WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs took action today on Senate bill, S. 109, a bill to amend the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act to address the housing needs of Native Hawaiians eligible to reside on the lands set aside under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. S. 109 provides authority for federal housing assistance to low-income families and extends a federal loan guarantee program for private mortgage home loans. By unanimous vote, the Committee favorably reported the bill to the full Senate with a recommendation that the Senate pass the bill.

Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, told the panel that several recent studies have documented that Native Hawaiians have the greatest unmet needs for housing in the United States and the highest percentage of homelessness in the State of Hawaii. The Senator also made clear that funding for federal housing assistance to benefit Native Hawaiians will be appropriated separately from federal housing assistance authorized for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

"While we must still secure passage of this measure in the Senate and the House of Representatives, once enacted into law, S. 109 will enable the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assure that Hawaiian families who are on the waiting list but who may not qualify for conventional mortgages will not be passed over year after year. This bill will finally assure that all eligible Hawaiian families will one day soon be able to move onto the lands that were specifically set aside for them so long ago," said Senator Inouye.