Daniel Kahikina Akaka, U.S. Senator of Hawaii RSS 2.0 Feed



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<title>Daniel Kahikina Akaka, U.S. Senator of Hawaii RSS 2.0 Feed</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/</link>
<description>This RSS feed contains the most recent Press Releases, Statements, and Newsletters from the office of Senator Daniel Akaka</description>
<lastBuildDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</lastBuildDate>
<language>en-us</language>


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<title>November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=6f1a3281-2da6-4ee1-ae2e-14eb6acbc641</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;em&gt;Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, made the following statement in observance of domestic violence awareness month in November.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Domestic violence is an evil that afflicts every community in our great Nation.&amp;nbsp; Abuse knows no bounds.&amp;nbsp; It hurts Americans rich and poor from every ethnicity.&amp;nbsp; As legislators, it is our duty to work to prevent abuse and bring perpetrators to justice.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;But, tragically, in Native American communities bringing justice is often difficult because tribal prosecutors do not have jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian offenders.&amp;nbsp; As a result, rapists and abusers often go free and can repeat their crimes.&amp;nbsp; It is our duty to put an end to this.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Half of all Native American women have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, according to a recent nationwide survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.&amp;nbsp; American Indian women are two and a half times more likely to be assaulted, and more than twice as likely to be stalked, as other women in this country.&amp;nbsp; On some reservations, the murder rate for Native women is 10 times the national average.&amp;nbsp; 88 percent of these types of crimes are committed by non-Indians over which tribal governments lack any criminal jurisdiction under U.S. law.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;One year ago today, I introduced the &lt;strong&gt;Stand Against Violence and Empower (SAVE) Native Women Act&lt;/strong&gt; to strengthen tribal jurisdiction over domestic violence and sexual assault so that all abusers - Native and non-Native - can be brought to justice. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I worked closely with Senator Leahy, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, to include my SAVE Native Women Act provisions in the &lt;strong&gt;Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp; These provisions empower tribal courts to prosecute crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, or violations of protection orders - regardless of the race of the alleged abuser - and strengthen research and programs to address sex trafficking.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The original Violence Against Women Act was enacted in 1994 and it has since been reauthorized twice with large bipartisan majorities.&amp;nbsp; Since its enactment, the law has enhanced the investigation and prosecution of incidents of domestic and sexual violence and provided critical services to victims and their advocates in court.&amp;nbsp; It has expanded protections to classes of once neglected victims.&amp;nbsp; It has been a lifeline for women across the country.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This year, however, a number of my colleagues are opposing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act because they object to the authority that it restores to Native American tribes to prosecute those who commit violent crimes against Native women.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Congressional session is nearly over and the window for passage is closing.&amp;nbsp; In the absence of Congressional action, tribal organizations are drawing international attention to what many feel is a human rights crisis.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time to reflect on the tremendous achievements made since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act 18 years ago, while reminding ourselves that there is still much to be done to ensure that our children and grandchildren grow up in an America free of domestic violence.&amp;nbsp; As I said last year, this is not an issue that should divide us along partisan lines; it should unite us to take a stand against these awful crimes.&amp;nbsp; We must join together to protect our sisters, mothers, and daughters and pass this bill.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<title>Address at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=a1024915-d582-484d-8004-04606933047e</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;br&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anchorage, Alaska-- U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, spoke today at the Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Convention at the Dena&apos;ina Convention Center. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;em&gt;Senator Akaka&apos;s remarks as prepared for delivery:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aloha! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I am so happy to be here in Alaska and to be able to spend time with you today, as you make Success Beyond Barriers a reality. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Alaska and Hawaii have a long, successful relationship working together, both in the halls of Congress - and at home in our communities.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I am proud of all that we have accomplished together.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In Hawaii, one great example of this collaboration was the building of the &lt;em&gt;Hawai&apos;i Loa &lt;/em&gt;double-hulled canoe.&amp;nbsp; As my people set out on this project to recover knowledge of traditional Hawaiian canoe-building, we used 400-year old Sitka spruce logs -- donated from Alaska Natives from the Southeast and the Sealaska Corporation -- in the canoe&apos;s construction. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;But we know the special relationship between Alaska and Hawaii goes back much further. &lt;br&gt;We can see evidence of the historical presence of my people in your lands - in names like Chief Kaloa of Tyonek, in villages like Kiana, and in places like the &lt;em&gt;Hulahula &lt;/em&gt;River.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Today, Alaska Native Corporations are partnering with Native Hawaiian companies to succeed in business across the Pacific.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Immersion schools are sharing successful strategies to revitalize our Native languages.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native leaders, young and old, are engaging in cultural exchanges and building new relationships for the future.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Throughout my career, the Hawaii and Alaska Congressional delegations have worked across party lines, in support of each other, to advance issues important to each of our non-contiguous states.&amp;nbsp; Especially for our Native peoples.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Over the 36 years I have served in Congress, I have collaborated with my good friends Congressman Don Young, Senators Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski, and now Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich.&amp;nbsp; We come together to pass bills and sustain programs critical to both of our unique states.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Lisa Murkowski is a powerful voice on the Indian Affairs Committee.&amp;nbsp; Whether she is speaking in support of reforms in Native education, addressing health and social issues that contribute to the tragic rate of youth suicides in Native communities, or highlighting the critical role of subsistence in your daily lives, Lisa&apos;s work on behalf of Native peoples is well respected in the Senate.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In a difficult budgetary environment, Lisa has been effective as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee meeting Alaska&apos;s needs through formula funding and program eligibility.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;She has proven to be a thoughtful and independent legislator, working across the aisle when necessary to advance Alaska&apos;s interests. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;For example, Lisa is a strong supporter of my provisions to protect Native Women from rape and abuse - which are included in the Senate&apos;s bill to reauthorize the &lt;em&gt;Violence Against Women Act&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Your junior Senator Mark Begich is an up and coming member of the Senate&apos;s leadership team.&amp;nbsp; He has strong character and a drive to work hard for Alaska. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;We serve together on the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, where as Chairman he brings business and community leaders from across the country into the Senate to meet directly with us and help us chart the course forward.&amp;nbsp; His voice is always there bringing Alaska&apos;s economic and social priorities to the attention of the Senate&apos;s leaders for action. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;He continues to work tirelessly for Alaska Native education, health care, and jobs, highlighting the unique needs of your state like teacher housing and funding for village clinics. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Mark is also a strong advocate for our troops and veterans.&amp;nbsp; We serve together on the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Veteran&apos;s Affairs, and Homeland Security. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;He and I worked together to block bad legislation attacking the &lt;em&gt;SBA Native 8(a) program&lt;/em&gt;.&amp;nbsp; We accomplished this by highlighting the program&apos;s success in Alaska, Hawaii, and across the country, and its role in fulfilling the trust responsibility to Native communities. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As I prepare to leave Congress this January, I am confident that the close cooperation and partnership between Hawaii and Alaska will continue.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I want to extend my aloha to your leadership: to co-chairs Ralph Andersen and Albert Kookesh and all the rest of the AFN Board of Directors.&amp;nbsp; Your board is a testament to the strength of diversity, coming together beyond regional differences to work for all Alaska Natives.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have worked very closely with and have so much admiration for your: President Julie Kitka and Vice-President Nelson Angapak. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Julie is full of innovative approaches to solving challenges.&amp;nbsp; Nelson&apos;s quiet style makes a big impact when necessary.