Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/305

 I PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3795 efforts by the United States Minister, a United States naval representative, and armed naval forces of the United States. Because of the participation of United States agents and citizens in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, the Congress, on behalf of the people of the United States, apologized to Native Hawaiians for the overthrow and the deprivation of the rights of Native Hawaiians to self-determination through Public Law 103-150 (107 Stat. 1510). "(6) In 1898, the joint resolution entitled 'A Joint Resolution to provide for annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States', approved July 7, 1898 (30 Stat. 750), ceded absolute title of all lands held by the Republic of Hawai'i, including the government and crown lands of the former Kingdom of Hawai'i, to the United States, but mandated that revenue generated from these lands be used 'solely for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands for educational and other public purposes', "(7) By 1919, the Native Hawaiian population had declined from an estimated 1,000,000 in 1778 to an alarming 22,600, and in recognition of this severe decline, the Congress in 1921 enacted the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, which designated approximately 200,000 acres of ceded public lands for homesteading by N ative Hawaiians. "(8) Through the enactment of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, the Congress affirmed the special relationship between the United States and the Native Hawaiians, as expressed by then Secretary of the Interior Franklin K, Lane, who was quoted in the committee report for the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as saying: 'One thing that impressed me... was the fact that the natives of the island who are our wards, I should say, and for whom in a sense we are trustees, are falling off rapidly in numbers and many of them are in poverty..'. "(9) In 1938, the United States Congress again acknowledged the unique status of the Hawaiian people by including in the Act of June 20, 1938 (52 Stat. 781 et seq.), a provision to lease lands within the National Parks extension to Native Hawaiians and to permit fishing in the area 'only by native Hawaiian residents of said area or of adjacent villages and by visitors under their guidance.'. "(10) Under the Act entitled 'An Act to provide for the admission of the State of Hawai'i into the Union' approved March 18, 1959 (73 Stat. 4), the United States transferred responsibility for the administration of the Hawaiian Home Lands to the State of Hawai'i but reaffirmed the trust relationship which existed between the United States and the Hawaiian people by retaining the exclusive power to enforce the trust, including the power to approve land exchanges and legislative amendments affecting the rights of beneficiaries under such Act. "(11) In 1959, under the Act entitled 'An Act to provide for the admission of the State of Hawai'i into the Union', approved March 18, 1959 (73 Stat. 4), the United States ceded to the State of Hawai'i title to the public lands formerly held by the United States, but mandated that such lands be held by the State 'in public trust' and reaffirmed the special relationship which existed between the United States and the Hawaiian

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