Mazie Hirono actually said...

"Those of us who have addressed this issue, who have thought about it, who have read the various opinions, we have never viewed this as a race-based issue."

"I would say that any kind of an argument that says that, that Native Hawaiians are not an indigenous people, is in my view very wrong."

"There is nothing in the language of this bill that would lead me to conclude that."

"That is not an accurate reflection of the support that this legislation of the Native Hawaiians have in Hawaii."