&amp;nbsp; They have been effective partners who bring the Alaska Native perspective to every conversation.&amp;nbsp; &lt;em&gt;Mahalo &lt;/em&gt;- thank you - to you all, for always working closely with me and my staff - and for the wonderful invitation to be here this week. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;One thing I always notice when I meet with Alaska Natives, there are usually two or three generations in the room.&amp;nbsp; The word for that is mentorship, something that has always impressed me about Alaska Native leadership. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I admire the way you have committed yourselves - to making sure the next generation of leaders are ready and prepared for the challenges they will face.&amp;nbsp; By including them in your daily operations, you are helping them gain experience and skills for future success.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As you know, I have the great pleasure and responsibility of being Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have focused on strengthening the identities of Native peoples, and their ability to protect their homelands. I have worked with my colleagues to make sure they understand the federal relationship with Native peoples-and its origins in the Constitution.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I want to express my sincere gratitude to you, your leadership, your organizations, and your Congressional delegation for your longstanding and unwavering support of my bill, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senators Stevens, Murkowski, and Begich, and Congressman Young have all been cosponsors and vocal supporters of my bill, the &lt;em&gt;Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act&lt;/em&gt;.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have also been focused on passing amendments to the &lt;em&gt;Indian Reorganization Act &lt;/em&gt;known as the &lt;em&gt;Carcieri &lt;/em&gt;Fix.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;These bills represent a commitment to parity - to the principle that all federally-recognized Native peoples should be offered the same rights and opportunities -- and have access to the same tools.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have seen many changes across the country, and I have been amazed at the resiliency of Native peoples, our cultures, and our languages. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Since I was a boy, the United States has grown and evolved.&amp;nbsp; I have witnessed profound change in the status and treatment of all indigenous peoples.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gone are the days when our languages were banned, when our cultures and traditions were deemed unimportant, or worse, considered liabilities. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;We have proven time and time again that our Native cultures and traditions hold incredible wisdom about how best to live in harmony and build a sustainable future.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Throughout my life, and my career in public service, I have worked to bring the Hawaiian culture and the &lt;em&gt;aloha spirit&lt;/em&gt;, love and respect, with me at all times.&amp;nbsp; I have sought to remain focused on what is &lt;em&gt;pono&lt;/em&gt;, what is right and proper.&amp;nbsp; I set my goals around what can be achieved in the spirit of &lt;em&gt;lokahi&lt;/em&gt;, unity, to &lt;em&gt;holo i mua&lt;/em&gt;, move forward.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In these changing times, it is critical that all Native Americans - American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians - continue to stand together, and move forward together, to advance Native sovereignty and self-determination in the United States. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;There is strength in that solidarity.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Native self-determination ensures the promise of Native self-sufficiency.&amp;nbsp; It results in our continued ability to be productive and contribute to the well-being of our families, our communities, and our great nation.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Before I conclude, I want to encourage you all, and especially the young people in the audience today, to remember:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Live your Native values, draw courage from those who have come before you, and focus your work on advancing self-determination and self-sufficiency for all Native peoples. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Strive to extend &lt;em&gt;aloha&lt;/em&gt; - love and respect - in all you do.&amp;nbsp; You will find it returned to you.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;May God bless you, your families, your Native communities, and your great state of Alaska.&amp;nbsp; And may God bless the United States of America.&amp;nbsp; &lt;em&gt;Anabasi&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Gunalch&#xe9;esh&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Illan Nigullu&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Kitak qua&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Like you, Native Hawaiians never like to say goodbye.&amp;nbsp; We say &lt;em&gt;a hui hou&lt;/em&gt; - until we meet again. &lt;br&gt;With warm and fond &lt;em&gt;aloha, a hui hou&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;-END-</description>
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<title>Senator Akaka receives Denali Award from Alaska Federation of Natives</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=6cc0cf68-7510-4f2c-88b2-c79504dd3142</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img  alt=&quot;Photo courtesy of Anchorage Daily News / adn.com&quot; title=&quot;Photo courtesy of Anchorage Daily News / adn.com&quot; style=&quot;width: 620px;&quot; src=&quot;http://media.adn.com/smedia/2012/10/18/18/02/13lC3N.AuSt.7.JPG&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12px;&quot;&gt;Senator Akaka accepts Denali Award from AFN.&amp;nbsp; Photo courtesy of Anchorage Daily News.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - The Alaska Federation of Natives honored U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) yesterday with its Denali Award. The award is the Federation&apos;s top honor for non-Alaska Native individuals who have contributed to the growth and development of the Alaska Native Community&apos;s culture, economy, and health.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;I am deeply honored and truly touched to receive this meaningful Denali award, and I am humbled to be the first person from outside of Alaska to be presented with it.&quot; said Senator Akaka. &quot;Throughout my career, the Hawaii and Alaska Congressional delegations have worked in support of each other, to advance issues important to each of our non-contiguous states. Especially for our Native peoples.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;I believe that it is critical that all Native Americans - American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians - continue to stand together, and move forward together, to advance Native sovereignty and self-determination in the United States.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;As I prepare to leave Congress this January after 36 years of service, I am confident this bond will remain strong-and the close cooperation and partnership between Hawaii and Alaska will continue.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Today, Senator Akaka, who chairs the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, will address the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention at in the Dena&apos;ina Civic &amp;amp; Convention Center at 1:30 p.m. Alaska Time (11:30 a.m. Hawaii Time, 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time). A live stream is available here: &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012-afn-convention-webcast/&quot;&gt;LINK&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;More information:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Honors luncheon: &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012/10/08/afn-to-honor-sen-daniel-akaka-at-2012-convention/&quot;&gt;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012/10/08/afn-to-honor-sen-daniel-akaka-at-2012-convention/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Convention website: &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012/10/09/akaka-washburn-attend-2012-afn-convention/&quot;&gt;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012/10/09/akaka-washburn-attend-2012-afn-convention/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<title>Alaska Federation of Natives to honor Chairman Akaka at annual convention</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=4a963054-af50-460e-8192-371147d6ad82</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;strong&gt;ANCHORAGE, ALASKA&lt;/strong&gt; - The Alaska Federation of Natives will hold a special luncheon honoring U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) for his decades of leadership and collaboration next Thursday, October 18 at noon in the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Anchorage.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The following day, Senator Akaka will address the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention at in the Dena&apos;ina Civic &amp;amp; Convention Center, on Friday, October 19 at 1:30 p.m.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Akaka is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. This will be his first address to the convention, which is the largest annual gathering of Alaska Natives in the world.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;More information:&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012/10/08/afn-to-honor-sen-daniel-akaka-at-2012-convention/&quot;&gt;Honors luncheon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nativefederation.org/2012/10/09/akaka-washburn-attend-2012-afn-convention/&quot;&gt;Convention website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nativefederation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2012-afn-convention-agenda-10-4-12.pdf&quot;&gt;Convention agenda&lt;br&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;</description>
