All Quotes

This just blows my mind to hear from the highest authority of our country saying that Native Hawaiians don't exist anymore.

The Supreme Court purposely narrowly defined the whole race issue under the 14th and 15th Amendments requirement as being race-based but totally ignored anything having to do with the history in terms of how Native Hawaiians are being…

Our position is we are native, aboriginal indigenous people to Hawaii.

If Congress had acted earlier, if this legislation as authored by Senator Akaka and Congressman Abercrombie had been in existence at the time, I submit there would have been a completely different analysis of it.

The people of Hawaii who support this bill came out during the hearings and made it very clear that this was not something they wanted the Hawaii State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to do.

Wasn't one of the requirements of the Admissions Act that something had to be done for the Native Hawaiians?

To be a Native Hawaiian, you have to be 50 percent or more.

You cannot, in my opinion, turn off that political relationship when it is convenient to your argument.

I sincerely hope that she will join us in appreciating what these native peoples have had to endure.

The missionaries came to do good, and they did very well.

The sad story to say, that was the Hawaiians trail of many tears because they continue to suffer.

I want to associate myself with the most eloquent statement presented by Ms. Hirono before our Committee.

I sincerely hope that in the course of our hearings in the coming weeks that my good friend from Washington might have a change of heart.

I think it would be a travesty in justice and fairness to our whole system if this bill is not passed.

This is not a new issue as if it was made up a couple of years ago before the Supreme Court decision.

It was racism at its best, and it was not until 1954 that another Supreme Court decision came about.

The Bush Administration for some eight years has always been against supporting this bill based on some of the Court cases that have come before the Supreme Court as it relates to the rights of Native Hawaiians.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.