"The U.S. Senate is scheduled to begin debate as early as tomorrow on the misleadingly named Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005 (S.147). The proponents of this bill, some motivated by seemingly benign purposes and others by a desire to benefit from special preferences, argue that it redresses ancient wrongs done to early Hawaiians by various powers, including the United States.

The bill purports to authorize the creation of an exclusively race-based government of �native� Hawaiians to exercise sovereignty over native Hawaiians living anywhere in the United States. This �Native Hawaiian Government� could allegedly exempt these Hawaiians from whatever aspects of the U.S. Constitution and state authority it thought undesirable. Not only is this a terrible idea; it is also unconstitutional."

Get the Story:
Edwin Meese III and Todd Gaziano: Racist Bill Would Segregate Hawaii (Human Events 6/6)

Civil Rights Commission Report:
The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005 (May 2006)

Civil Rights Commission Transcript:
January 20, 2006 Meeting

Native Hawaiian Recognition Bill:
Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005 (S.147)

Rice v. Cayetano Resources:
Abstract, Audio and More

Rice v. Cayetano Election Rights Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion | Concurrence Dissent (Stevens) | Dissent (Ginsburg)

Senate Republican Policy Paper:
Why Congress Must Reject Race-Based Government for Native Hawaiians (June 2005)

Relevant Links:
US Commission on Civil Rights - http://www.usccr.gov
Native Hawaiian Sovereignty Site - http://www.hawaii-nation.org
Native Hawaiian Federal Recognition Site - http://www.nativehawaiians.com

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