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<title>Akaka, Collins, Feinstein, and Gillibrand release GAO report revealing serious challenges to agriculture inspection activities at U.S. ports of entry</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=f553da9c-57d1-411f-b61e-7613903c4ccc</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Susan M. Collins (R-Maine), Dianne Feinstein (D-California), and Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-New York) released a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report entitled, &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-885&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Homeland Security: Agriculture Inspection Program Has Made Some Improvements but Management Challenges Persist (GAO-12-885)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; GAO conducted a follow-up review of its 2006 report on the issue and a survey on agriculture specialists&apos; and supervisors&apos; view about their work.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;GAO found that the Department of Homeland Security&apos;s (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture&apos;s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continue to struggle with previously identified problems that could increase our nation&apos;s vulnerability to foreign pests and disease or delay international trade.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Senator Akaka said:&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;The agricultural inspection mission is vital to protecting our natural resources and agriculture from the introduction of foreign pests and disease.&amp;nbsp; Failure to prevent their entry could have serious economic consequences for our country.&amp;nbsp; While the GAO report shows that CBP and APHIS have made some progress over the past few years, critical vulnerabilities remain.&amp;nbsp; It is clear that more attention must be placed on agricultural inspection operations, specifically on ensuring that CBP has sufficient resources and the personnel needed to effectively defend our nation against harmful pests and disease.&amp;nbsp; I urge CBP and APHIS to fully implement GAO&apos;s recommendations.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Senator Collins said:&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We need a robust program at our borders to protect the nation from harmful pests, plant and animal diseases, and biological threats.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; According to DHS, invasive species cause an estimated $136 billion in lost agricultural revenue per year and the possible of deliberate introduction remains heightened in this post 9/11 environment.&amp;nbsp; It is encouraging that GAO found improvements with information sharing and certain agriculture inspection management functions; however, it is troubling that we are not further along.&amp;nbsp; Coordination between DHS and USDA must be seamless in order to endure the security of our nation&apos;s agriculture.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Senator Feinstein said:&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;The Department of Homeland Security in 2008 assured me that Customs and Border Patrol would prioritize agriculture inspections. This latest GAO report proves that has not happened.&amp;nbsp; I believe a standalone Office of Agriculture Inspection-either within DHS or back at USDA-is the only way agriculture inspectors will receive the tools they need to combat invasive pests and diseases. I plan to fight for the creation of this office and the funds necessary to quickly stand it up.&quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The GAO study revealed that DHS and USDA have improved information-sharing and the transfer of Agriculture Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program user fees that are collected for AQI services; however DHS and USDA continue to face challenges in:&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Developing effective performance measures to determine progress made toward mission goals&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Establishing a national risk-based staffing model to ensure that high risk ports are adequately staffed&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Ensuring supervisors are trained to manage agriculture canine teams&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Revising user fees to cover programs costs&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;The GAO&apos;s survey responses showed that CBP agriculture specialists and supervisors believe that training and information-sharing have improved, but remained concerned about:&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;CBP&apos;s chain of command due to poor communication regarding internal policies, supervisors&apos; lack of agriculture experience, and the need for an agriculture chain of command separate from CBP&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Competing priorities preventing them from performing their tasks and not having enough time to complete work&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Their work not respected by CBP management&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The lack of a career ladder for agriculture specialists supervisors and salary and benefits&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;GAO recommended that the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Agriculture:&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Develop a strategic plan that establishes a joint mission and program goals&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Identify performance measures for monitoring progress toward those goals&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Improve the reliability of data regarding arrivals, inspections, and interceptions across ports&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;Additionally, GAO recommended that the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with USDA (1) ensure that the data regarding the agriculture canine program is reliable; (2) develop a plan or strategy that identifies the risk of potential fiscal constraints and determine the actions needed to mitigate that risk on sufficiently staffing ports with agriculture specialists; and (3) work with port directors to ensure that agriculture canine supervisors who have not participated in canine training or do not have experience working with canines get the training needed.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;USDA and DHS concurred with GAO&apos;s recommendations.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Akaka is Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs&apos; Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;A copy of the GAO report is available at &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-885&quot;&gt;http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-885&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<title>$300,000 grant from HUD to revitalize Kuhio Park public housing</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=dc9f462e-36e6-47d2-b53d-7af12d8b51e3</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that Michaels Development Company of New Jersey will receive $300,000 to promote grassroots efforts to revitalize the public housing and transform the Kuhio Park Neighborhood in Honolulu.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The Michaels Development Company is one of the 17 entities from across the U.S. receiving a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant today.&amp;nbsp; The funding provides communities the resources they need to craft comprehensive, community-driven plans to revitalize public or other HUD-assisted housing and transform distressed neighborhoods.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &quot;This funding will enable Honolulu to further its discussions with local partners to plan strategies that will build a stronger, more sustainable community and address distressed housing, struggling schools and crime,&quot; said HUD Deputy Regional Administrator Wayne Sauseda.&amp;nbsp; &quot;HUD&apos;s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative represents the next generation in a movement toward revitalizing entire neighborhoods to improve the quality of the lives of the residents who live there.&quot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &quot;I am pleased that the Administration, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is investing in improvements to the diverse Kuhio Park neighborhood,&quot; said Senator Daniel Akaka.&amp;nbsp; &quot;This project will help to improve quality of life for the residents of Kuhio Homes and KPT Low Rises, as well as for the entire Kuhio Park community, by repairing aging buildings and increasing transportation and access to jobs.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; HUD&apos;s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative promotes a comprehensive approach to transforming distressed areas of concentrated poverty into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods.&amp;nbsp; Building on the successes of HUD&apos;s HOPE VI Program, Choice Neighborhoods links housing improvements with necessary services for the people who live there - including schools, public transit and employment opportunities.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The awardees announced today were selected from among 72 applications.&amp;nbsp; Successful applicants demonstrated their intent to plan for the transformation of neighborhoods by revitalizing severely distressed public and/or assisted housing while leveraging investments to create high-quality public schools, outstanding education and early learning programs, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs and well-functioning services.&amp;nbsp; HUD focused on directing resources to address three core goals:&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;* Housing: Transform distressed public and assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed-income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long-term;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;* People: Support positive outcomes for families who live in the target development(s) and the surrounding neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to residents&apos; health, safety, employment, mobility, and education; and&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;* Neighborhood: Transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable, mixed-income neighborhoods with access to well-functioning services, high quality public schools and education programs, high quality early learning programs and services, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The grantees will use the funding to work with local stakeholders - public and/or assisted housing residents, community members, businesses, institutions and local government officials - to undertake a successful neighborhood transformation to create a &quot;choice neighborhood.&quot;&amp;nbsp; The awardees will use the funding to create a comprehensive Transformation Plan, or road map, to transforming distressed public and/or assisted housing within a distressed community.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Choice Neighborhoods is one of the signature programs of the White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, which supports innovative, holistic strategies that bring public and private partners together to help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Choice Neighborhoods encourages collaboration between HUD and the Departments of Education, Justice, Treasury and Health and Human Services to support local solutions for sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods with the affordable housing, safe streets and good schools all families need.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Congress approved the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative with the passage of HUD&apos;s FY2010 budget.