health programs. as well as funding for Native

Hawaiian drug-free programs, elder nutrition and service programs, and job training and vocational educational programs. In addition, the Department of the Interior appropriations bill provided $750,000 for the Native Hawaiian eulture and arts program. AN INITIATIVE to consolidate, coordinate and improve employment, training, literacy and vocational rehabilitation programs, including programs for Native Hawaiians, passed the House and a similar bill passed the Senate. Significant for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was the passage of the 1998 Transportation Appropriations bill, "forgiving" the state's obligation to repay $30 million owed to the airport revenue fund for ceded land payments to OHA. According to Senator Inouye, the bill was supported because of history, obligations to Native Hawaiians flowing from the ceded lands trust and a desire to ensure OHA would not have to retum funds now in its possession. However, the

bill also codified a ruling by the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation that no future airport revenues could be used for payments to OHA. An additional measure affecting OHLA was a bill reauthorizing the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Program. The bill, whieh makes several substantive changes to the program, passed in the Senate, but was not taken up by the House prior to adjournment. It is expected to pass next year during the second session of the Congress. Finally, several bills introduced have yet to be acted upon. These include an amendment to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act providing for improved notification and consent to Native Hawaiian organizations; the reauthorization of the Native American nutritional and service program under the 01der Americans' Act; the Career Preparation Reform Act, whieh provides an allotment for Indian and Native Hawaiian programs; and the reauthorization of the Native Hawaiian vocational education program. ■

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