Alaska natives and American Indians, groups recognized by the federal government as indigenous people with the right to self-determination, reaffirmed support for Hawaii officials’ efforts to gain similar status for Native Hawaiians as congressional delegations from both states met Tuesday to discuss ways to continue working together for the mutual benefit of the only two noncontiguous states.
Federal recognition, effects of sequestration and continued congressional support for programs that benefit native people were issues raised at the inaugural roundtable meeting in Washington, D.C., by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and the Alaska Federation of Natives.
The relationship was forged decades ago through the cooperation and longtime friendship of the late U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat, and Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican, who recognized the need for the two youngest states to work in tandem.
Tuesday’s meeting "was really the beginning of the conversation with respect to Alaska and Hawaii continuing their partnership, but it’s the first time that it’s been done so formally," U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, who was appointed after Inouye’s death in December, said in a phone interview. "This has been a partnership that was built over the decades but there are new members of the House and Senate and therefore it was really critical that we confirm our commitment to each other."
Fellow Hawaii Democrats U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and U.S. Reps. Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard also attended the meeting with the congressional delegation from Alaska and about 100 Native Hawaiian, Alaska natives and American Indian leaders, officials said.
"A lot of their questions had to do with how do we continue to go forward now and make sure our voices are heard in terms of Alaska and Hawaii issues … issues that people have been able to take for granted because we’ve always had the protection of the senators," Hanabusa said by phone.
Among the issues raised was federal recognition for Native Hawaiians. Efforts led by former U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka, who retired last year, have stalled in the Senate since 2000 because of opposition from conservative Republicans who consider it race-based discrimination.
"There was also a commitment from Indian countries and the Alaska native groups to support our effort towards getting a government-to-government relationship between Native Hawaiians and the federal government," Schatz said.
Other groups pressed for continued support of educational and economic programs, such as federal grants for native groups offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration that are "continually under attack every budget year," Hanabusa said.
Schatz added, "It was an opportunity for a bipartisan group of leaders to reaffirm their mutual commitment to native health and economic opportunity."
Although the meeting did not result in any proposed legislation, the groups plan to continue the roundtable meetings, alternating annually between Hawaii and Alaska.
"Everyone is in agreement that this is necessary for both the state of Alaska and the state of Hawaii and the native peoples of both states to be able to continue to be in receipt of what the federal government has basically promised and … be supportive of Native Hawaiians in their journey for recognition," Hanabusa said.