&amp;nbsp; Funding is provided through two separate programs - Implementation Grants and Planning Grants.&amp;nbsp; With this announcement, HUD has awarded a total of $12.55 million in Planning Grants to 46 cities or counties.&amp;nbsp; See past Planning grantees list here.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants are awarded to entities that have completed a comprehensive local planning process and are ready to move forward with their Transformation Plan to redevelop their target housing and neighborhoods.&amp;nbsp; In August, HUD announced the nine finalists that will compete for approximately $110 million in 2012 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants to transform public and other HUD-assisted housing in targeted neighborhoods.&amp;nbsp; Teams recently completed site visits as part of the application review process to determine which of the finalists will receive Implementation grants.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Last year, HUD awarded its first CN Implementation grants for Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, San Francisco and Seattle, a combined $122.27 million investment to bring comprehensive neighborhood revitalization to blighted areas in these cities.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;###&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;HUD&apos;s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and&amp;nbsp; transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.&amp;nbsp; You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD&apos;s News Listserv&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;FY2012 CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS PLANNING GRANT AWARD INFORMATION&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Honolulu, HI&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Choice Neighborhoods Lead Grantee: The Michaels Development Company I, LP&lt;br&gt;Choice Neighborhoods Co-Grantee: Hawaii Public Housing Authority&lt;br&gt;Target Public Housing Project: Kuhio Homes and KPT Low Rises &lt;br&gt;Target Neighborhood: Kuhio Park Neighborhood&lt;br&gt;Choice Neighborhoods Grant Amount: $300,000&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Key Partners: &lt;br&gt;EJP Consulting Group (Planning Coordinator), Governor&apos;s Office, Hawaii State Legislature, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, City and County of Honolulu, Kalihi Palama Neighborhood Board No. 15, Department of Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, Parents &amp;amp; Children Together, Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Hawaii Literacy, Faith Action for Community Equity, and Pioneering Communities.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Project Summary:&lt;br&gt;The reality of life for residents at Kuhio Homes and KPT Low Rises, two severely distressed public housing developments in the Kuhio Park neighborhood of Honolulu, is drastically different from what many people envision when they dream of Hawaii.&amp;nbsp; In the high cost housing market of Hawaii, the need for affordable housing is significant.&amp;nbsp; The median annual income in Hawaii is roughly $50,000 while housing costs average $500,000. The Kuhio Park neighborhood contains the largest remaining number of public housing units in the state of Hawaii and is suffering from old age and blight.&amp;nbsp; The neighborhood also suffers from high crime rates around Kuhio Homes and KPT Low Rises, low performing schools, and a long-term vacancy rate more than nine times that of the surrounding county of Honolulu.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Michaels Development Company and its team envision a plan that provides the community and public housing residents access to the resources needed to live a healthy, safe, and sustainable life in the 21st Century.&amp;nbsp; The planning activities will include detailed resident needs and community asset assessments; specialized Task Forces with key thought leaders for each Plan element; meaningful engagement of the multi-lingual and culturally rich resident population and community groups in results-oriented workshops; and preparation of a Transformation Plan that identifies specific activities, partners, funding sources, timeline, and measurable outcomes.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ultimately the Choice Neighborhoods planning process will result in a plan to provide residents with more transportation choices; enhance economic competitiveness for residents and businesses; and value the community by investing in healthy, safe and walkable neighborhoods.</description>
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<title>Hawaii Filipino Community Center 10th Anniversary Bayanihan Gala Dinner</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=dcdfc65c-7924-4dd6-8511-aa3d78305037</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;strong&gt;Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Mabuhay!&amp;nbsp; Aloha!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Salamat po - mahalo - for honoring me here tonight at your 10th Anniversary Bayanihan Gala Dinner.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It is fitting that tonight&apos;s theme is &quot;PAGDIRIWANG AT PASASALAMAT,&quot; -- &quot;celebration and appreciation,&quot; because those are the feelings that I would most like to share with you tonight.&amp;nbsp; Let&apos;s celebrate all we have accomplished together for the Filipino community.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Hawaii would not be Hawaii without Filipinos.&amp;nbsp; You bring so much to our diverse islands.&amp;nbsp; Everyone in Hawaii enjoys Filipino culture.&amp;nbsp; You contribute to our community.&amp;nbsp; And you all look great tonight in your Filipino formal attire!&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Salamat to everyone at the Fil Com Center for your tireless advocacy for the Filipino Community.&amp;nbsp; In particular, it has been a pleasure to work with you to honor the World War II Filipino veterans who helped our nation achieve victory.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Filipinos served with distinction under United States command and deserve to be remembered forever for their heroic acts and bravery on behalf of our nation.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I consider it one of my career highlights that, with your help, we were able to enact a law that finally honors them for their service to our nation.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As a veteran of World War II, I believe in the soldier&apos;s creed, leave no man behind.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The United States has a moral obligation to look after those who have served.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The commitment we make to those men and women -- when they sacrifice for our freedom -- is among the most sacred duties our country has.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As many of you know, in 1941, over 200,000 Filipinos were conscripted into the United States armed services.&amp;nbsp; And they rose to the challenge, serving honorably during World War II, and helping us defeat imperial Japan.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;They put their lives on the line to help us win the war.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Sadly, just five years later, a national tragedy occurred when Congress stripped the Filipino veterans of veteran status in the United States -- and with it the benefits that they earned through their service.&amp;nbsp; I have always felt this was an injustice that must be corrected.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In the decades that followed, members of the Filipino community worked tirelessly to secure restitution and provide equity for all the Filipino veterans. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The first major victory came in the Immigration Act of 1990, which included a provision that gave the World War II veterans who were still Filipino citizens an opportunity to obtain U.S. citizenship.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In 2007, when I took over the Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Veterans&apos; Affairs, I made fixing this injustice a priority of the committee.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I authored several bills to help our Filipino veterans, including the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, which would have provided a monthly pension to Filipino World War II veterans.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I got this bill passed through the Senate, over the objections of the top Republican on the Veterans Committee.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;He accused me of trying to take money from American veterans to help the Filipinos, whom he pointed out are foreign nationals - ignoring of course the valiant heroism they displayed under U.S. command, the fact that we had made a commitment to care for them, and the reality that time was running out to honor them.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I also authored the Filipino Family Reunification Act.&amp;nbsp; This bill would allow World War II veterans who took advantage of past opportunities to gain U.S. citizenship -- to bring their children over here to the U.S. with them.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It would allow these honorable veterans to live out their golden years surrounded by their families in this great nation they fought to defend.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Though Congress has unfortunately failed to pass any meaningful immigration reform in recent years, I will continue to advocate for this bill for the rest of my term, and I expect my colleagues on the Hawaii Congressional Delegation to continue the fight.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In 2009, I helped develop a provision which was enacted into law -- as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- that granted recognition for their service under U.S. command and authorized the payment of benefits to the 30-thousand surviving Filipino veterans.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I wish that this recognition could have been achieved sooner, when more of them were living, but I am grateful for that fact that now -- their honor is enshrined forever in law -- and will never be forgotten by our grateful nation.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It wasn&apos;t easy, but with the help of the Filipino Community, we accomplished this together.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I count myself among the many, many Americans who are eternally grateful for what they did.&amp;nbsp; Let&apos;s have a round of applause to thank our World War II Filipino veterans.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In closing, I want to say that it has been a true honor and privilege to serve and represent you in Congress for 36 years.&amp;nbsp; Salamat for your trust and faith in me throughout my career.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have been blessed over the years to have so much support from the Filipino community.