Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 6, 1 June 2003 — Washington, D.C. law firm Patton Boggs retained [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Washington, D.C. law firm Patton Boggs retained

By Manu Boyd The Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs voted unanimously on May 22 to hire the Washington, D.C.based law firm of Patton Boggs, LLP, to represent OHA's interests in having Congress adopt and the President approve a measure relating to federal recognition of Native Hawaiians. The 8-0 unanimous vote reflects the excused absence of one trustee. The approved amount, not to exceed $450,000, is from identified trust funds for the current fiscal year OHA administrative budget whieh will be encumbered. Weekly reporting by Patton Boggs and regular phone conferences will keep the Office of Hawaiian Affairs apprised of ongoing expenses, activities and other deliverables. On May 12, OHA Trustees, administrative staff and other Native Hawaiian leaders traveled to Washington to join Alaska Natives and American Indians and other groups in a forum on the goals and aspirations of the indigenous peoples of the United States at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. "The positive support Hawaiians are receiving from the indigenous communities, Alaska Natives and American Indians, and other groups from across the nation is overwhelming," said OHA Chairperson Haunani Apoliona. "With the opening of the OHA Washington, D.C. Bureau in February and hiring of the Washington, D.C., law firm of Patton Boggs, LLP, we are better positioned to advance selfdetermination for Native Hawaiians," she said. Federal recognition of Native Hawaiians is urgent and is critical to neutralizing political challenges to the numerous programs and millions of dollars that assist thousands of Native Hawaiians in education, housing, health care, eeonomie development and cultural preservation. In January, the OHA Board voted unanimously to support the intent of S.344. "We believe the passage of this measure sets the future context for designing Hawaiian governanee, locally and nationally," Apoliona said. ■

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