BULLETIN! WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES OPPOSITION TO AKAKA BILL!
The Honolulu Advertiser - Wednesday, June 7, 2006
On the eve of a crucial vote, the U.S. Department of Justice late today issued a letter to Senate leaders stating that the Bush Administration "strongly opposes" passage of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, better known as the Akaka bill.
Assistant Attorney General William E. Moschella cited a report issued last month by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission recommending that senators reject the bill, which initiates a process that would lay the groundwork toward establishing of a federally recognized Native Hawaiian entity....
Moschella's two-paragraph letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
A copy was sent to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who leads the Democratic caucus.
A cloture vote set for tomorrow will determine whether the Akaka bill will finally get a Senate vote after a number of failed attempts over the last six years....
Moschella wrote: "This bill would reverse that great American tradition and divide people by their race."
Some opponents counter that it flies against the concept of equal treatment for all in order to discriminate in favor of Hawaiians.
Other opponents maintain that the bill does not go far enough in addressing wrongs tied to the overthrow....
