A resolution designating February 2025 as "Hawaiian Language Month" or "'Ōlelo Hawai'i Month".
- Bill Number
- S.Res. 83
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Native Americans
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-19: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S1042)
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-05T18:26:09Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This Senate resolution aims to recognize and promote the Hawaiian language (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi) by officially designating February 2025 as "Hawaiian Language Month" or "ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Month." It highlights the language's historical and cultural importance to Native Hawaiians and encourages public celebration to support its preservation and use.
Key Provisions
- Background on the Language: The resolution outlines the Hawaiian language's origins as the Native language of indigenous Hawaiians who settled the islands around 300 A.D. and established the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. It notes the language's widespread use before the 1893 overthrow of the kingdom, followed by a 1896 ban on its instruction in schools, which nearly led to its extinction by the 1980s (with fewer than 50 fluent speakers under 18).
- Revitalization Efforts: It recognizes grassroots initiatives since the 1960s, including Hawaiian-language immersion preschools (ʻAha Pūnana Leo), state education programs, and university offerings. It also credits policy reforms like Hawaiʻi's 1978 constitutional recognition of the language as official, the 1986 lifting of the school ban, the 1990 Native American Languages Act (which promotes Native language rights), and Hawaiʻi's designation of February as ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Month.
- Federal Support: It references the 2022 Native American Language Resource Center Act (effective 2023), which reaffirmed U.S. commitment to indigenous languages and funded a grant to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo for the first National Native American Language Resource Center.
- Senate Actions:
- Designates February 2025 as Hawaiian Language Month.
- Commits the Senate to preserving, protecting, and promoting ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, in line with the Native American Languages Act.
- Urges U.S. citizens and groups to hold events and programs during the month to show support for the language.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This is a non-binding Senate resolution, so it does not amend or create new laws. It builds on existing federal policies like the Native American Languages Act without introducing enforceable changes.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Encourages public awareness and participation in language-related activities, potentially boosting cultural education and pride among Native Hawaiians and others interested in indigenous heritage.
- On Government Agencies: Reinforces symbolic support from the federal government (e.g., Senate and Department of Education) for Native language programs, which could indirectly influence funding or priorities for grants like those to the University of Hawaiʻi.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it aligns with broader U.S. efforts to support indigenous rights, which may resonate in discussions on global cultural preservation.
- Overall, the effects are primarily symbolic and educational, fostering voluntary community engagement rather than mandating actions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Native Hawaiians: Primary beneficiaries, as the resolution honors their language and cultural identity.
- Educational Institutions: Includes ʻAha Pūnana Leo (immersion preschools), Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, and University of Hawaiʻi system, which run language programs.
- State of Hawaiʻi: Builds on its existing recognition of the language and annual February celebrations.
- Federal Entities: Such as the Department of Education, which administers related grants.
- General Public and Advocacy Groups: Encouraged to participate in promotional activities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Aligns with the Native American Languages Act, a federal law that protects Native language rights without creating new obligations. As a resolution, it has no legal force but expresses congressional intent.
- Constitutional: Supports First Amendment freedoms related to speech and cultural expression; echoes broader U.S. commitments to indigenous sovereignty and self-determination under treaties and federal policies.
- Political: Demonstrates bipartisan Senate support (introduced by Senators Schatz and Hirono from Hawaiʻi) for Native Hawaiian issues, potentially strengthening advocacy for future funding or legislation on cultural preservation amid ongoing debates on indigenous rights.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-19: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S1042)
- 2025-02-19: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Designating February 2025 as Hawaiian Language Month or ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i Month. — issued 2025-02-19 — PDF (3 pages)