Mazie Hirono actually said...

"This is not an equal protection issue. I think this is where the crux of the difference is, that this is not a race-based legislation."

"They do not belong to the State? No. It is held in trust, and, of course, one of the trust purposes is for the benefit of Native Hawaiians."

"They are wrong. As I said, there are appropriate lines of cases that apply to the special relationship that the United States has native peoples."

"I cannot disagree more strongly with that statement because there was a Kingdom of Hawaii recognized by the United States."