PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
  1. Signatures
    3 out of 100
    Petitioning
    1. The U.S. House of Representatives
  2. Created By
    Keith Kamisugi
    San Francisco, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

We're asking for calls and emails to Members of Congress in support of federal legislation that would recognize Native Hawaiians as indigenous people, similar to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

The measure, H.R. 505, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007, is scheduled for a vote before the House of Representatives tomorrow, Wednesday, October 24.

H.R. 505 is the House companion bill to Senator Daniel Akaka’s measure in the Senate. The House bill was introduced by Rep. Neil Abercrombie and co-sponsored by Rep. Mazie Hirono.

The measure has strong bi-partisan support, including the entire Hawai’i Congressional Delegation, Republican and Democratic Congressional co-sponsors, Hawai’i’s Governor Linda Lingle, Attorney General and State Legislature, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, other Native Hawaiian organizations and leaders, numerous Hawai’i businesses and unions and a majority of Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian individuals.

In 2006, the American Bar Association, with a membership of 400,000 nationwide, approved a resolution in support of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.

The National Council of La Raza, Japanese American Citizens League, Organization of Chinese Americans, National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium, National Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Association of Social Workers and numerous other Native, Asian and Pacific American and civil rights organizations have issued resolutions, statements or letters of support for the Akaka bill, Native Hawaiian self-determination and self-governance.

Recent Signatures

Support H.R. 505, The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007

Dear Representative,

I am writing to support the passage of H.R. 505, The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007, introduced by the Members of the Hawai&lsquo;i Congressional Delegation. The bill is scheduled for a vote before the House on Wednesday, October 24th and I ask that you vote in favor of the bill and against any motion to recommit HR505.<br /><br />A process of U.S. recognition is already available to American Indians and Alaska Natives, and enactment of NHGRA extends a similar process to Native Hawaiians.&nbsp; There are over 560 federally recognized Native governing entities functioning in the U.S, along side local, state and federal governing entities.&nbsp; Native Hawaiians are the indigenous people of Hawai&lsquo;i, whose ancestors practiced sovereignty in their ancestral lands that later became part of the United States.&nbsp; The establishment of a process of federal recognition for Native Hawaiians moves us toward fairness in federal policy toward American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.<br /><br />Protection of Native Hawaiian culture, as well as existing Native Hawaiian programs is critical for future generations.&nbsp; Perpetuation of distinct, living cultures requires self-determination, and that is necessary for the Native Hawaiian culture as well.&nbsp; Enactment of NHGRA protects this greater self-determination, and thus the distinct culture.&nbsp; It protects existing programs because it establishes a single U.S. policy reaffirming that as the indigenous people of Hawai&lsquo;i, Native Hawaiian people have a special political and legal relationship with the U.S., consistent with the Hawai&lsquo;i Constitution, over 150 existing Federal laws addressing Native Hawaiians and the U.S. Constitution regarding Native people of the lands of the 50 states.<br /><br />Some critics are fueling emotional fears of secession, land grabbing, and the balkanization of Hawaii into classes of people.&nbsp; These are simply not true.&nbsp; NHGRA is not about race. It is about native indigenous people seeking to preserve and perpetuate our culture, our values, and our inherent sovereign status as the aboriginal people of these lands.<br /><br />Reaffirmation of the special legal and political relationship between the U.S. and the Native Hawaiian people as a whole, acknowledges Native Hawaiians with their unique culture, values, history, assets and institutions can best determine and implement solutions to solve&nbsp; problems specific to Native Hawaiians.<br /><br />Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

[Your name]

Press Inquiries