&amp;nbsp; I express my salamat for all the work you have done with me, my staff, and the entire Hawaii Congressional delegation, to make many of our goals a reality.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I wish you the best of luck and I extend my warmest aloha as you continue forward, supporting Hawaii&apos;s Filipino community, honoring our veterans, and making Hawaii a better place.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;God bless you.&amp;nbsp; God bless Hawaii.&amp;nbsp; God bless the Philippines.&amp;nbsp; And God bless the United States of America.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<title>Senator Akaka gives final speech to the Native Hawaiian Convention</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=2fb37609-e465-44ca-b79e-9781e738c72e</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>Waikiki, Hawaii - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, spoke today at the annual Native Hawaiian Convention at the Hawai&apos;i Convention Center.&amp;nbsp; Senator Akaka has spoken at every Native Hawaiian Convention since its inception in 2001, and this was his last one as a sitting U.S. Senator, as he retires in January.&amp;nbsp; Akaka is the first Native Hawaiian ever to serve in the U.S. Senate and third to serve in Congress.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Senator Akaka&apos;s remarks as prepared for delivery:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aloha!&amp;nbsp; It is so good to be home!&amp;nbsp; Mahalo for inviting me to join you at this year&apos;s Native Hawaiian Convention.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Mahalo nui loa to Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Chairman Alvin Parker and President Robin Danner for their leadership in organizing this annual convention.&amp;nbsp; Mahalo nui loa to all of you, who are attending this convention in record numbers.&amp;nbsp; By coming together as a community, to listen to different mana&apos;o, k&amp;#363;k&amp;#257;k&amp;#363;k&amp;#257;, and holo i mua, we can achieve this year&apos;s convention theme: &quot;Moving Forward-Our People, Our Land, Our Spirit.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I am so proud to say that I have joined you here at this convention every year since the beginning.&amp;nbsp; As you know, after 36 years of service in Congress, I am retiring at the end of this year.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Throughout my career, I have been inspired by the leaders who came before me.&amp;nbsp; I hope to inspire the leaders who will follow.&amp;nbsp; I&apos;m proud to be the first Native Hawaiian in the U.S. Senate, and even more proud to be the third to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;After Hawaii was annexed to the United States of America, Robert Wilcox was elected as a territorial delegate to the House in 1900.&amp;nbsp; Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana&apos;ole represented Hawai&apos;i from 1903 to 1921.&amp;nbsp; Both men had been jailed with Queen Lili&apos;uokalani and sentenced to death for trying to reinstate the Queen after the illegal overthrow.&amp;nbsp; But they didn&apos;t give up, they used the American political system to help our people.&amp;nbsp; They were elected because Native Hawaiians voted and made sure we had representation in the United States Congress.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In the early 1900s, these men lived in times of deep segregation in the United States, when Hawaii was still reeling from the aftermath of the illegal overthrow and rapid political change.&amp;nbsp; Both Congressman Robert Wilcox and Congressman Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana&apos;ole found motivation to work towards self-sufficiency for our people so that we could once again thrive, be productive and contribute to our families, our communities, and our island home.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Throughout my career in Congress I have built upon the achievements of these two men, and I have drawn inspiration and courage from them.&amp;nbsp; Through it all, I have carried our culture and our aloha with me.&amp;nbsp; I have tried to remain focused on what is pono, and set my goals around what can be achieved in the spirit of lokahi.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have seen so many changes in Hawai&apos;i and across the country, and I have been amazed at the resiliency of our Native Hawaiian people, our culture, and our language.&amp;nbsp; Since I was a boy, the United States has grown and evolved.&amp;nbsp; I have witnessed profound change in the status and treatment of all indigenous peoples.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gone are the days when teaching our language was banned, when our culture and traditions were deemed unimportant.&amp;nbsp; We now know that our language, culture, and traditions hold incredible wisdom about how best to live in this place we call Hawaii.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This Congress, I have had the great pleasure and responsibility of leading the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.&amp;nbsp; I have focused on strengthening the identities of Native peoples, and their ability to protect their homelands.&amp;nbsp; I have worked with my colleagues to make sure they understand the federal relationship with Native peoples and its origins in the Constitution.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;When it was written, the broad terms Indian and tribe were used in the Constitution to mean indigenous peoples, with their diversity of unique cultures, languages and traditions.&amp;nbsp; Each with their own ways of governing themselves.&amp;nbsp; The consistent use of these terms Indian and tribe results in the federal government treating all federally-recognized Native peoples equally, with the same tools to address the unique needs and priorities in their own communities.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It is long past time for the Native Hawaiian people to have the same rights, the same privileges, and the same opportunities as every other federally-recognized Native people.&amp;nbsp; That is why I am working tirelessly to secure parity in federal policy for our people.&amp;nbsp; My bill, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, gives us full access to the prevailing federal policy on self-determination, and the ability to once again exercise our right to be self-governing.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;For more than 12 years, I have worked with our community and other stakeholders to develop the terms of this bill.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;I have listened carefully to all sides, and I am determined to do what is best for all of Hawaii, by ensuring Native Hawaiians a true avenue for reconciliation.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Last month, the Indian Affairs Committee passed my amended bill, which builds upon State of Hawaii Act 195 that created the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.&amp;nbsp; The amendment removes the sections of my bill about creating and certifying the roll of qualified Native Hawaiian constituents, because that process is already underway here in the islands, and streamlines my bill down to its essential parts.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, this version of the bill represents my best mana&apos;o on how to secure the future of our people, by ensuring we are afforded the same rights and opportunities as all other federally-recognized Native peoples-no more, no less.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I was proud to be the first person to sign up for the Kana?iolowalu registry - the new roll of Native Hawaiian voters.&amp;nbsp; If you haven&apos;t already, I urge you to do the same, to participate in this incredible process to re-organize our Native Hawaiian government.&amp;nbsp; I&apos;m told there is a booth here where you can sign up, or you can visit their website.&amp;nbsp; I truly believe that as the indigenous people of Hawaii, our ability to chart our own course and define our own future will never be secure until we have parity with all other Native peoples.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;My amended bill sets a proper foundation for the reorganization of a Native Hawaiian government -- which will have a government-to-government relationship with the United States and the State of Hawaii.&amp;nbsp; This version of my bill is the best way forward.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In these changing times, it is critical that all Native Americans - American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians - continue to stand together, and move forward together, to advance Native sovereignty and self-determination in the United States.&amp;nbsp; There is strength in solidarity.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Native self-governance leads to Native self-sufficiency, resulting in our continued ability to be productive and contribute to the well-being of our families, our communities, and our great nation.&amp;nbsp; It is in this spirit that I worked to secure passage of the Apology Resolution.&amp;nbsp; I will continue to fight every day I am in Congress for passage of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I know I am just one in a long line working to ensure that our language, our culture, and our people continue to thrive for generations to come.&amp;nbsp; I understand my kuleana is to advance our rights, and to help prepare the next generation to take up their kuleana - to advance the causes of our people.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I think often of our beloved Queen Lili&apos;uokalani, her character, and her words.&amp;nbsp; She said:&lt;br&gt;I could not turn back the time for the political change, but there is still time to save our heritage. You must remember never to cease to act because you fear you may fail.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;These words have guided my conduct and service over the years.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Serving as your Senator has been my greatest privilege, honor, and duty.&amp;nbsp; I am thankful to all the people of Hawai&apos;i for putting their trust in me.&amp;nbsp; This voyage we are on together, advancing the cause of our people, is far from over.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Like those who set the course before you: Grab your paddle and hoe a mau.&amp;nbsp; There may be rough seas along the way, but I am confident that you possess the ability to successfully navigate our people into the future.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It is important to remember to live Hawaiian values, draw courage from those that have come before you, and focus your work on advancing self-determination and self-sufficiency.&amp;nbsp; Prepare yourself, learn new skills, work hard, so you can make contributions to your community, to your state, to your country, and to our people.&amp;nbsp; Strive to extend aloha in all you do.&amp;nbsp; You will find it returned to you. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;E ke Akua ho&apos;omaika&apos;i ia oukou.&amp;nbsp; E ke Akua ho&apos;omaika&apos;i ia Hawai&apos;i.&amp;nbsp; E ke Akua ho&apos;omaika&apos;i ia Amelika.&amp;nbsp; God Bless you, God Bless Hawai&apos;i, and God Bless the United States of America.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Me ke aloha pumehana, a hui hou.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;-END-</description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Akaka to speak at Native Hawaiian Convention</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=92aec0b0-1aa1-4742-b491-4b4199e14280</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 3 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
