Hill Activity on Native Hawaiians and Health Care--FCNL

In this issue:
* Native Hawaiian Recognition Act
* Indian Health Care Improvement Act is Reintroduced
* Trust Settlement Legislation Coming Soon

Senate Politics and Native Hawaiian Recognition

The Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act of 2005 (S. 147) is often called
the Akaka bill after its chief sponsor, Senator Daniel Akaka, the first
Native Hawaiian in the Senate. The bill has 8 co-sponsors, many from
other states. The companion bill is HR 309. For six years, the Office
of Hawaiian Affairs, the governor, and the entire Hawaiian
delegation--both Republicans and Democrats--have pursued federal
recognition of Native Hawaiian people who have indigenous ancestors.
Despite their inherent sovereignty, Native Hawaiians do not have a
governing entity, self-governance, or the same parity and rights as
tribes on the mainland and in Alaska. At this point, their status is
recognized at the state level and they participate in many state and
federal programs such as renewal of native languages. The status of
Native Hawaiians as federally unrecognized but culturally unique people
has become problematic in recent years, as lawsuits have been brought
alleging reverse discrimination and special rights.

Two senators have put "holds" on this bill of great consequence to
people who live in Hawaii. Originally, the entire Senate was scheduled
to debate and vote on S. 147 this week or at least by August 7. In the
last month or two, well-known conservative commentators such as Paul
Weyrich, Bruce Fein, Ed Meese, and Tucker Carlson opposed recognition,
arguing it is race-based and the first step toward balkanization of the
U.S. A House subcommittee also held a hearing on whether the bill is
race-based. Some Native Hawaiians oppose the bill for completely
different reasons. For more information, go to
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1251&issue_id=111.

Indian Health Care Improvement Act

An essential piece of legislation, long stalled, is getting attention on
the Hill. Under consideration since 1999, reauthorization of the Indian
Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) is a bipartisan priority.
Reauthorization nearly passed at the end of the 108th Congress but could
not obtain White House approval. Senators John McCain (AZ) and Byron
Dorgan (ND), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on
Indian Affairs, introduced S.1057 early in the 109th Congress.
Reauthorizing and updating IHCIA will allow Indian Country to catch up
with the broad changes in health care implemented decades ago in the
rest of the U.S. For example, long term care, community-based care,
hospice, home health, and comprehensive behavioral and mental health
programs can be established in Indian Country.

FCNL is part of a coalition (brought together by the National Indian
Health Board) to lobby for reauthorization, to draft testimony, and to
secure vital media attention. This coalition held a successful briefing
that attracted 70 staffers from the House and Senate who must understand
the intricacies of this 300-page piece of legislation. A joint hearing
on IHCIA and S. 1057 was held July 14 by the Indian Affairs Committee
and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
For detailed information, go to
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1477&issue_id=109

Legislation Soon to Reform, Redress Trust Mismanagement

Senators McCain and Dorgan also will be the key players on seminal
legislation soon to be introduced on Indian trusts, which have been in
disarray ever since they were established in 1887. The Senate Committee
on Indian Affairs has scheduled a hearing on trust reform on July 26.
For Indian Country, this is the moment for the U.S. government to redeem
itself and bring financial justice to approximately a half-a-million
people who have Individual Indian Money (IIM) accounts. The account
holders make a convincing case that they are owed $27.5 billion.
Numerous newspaper editorials have said the IIM account holders are
entitled to justice.

After decades of trying to work cooperatively with the Department of
Interior to straighten out bureaucratic problems and secure a proper
accounting, a class action law suit (Cobell v. Norton) was initiated.
After nine years of government stalling, the judge in the case is beside
himself with frustration and anger at the treatment of Native Americans
who are trying to get back their own money. For dramatic quotes from
Judge Royce Lamberth, go to
http://www.indiantrust.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.ViewDetail
&PressRelease_id=128&Month=7&Year=2005 and to
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1387&issue_id=112.


-------------------
Honor the Promises to Native Americans,
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