Posted on: Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Akaka to deliver daily talk on bill

By Gordon Y.K. Pang and Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writers

Akaka

Expressing frustration at a stalled effort to debate his namesake bill, U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka yesterday promised a series of daily speeches on the Senate floor until opponents allow the bill to go forward.

"After seven years of delay by a few of my colleagues, it is time that we are provided with the opportunity to debate this bill in the open," according to a written statement of Akaka's announcement to fellow senators. "I will be coming to the floor to talk about my bill every day until we begin debate on the bill. I will use every day to talk about what my bill does and does not do, and to respond to the outright mistruths that have been spread about the legislation."

The aggressive tactic is uncharacteristic for the mild-mannered Akaka but underscores his frustration with the lack of progress of his bill.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs administrator Clyde Namu'o said that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will make the final decision on whether to schedule the bill for a vote, so frequent reminders from Akaka could help.

"Keeping it top of mind for Senator Frist is always going to be a good thing," Namu'o said. "Certainly it's going to be something that Senator Frist can't ignore."

University of Hawai'i law professor Jon Van Dyke, who has written in support of the bill, said Akaka's more confrontational strategy could prove effective since being patient and polite hasn't worked.

Since a commitment to bring the bill to the floor is nine months late, constant reminders by Akaka could "tweak their conscience and embarrass them sufficiently to bring it to a vote," Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke said Akaka's intent is to get attention rather than to be disruptive, but one senator could conceivably hold up other business in the Senate in an attempt to force action. He expects that Akaka won't have to work alone, however, and will gain support from his colleagues.

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye has already pledged his assistance, according to his chief of staff, Jennifer Sabas.

Now that the Senate's supplemental budget has passed with emergency appropriations to help with Hawai'i flood damage, the senators have time to devote to the issue, she said.

Slated to be heard by the full Senate last September, the bill was pushed back after Hurricane Katrina.

Frist said in recent weeks that he wanted to bring the bill back up after clearing other legislation for Iraq war spending, immigration changes, small business health plans and medical malpractice caps.

Last week, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recommended that the Senate not approve the bill, known as the Akaka bill in honor of its key sponsor. Several members of a local advisory panel to the commission ripped the recommendation and said their concerns had not been addressed.

Akaka, D-Hawai'i, said he will find time each day to share a little of Hawai'i's history with his colleagues.

"The opponents to this legislation have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the tragedies of Hawai'i's history in a manner that suits them for the purposes of opposing this legislation," he said. "I am deeply saddened by their tactics - but I am committed to ensuring that the members of this body and all of the citizens in the United States understand Hawai'i's history and the importance of extending the federal policy of self-governance and self-determination to Hawai'i's indigenous peoples, Native Hawaiians."

He blasted colleagues for obstructing the vote.

"When I first started my career in Congress, over 30 years ago, there was a protocol and a courtesy," he said. "If legislation was going to impact a particular state, and the leaders of that state all supported the issue, it was protocol that other members would not interfere or obstruct efforts to legislate on behalf of that state.

"Unfortunately, this longstanding protocol and courtesy no longer exists."

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com and Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.