Native Hawaiian Government Reorganizatoin Act of 2011

Floor Speech

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, today, H.R. 1250 was introduced. Congresswoman Hirono, along with Mr. Young from Alaska, were among those, with myself, who signed onto this bill. It is the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2011.

This is a very misunderstood act. Well, what does it do? It really establishes us as meeting the fiduciary obligations that we have to the Native Hawaiians. This is a trust obligation that's been created long ago with the creation of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920--1920, Mr. Speaker.

In addition to that, when Hawaii became a State in 1959, in it was contained really a public trust obligation for the betterment of Native Hawaiians as defined by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.

And then, of course, in Public Law 103-150 we created the concept of the Apology Resolution and, in that, recognized that we owe a special apology to the Native Hawaiians and a process of reconciliation.

This is what this act will do. It will give us the right to make things correct, and that is why I ask that you, along with the rest of the colleagues, support this.

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