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&lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12pt; color: black;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12pt; color: black;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family:&quot; times=&quot;&quot; new=&quot;&quot; roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:black&quot;=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;Honolulu, Hawaii - Tomorrow, October 4, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka will address the 11th annual Native Hawaiian Convention at 2:30 p.m. in the Hawai&apos;i Convention Center. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Akaka has spoken at every Native Hawaiian Convention since its inception in 2001.&amp;nbsp; This will be his final address to the convention as a sitting U.S. Senator, as he retires in January.&amp;nbsp; Akaka is the first Native Hawaiian ever in the U.S. Senate and third to serve in Congress. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.cvent.com/events/11th-annual-native-hawaiian-convention/event-summary-11128abe9c72436986193066b0a154fc.aspx&quot;&gt;Click here for the convention website&lt;/a&gt; (Senator Akaka&apos;s speech time is not listed on the published agenda)&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END- &lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;
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</item>
<item>
<title>House passes bipartisan Whistleblower Protection bill </title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=4ee1e4b9-e460-4792-bd32-2113819ef3be</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 1 Oct 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 (S. 743), as amended, this past Friday, September 28, 2012.&amp;nbsp; The legislation strengthens the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) to better protect federal employees who come forward to disclose government waste, fraud, abuse, and other wrongdoing.&amp;nbsp; The bill will now head to the Senate for consideration.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The legislation, authored by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawai&apos;i), is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Joe Lieberman (ID-Connecticut), Carl Levin (D-Michigan), Tom Carper (D-Delaware), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas), Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), and Chris Coons (D-Delaware).&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Representatives Darrell Issa (R-California), Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland), Todd Russell Platts (R-Pennsylvania), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) were instrumental in moving the bill through the House of Representatives.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Akaka said: &quot;Protecting whistleblowers is essential for effective, accountable government.&amp;nbsp; Reforming whistleblower protections has been a priority of mine for years.&amp;nbsp; Federal employees and the American people must feel confident that those with the courage to come forward to disclose wrongdoing will be protected.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Collins said: &quot;Congress has consistently supported the principle that federal employees should not be subject to prior restraint or punishment from disclosing wrongdoing.&amp;nbsp; This should give federal workers the peace of mind that if they speak out, they will be protected.&amp;nbsp; Full whistleblower protections will also help ensure that Congress and our committee have access to the information necessary to conduct proper oversight.&quot;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Grassley said: &quot;While the House bill includes much needed updates to the law, and should easily clear the Senate, I&apos;m disappointed the bill fails to include the much needed assistance for intelligence community whistleblowers that was included in the Senate passed bill. We&apos;ll continue to fight for additional improvements to ensure these patriotic citizens receive the protection they deserve for uncovering the skeletons hiding deep in the bureaucracy.&quot;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Senator Lieberman said: &quot;Whistleblowers are key to improving the performance of the federal government and must be protected for having the courage to speak out about waste, fraud, and abuse.&amp;nbsp; Without these protections, those closest to the problems will remain silent for fear of retaliation, and American taxpayers will pay the price.&quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The legislation would:&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;clarify that any disclosure of gross waste or mismanagement, fraud, abuse, or illegal activity may be protected, but not disagreements over legitimate policy decisions;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;suspend the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals sole jurisdiction over federal employee whistleblower cases for two years;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;extend WPA coverage and other non-discrimination and anti-retaliatory laws to all employees of the Transportation Security Administration;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;clarify that whistleblowers may disclose evidence of censorship of scientific or technical information under the same standards that apply to disclosures of other kinds of waste, fraud, and abuse;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;codify the anti-gag provision that has been part of every Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill since 1988;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;establish Whistleblower Protection Ombudsmen to educate agency personnel about whistleblower rights; and &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;provide the Office of Special Counsel with the independent right to file &quot;friend of the court&quot; briefs, or amicus briefs, with federal courts.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
</item>
<item>
<title>World Alzheimer&apos;s Action Day</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=c68bef92-1ee7-4805-ba1d-ddd133a3ff03</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;em&gt;Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka made the following statement today in the Congressional Record:&lt;br&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in bringing attention to Alzheimer&apos;s disease and dementia, which tragically affects so many people across our nation, including in my home state of Hawaii.&amp;nbsp; Today, the Alzheimer&apos;s Association recognizes World Alzheimer&apos;s Action Day as a way of raising awareness and reducing the stigma associated with Alzheimer&apos;s. Sadly, this disease has touched the lives of the families so many of my friends, colleagues, and staff.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; In 2010, 27,000 people in Hawaii were living with Alzheimer&apos;s disease.&amp;nbsp; Their family members and loved ones sacrificed to help them with nearly 800 million dollars worth of unpaid care.&amp;nbsp; Not only is this a devastating disease for the people afflicted with it, but the emotional and monetary costs to their families are enormous. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The reach of the disease continues to grow and it is estimated that the cost of caring for people with Alzheimer&apos;s and other dementia in America will reach 1.1 trillion dollars by 2050. Despite the fact that Alzheimer&apos;s has affected so many, the disease itself remains poorly understood. Not only does it cause memory loss and confusion, but it is also the sixth leading cause of death nationwide. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; During the last Congress, my colleagues and I worked together to pass the National Alzheimer&apos;s Project Act, which President Obama signed into law in 2011.&amp;nbsp; This law created a national strategic plan to address the crisis of Alzheimer&apos;s disease and to make ending Alzheimer&apos;s a national priority.&amp;nbsp; We have a plan in place to fight this disease, but finding a cure will require us to continue funding research into the disease.&amp;nbsp; While we work towards a cure, we must also support caregivers and raise public awareness of the effects of this disease. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; I would also like to express my profound gratitude to all those who are caring for family members who are afflicted with Alzheimer&apos;s disease and other forms of dementia.&amp;nbsp; Many caregivers have one or more jobs and other family members to care for and it can often be a thankless job.&amp;nbsp; So mahalo nui loa, thank you very much, for your sacrifices.&amp;nbsp; I call on my colleagues to continue supporting Alzheimer&apos;s disease research and education so that we may find a cure and end this devastating disease. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Thank you, Mr. President.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;
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</item>
<item>
<title>Senate Committee on Indian Affairs passes five bills</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=a6265bf4-5ba2-471b-ad2d-0caa1d931238</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>WASHINGTON D.C. ? Today, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, chaired by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), approved five bills by voice vote and favorably reported the bills to the Senate floor.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;Each bill that we considered today will have a positive impact on the lives of tribes, individual Natives and surrounding communities,&quot; said Chairman Akaka. &quot;The passing of these bills signifies that my colleagues and I remain committed to taking up the priorities of the indigenous people and to work to make lives better throughout their states and throughout Indian Country.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The bills reported out of Committee today include:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;S. 65, the Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2011;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;S. 2024, the Sandia Pueblo Settlement Technical Amendment Act;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;S. 3546, the Esther Martinez Language Preservation Act Reauthorization; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;S. 3548, the Native American Veterans&apos; Memorial Amendments Act of 2012; and&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;H.R. 2467, the Bridgeport Indian Colony Land Trust, Health, and Economic Development Act of 2012.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<item>
