WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced that the House-Senate conference approved funding for important Hawaii initiatives, including $18 million for Native Hawaiian Education and $3.1 million for Native Hawaiian health programs.

"I am very pleased that the conferees concurred with my request for an increase of 17% in funding for Native Hawaiian Education over the Fiscal Year 1997 funding level. Increased funding must be provided to raise the educational status of Native Hawaiians to the national average," said Senator Inouye.

In 1988, Senator Inouye was instrumental in the passage of the Native Hawaiian Education Act, which sought to raise the educational status of Native Hawaiians through the provision of supplemental programs and services for curriculum development, pre-schools, gifted and talented, special education, and higher education. In 1994, the Act was amended and expanded to include a community-based learning centers component, a curriculum development, teacher training and recruitment component, and the establishment of a Native Hawaiian Education Council and individual Island Councils. Through Senator Inouye's efforts over the last four years, nearly $31.5 million have been provided for these Native Hawaiian education programs, which have served thousands of Native Hawaiian children and their families.

The conference committee also approved $3.1 million for Papa Ola Lokahi and Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems to improve the health status of Native Hawaiians by making primary health care, health promotion, and disease prevention available to Native Hawaiians.

"I am also pleased that the conferees continued to provide funding for many important Native Hawaiian health care programs. The Native Hawaiian population has some of the poorest health indicators of any population group in the State of Hawaii, with the rates of some diseases such as heart disease and diabetes among the highest in our nation," stated Senator Inouye.

In 1988, Senator Inouye introduced and pursued passage of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act, which established Papa Ola Lokahi (POL), an umbrella health service organization, and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems (NHHCS). POL is mandated to address the poor health status of Native Hawaiians through the coordination, training, and provision of technical assistance to the NHHCS and through research, demonstration projects, and other activities. The NHHCS provides direct services to Native Hawaiians in need of different aspects of health care related service. Over the last four years, Senator Inouye has secured $11.835 million in funding for POL and the NHHCS.

At the request of Senator Inouye, $2 million was approved to expand the pilot program which provides training, education, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities to improve the economic and social health and welfare of rural communities on the Neighbor Islands and Alaska. The Senate recommended that community colleges be the focal point of these programs, and develop one program on each neighbor island.

In Fiscal Year 1997, Senator Inouye obtained $200,000 to improve training and employment opportunities for adults and youth on the Island of Lanai. Due to Lanai's isolated location and small population, access to job training programs, education opportunities, and other self-development initiatives on the island are limited. The Congress also recognized that limited access to human development services has contributed to the increase in negative health and social indicators, such as high rates of poverty, unemployment, school dropouts, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and mental illness.

The House-Senate conference also approved $3 million for the American Samoan/Asian Pacific Job Training Program in Hawaii, $2.045 million for the medical care and treatment of persons with Hansen's Disease, and $500,000 for the University of Hawaii Center on the Family to develop policies and programs to strengthen the family.

Aware of the severe dislocation brought on by the closure of McBryde Sugar Company, the conferees recommended that the Kauai Cooperative Extension Service provide agricultural and business training to those dislocated sugar workers.

These initiatives are included in the Fiscal Year 1998 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill which will now go to the full House and Senate for final passage before its transmittal to the White House.