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Expressing support for the designation of February 2025 as "Hawaiian Language Month" or "'Ōlelo Hawai'i Month".
Expressing support for the designation of February 2025 as ``Hawaiian Language Month'' or ```Olelo Hawai`i' Month''.
Summary
This resolution expresses the House's support for designating February 2025 as "Hawaiian Language Month" to celebrate the Hawaiian language ('Ōlelo Hawai'i), the Native language of Native Hawaiians. The resolution notes that Hawaiian was nearly extinct by the 1980s due to a 1896 law banning its instruction in schools, but has been revitalized since the 1960s through immersion programs and university language initiatives. The resolution acknowledges Hawaii's recognition of Hawaiian as an official state language in 1978, the removal of the teaching ban in 1986, and Federal support through the Native American Languages Act of 1990 and the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022. The House commits to preserving and promoting Hawaiian language use and urges the American people to celebrate Hawaiian Language Month with appropriate activities and programs.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
5 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Jill N. Tokuda’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Jill N. Tokuda → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Feb 13, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. · house
- Feb 13, 2025 Submitted in House
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2025
Ms. Tokuda (for herself, Mr. Case, Mrs. Radewagen, and Mr. Grijalva) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of February 2025 as “Hawaiian Language Month” or “‘Olelo Hawai‘i’ Month”.
Whereas the Hawaiian language, or ‘Olelo Hawai‘i—
(1) is the Native language of Native Hawaiians, the aboriginal, Indigenous people who—
G (A) settled the Hawaiian archipelago as early as 300 A.D., over which they exercised sovereignty; and
G (B) over time, founded the Kingdom of Hawai‘i; and
(2) was once widely spoken by Native Hawaiians and non-Native Hawaiians throughout the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, which held one of the highest literacy rates in the world prior to the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in 1893 and the establishment of the Republic of Hawai‘i;
Whereas the Republic of Hawai‘i enacted a law in 1896 effectively banning school instruction in ‘Olelo Hawai‘i, which led to the near extinction of the language by the 1980s when fewer than 50 fluent speakers under 18 years old remained; Whereas, since the 1960s, Native Hawaiians have led a grassroots revitalization of their Native language, launching a number of historic initiatives, including—
(1) ‘Aha Punana Leo’s Hawaiian language immersion preschools;
(2) the Hawaiian language immersion program of the Hawai‘i State Department of Education; and
(3) the Hawaiian language programs of the University of Hawai‘i system;
Whereas the Hawaiian language revitalization movement inspired systemic Native language policy reform, including—
(1) the State of Hawai‘i recognizing ‘Olelo Hawai‘i as an official language in the Constitution of the State of Hawai‘i in 1978;
(2) the State of Hawai‘i removing the 90-year ban on teaching ‘Olelo Hawai‘i in public and private schools in 1986;
(3) the enactment of the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) in 1990, which established the policy of the United States to preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages; and
(4) the State of Hawai‘i designating the month of February as “‘Olelo Hawai‘i Month” to celebrate and encourage the use of the Hawaiian language; and
Whereas the enactment of the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022 (20 U.S.C. 7457) in 2023—
(1) reconfirmed a Federal commitment to revitalizing Indigenous languages, including the Hawaiian language; and
(2) resulted in the Department of Education awarding the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo a 5-year grant to establish the first National Native American Language Resource Center: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) supports the designation of “Hawaiian Language Month” or “‘Olelo Hawai‘i Month”;
(2) commits to preserving, protecting, and promoting the use, practice, and development of ‘Olelo Hawai‘i in alignment with the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.); and
(3) urges the people of the United States and interested groups to celebrate ‘Olelo Hawai‘i Month with appropriate activities and programs to demonstrate support for ‘Olelo Hawai‘i. <all>
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