<title>Indian Affairs oversight hearing on advancing the federal tribal relationship through self-governance and self-determination</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=663eeb02-e59d-46a9-a3c0-41b2d8ad33d0</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>I call this hearing of the Committee on Indian Affairs to order.&amp;nbsp; Aloha, and thank you for being with us today for the Committee&apos;s oversight hearing on Advancing the Federal-Tribal Relationship through Self-Governance and Self-Determination.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;From the Constitution, it is clear our Founding Fathers understood the sovereign authority of tribal nations, and their governments.&amp;nbsp; It is also clear Tribal governments came in a diversity of forms.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The broad terms Indian and tribes represented a diversity of peoples, with unique cultures, languages and traditions, indigenous to the United States.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;From our earliest days as a nation, we made treaties with the Indian Tribes, just as we did with a diversity of foreign nations, governing issues such as trade, peace, and other relations.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;With our westward expansion during the nineteenth century, federal objectives turned to Manifest Destiny and federal policies toward our Country&apos;s first peoples changed.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The movement to remove the Native peoples began.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The United States again relied on treaties with Tribes to facilitate the acquisition of Native lands, and often promised in exchange, to provide for Indian health, education, welfare, and housing, and a guaranteed right to self-governance.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The policy eras that developed from then through the first half of the twentieth century were marked by programs designed to force Natives to abandon their traditional ways and assimilate into mainstream American norms.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;These programs intended to strip Native Americans of their languages, break up tribal bonds and land bases, and encourage Indians to focus on their identities as individuals, rather than members of tribal communities.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;These policies and program strategies were applied to all indigenous peoples throughout the country--on the continent, and across the ocean in my own home of Hawaii.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The policy of banning Native language use in the schools was adopted by the territory of Hawaii, and we were punished for speaking Hawaiian, just as the American Indians and Alaska Natives were punished for using their languages in school.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The policy of allotting 160 acre parcels of land to individual Indians began in 1887 with the enactment of the Dawes Act as a way to break up the reservations and communal lifestyles, instead, encouraging Indians to own family farms.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In 1906, this policy was expanded to the Alaska Natives, and in 1921, it was applied to Native Hawaiians with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Overall, these policies of assimilation failed to meet the federal trust responsibility to Native peoples, and in fact, often worsened the socio-economic conditions of Native peoples and their communities.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In 1968 and 1970, Presidents Johnson and Nixon, respectively, introduced policies supporting tribal self-determination, and called for a shift in responsibility of public programs to tribal governments.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In 1975, Congress enacted the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, enabling tribes to contract with the BIA and IHS to administer federal programs.&amp;nbsp; Later legislation allowed tribes greater flexibility in designing and operating Indian programs and about sixty percent of the tribes have self-governance compacts with&lt;br&gt;DOI, IHS or both today.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Federal reaffirmation of tribal sovereignty through self-governance programs has enabled tribes to generate revenues through their own business enterprises, operate court and effective law enforcement systems, and design school curricula to better meet the needs of Native students.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Tribes have done this without forced assimilation to mainstream American norms, and this federal focus on self-determination and self-governance has proven to be the only federal policy that has worked for Native communities.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Studies show that self-determination policies have enabled Indian tribes to build strong economies, reverse decades of language loss, and tailor programs and services to better meet the needs of their people.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;My top legislative priority, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, ensures parity in policy for all federally-recognized Native peoples.&amp;nbsp; It means the Native Hawaiian people will have full access to the prevailing federal policy on self-determination, and finally be able to exercise their right to self-governance.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It is time for the United States to give my people access to its best policies on Native peoples, not just the legacies of the worst ones.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:&quot; times=&quot;&quot; new=&quot;&quot; roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;&quot;=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:&quot; times=&quot;&quot; new=&quot;&quot; roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;&quot;=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?hearingID=ac1e7b55289f9324aa56ab624108812d&quot;&gt;A
webcast of the entire hearing is available by clicking here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

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<title>Indian Affairs committee favorably reports Kevin K. Washburn nomination</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=7cf7c86f-9601-4cc4-b3c6-b06c87e5bce5</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;br&gt;WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, chaired by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), favorably reported Kevin K. Washburn, President Obama&apos;s nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs for the Department of the Interior. The nomination will be placed on the Executive Calendar and available for consideration by the full Senate.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;The Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing on the nomination last week and we received written responses to all of our questions,&quot; said Chairman Akaka.&amp;nbsp; &quot;I appreciated meeting Kevin and feel he has excellent academic credentials and professional experience for this important position,&amp;nbsp; I am confident that, if confirmed by the full Senate, he will work with determination and humility to enhance self-determination, promote self-governance, and help improve the future for all of the indigenous peoples of our Nation. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians are diverse -- with unique histories, cultures, government structures, languages and traditions.&amp;nbsp; I believe Kevin understands the weight of the responsibility he would carry as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in fulfilling the United States&apos; trust responsibility. I urge my Senate colleagues to join me and confirm Kevin Washburn promptly.&amp;nbsp; I look forward to working closely with him for the remainder of the 112th Congress.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END- &lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<item>
<title>Senator Ron Johnson congratulates Akaka on career of service </title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=125e8bb8-490c-47c1-9465-b7db22fd3631</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
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&lt;P align=center&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF SENATOR RON JOHNSON:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Johnson (WI) released the following statement regarding the service of Senator Daniel Akaka (HI). Akaka chairs the Homeland Security &amp;amp; Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, on which Johnson serves as Ranking Republican Member:&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&quot;I will always remember and appreciate the warm welcome Senator Akaka gave me when I arrived as a new member of the Homeland Security &amp;amp; Governmental Affairs Committee. He is a true gentleman.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&quot;Senator Akaka&apos;s life is a testimony of his commitment to Hawaii and our nation - serving in the Army during World War II, as an educator and during his 36 years in Congress.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&quot;I want to congratulate Senator Akaka as he retires from elective office, and wish him well in the years ahead.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;Today&apos;s hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia is scheduled to be the last such hearing of the 112th Congress, and the last on which Akaka will serve as Chairman before he retires.&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
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<item>
<title>Senators introduce bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=f3498e56-0262-4b1b-96bc-05aea23d5a25</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>WASHINGTON, D.C. - Comprehensive legislation was introduced today in the Senate to reauthorize and expand the &lt;em&gt;Older Americans Act&lt;/em&gt;, the landmark law that supports Meals on Wheels and other essential programs for seniors.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, and 14 co-sponsors introduced the bill, which provides basic necessities such as meals, home care and job training. The co-sponsors include Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Senate leader, and Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), &lt;strong&gt;Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)&lt;/strong&gt;, Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Among the new programs for seniors and their families, the legislation would authorize funding for the coordination of dental care to low-income older Americans, focus more on economic security and provide special assistance to veterans, Holocaust survivors and LGBT seniors. The legislation also includes increased support for family caregivers and would make gerontologists and geriatricians eligible for the National Health Services Corps. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Under another initiative, the Bureau of Labor Statistics would be required to improve how it calculates inflation to more accurately reflect seniors&apos; out-of-pocket expenses for health care and prescription drugs. A cost-of-living measure tailored to the real-world expenses of seniors could be used to make more accurate annual adjustments in Social Security benefits, for example. The Alliance for Retired Americans said that the provision in the bill is &quot;vital to the health and economic security of millions of older Americans and their families.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;To see the bill, click &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/091912-OAA.pdf&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<item>
