Patsy T. Mink: “I have a very great concern about the whole area of native languages, and I commend the gentleman for offering this…”

“I have a very great concern about the whole area of native languages, and I commend the gentleman for offering this amendment. We have immersion programs where young children are encouraged to use the Native American language, which in our case is Native Hawaiians. We have special provisions in this legislation that have an acceptance of our unique situation, both Native Hawaiian and Native Alaskans. But I am also advised by counsel that that notwithstanding these special provisions that have been included for Native Hawaiians and Native Alaskans, that we are bound under the 2-year limit, which would completely nullify the whole idea which we are starting in Hawaii, which is to have an immersion program which permits, or encourages the revitalization of our native culture through language. So I have a question to ask the chairman of the subcommittee as to whether the interpretation of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona would mean that the 2-year limit would not apply to the Native American concerns that the offeror of the amendment has just suggested.”