Douglas Alexander: “there is a fundamental shortcoming to this bill that can't be corrected by small amendments. There is no question that…”

“there is a fundamental shortcoming to this bill that can't be corrected by small amendments. There is no question that this legislation would--and I believe for the first time in our history--create a new, separate, independent race-based government within the borders of the United States of America. The only argument that could possibly justify such an offense to our constitutional tradition and our original motto, which says that when we became Americans we are proud of where we came from but we are prouder of being Americans, is that Native Hawaiians are just another Indian tribe. But the government of Hawaii itself, in a brief in the Supreme Court in 1998, said: ``The tribal concept simply has no place in the context of Hawaiian history.'' The Department of Justice, in a letter yesterday to the majority leader, with a copy to the minority leader, said: ``Tribal recognition is inappropriate for native Hawaiians and would still raise difficult constitutional issues.'' I have outlined in my remarks how Native Hawaiians do not constitute just another tribe. There may be wrongs to address, but this is the wrong way to right a wrong. I urge my colleagues to vote no. Cloture Motion The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time has expired. Under the previous order, the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 101, S. 147, Native Hawaiians Governing Entity.…”