<title>Wednesday: Hearing on the current state of the federal workforce</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=db5462bf-af95-4c9b-a9dd-0ae0635ef798</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>WASHINGTON - On Wednesday, August 19, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) will hold a hearing titled &lt;strong&gt;Investing in an Effective Federal Workforce&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp; The hearing will address the current state of the Federal workforce and the steps being taken to ensure that the Federal government is an effective and efficient provider of services for future generations.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Federal government currently confronts some of the most serious challenges in our nation&apos;s history. Addressing these challenges during a time of declining agency budgets and an expected retirement wave requires the Federal government to make the proper investments in its workforce and ensure that it is taking the steps necessary to retain its talent. This hearing will examine a number of issues that are of great importance to civil servants including: the hiring process, work-life balance, pay and benefits, retirement processing, non-foreign area locality pay, job training, whistleblower protections, security clearance reform, Senior Executive Service reform, and labor-management relations.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This will be Senator Akaka&apos;s final hearing of the Subcommittee on 
Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the 
District of Columbia, which he has chaired since 2007, and became the 
ranking member of in 2005.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on&lt;br&gt;Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;em&gt;Investing in an Effective Federal Workforce&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 2:30 p.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building&lt;br&gt;Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;WITNESSES:&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Honorable John Berry, Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Honorable Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General, U.S. Government Accountability Office&amp;nbsp;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Ms. Colleen Kelley, President, National Treasury Employees Union&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Mr. J. David Cox, President, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Mr. Max Stier, President, Partnership for Public Service&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Mr. William Bransford, Representative, Government Managers Coalition&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<item>
<title>Thursday: Indian Affairs business meeting and oversight hearing on self-governance</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=d9f0c0a7-f886-4800-b5c1-a1750d060104</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, will hold a business meeting followed by an oversight hearing on September 20, at 2:15 p.m., in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Business Meeting Agenda:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;1. S. 65, A bill to reauthorize the programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing assistance for Native Hawaiians;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;2. S. 2024, A bill to make technical amendment to the T&apos;uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act, and for other purposes;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;3. S. 3546, Esther Martinez Language Preservation Act Reauthorization;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;4. S. 3548, To clarify certain provisions of the Native American Veterans&apos; Memorial Establishment Act of 1994; and&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;5. H.R. 2467, To take certain Federal lands in Mono County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Bridgeport Indian Colony.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Oversight Hearing:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The purpose of the hearing is to discuss the advancement of the Federal-Tribal relationship through the practices of self-governance and self-determination.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;OVERSIGHT HEARING WITNESS LIST&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Panel I&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;MR. LAWRENCE ROBERTS, Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;Panel II&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;MR. IAN ERLICH, President, Maniilaq Native Association&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;MR. CHARLES HEAD, Secretary of State, Cherokee Nation &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;MS. D. NOELANI KALIPI, President, TiLeaf Group&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<item>
<title>Indian Affairs committee approves amended Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=08a84ffb-3abb-40ac-83dd-7fd8ff20f233</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, chaired by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), amended the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2011 (S. 675) by voice vote and favorably reported it to the Senate floor.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Earlier this year, the State of Hawaii&apos;s Native Hawaiian Roll Commission began developing a roll of Native Hawaiian constituents for the purposes of reorganizing a Native Hawaiian government.&amp;nbsp; As a result, significant portions of the bill, which was approved by the Indian Affairs Committee &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;http://www.indian.senate.gov/news/pressreleases/2011-04-07.cfm&quot;&gt;last spring&lt;/a&gt;, are no longer required.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;Chairman Akaka said&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;My amendment, guided by extensive consultation and witness testimony, streamlines my bill, builds on recent efforts by the State of Hawaii, and incorporates longstanding principles of federal Indian law.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;The Native Hawaiian people are the only federally-recognized Native peoples without a government-to-government relationship, and no clear path to securing one without legislation.&amp;nbsp; This bill will create parity in federal policy so that Native Hawaiians will be treated the same as all other recognized indigenous peoples - no more no less. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;Congress has created and continues to fund programs to address the Native Hawaiian needs in the areas of health, education, welfare and housing, but has failed to uphold the final and most important piece of the trust relationship with Native Hawaiians, a guaranteed right to self-governance.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;By approving this amendment today, the members of this Committee took a stand for justice and a step towards equity.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) said&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Federal recognition for Native Hawaiians is long overdue and I will continue the fight started by my longtime partner and friend, Senator Akaka. Whether it be during this Congress or the next, I will not rest until the sovereign rights of Native Hawaiians are recognized and Senator Akaka&apos;s legacy is fulfilled.&quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;###&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;The committee also approved S. 1345, the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation Grand Coulee Dam Equitable Compensation Settlement Act, and S. 1684, the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2011.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;S. 1345 would provide compensation to the Spokane Tribe for the generation of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam and would absolve the Secretary of the Interior of any trust responsibility for the investment, supervision, administration, or expenditure of any amounts paid under the Act.&amp;nbsp; S. 1345 was introduced by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington).&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;S. 1684 would streamline the process for approving tribal energy resource agreements and make the approval process for these agreements more predictable for Indian tribes.&amp;nbsp; S. 1684 was introduced by Vice Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) and co-sponsored by Chairman Akaka.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;I applaud my colleagues&apos; efforts to take up the priorities of their tribes and to work to make lives better for tribal people throughout their states and throughout Indian Country,&quot; said Chairman Akaka.&amp;nbsp; &quot;Although we do not have much time left in this Congress, the members of this Committee and I will continue to fight for what is right.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;-END-&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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<item>
<title>Statement on the attack on Ambassador Stevens and Americans in Libya</title>
<link>http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&amp;id=9f7e2a93-70bf-41eb-b81a-3a9ca784a5a3</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
<description>&lt;em&gt;Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka issued the following statement today:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;My deepest condolences go out to the families of the Americans killed in Libya.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I strongly condemn and denounce the attacks targeting U.S. officials that resulted in these tragic deaths.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Thousands of civilian federal employees overseas risk their lives every day in service to this country.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I honor Ambassador Stevens and his colleagues for their bravery and for dedicating their lives to service.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;END&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
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