
Thank you very much to all those who submitted testimony in support of HCR117 and HR88, the House versions of our resolution urging the restoration of federal benefits for the COFA community in the U.S. Thanks to your support, the House Committee on Veterans, Military & International Affairs and Culture & the Arts ("VMI") voted to PASS these resolutions, UNAMENDED.
Congratulations!!
To stay alive, HCR117 and HR88 must be heard by the House Judiciary Committee by April 2, 2013. SCR108 and SR74 have already met the April 2 deadline, and the next step for these measures will be crossover into the house where they will be referred to committees.
Mahalo nui to VMI Committee Chair Mark Takai and Vice Chair Ken Ito for hearing these measures -- and to all who testified or showed up in support, including:
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Healthypacific.org
Hepatitis Support Network of Hawaiʻi
COFA CAN
Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission
Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice
Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Kokua Kalihi Valley
Hawaii Disability Rights Center
Unite Here! Local 5
Augustina Takashy
Cinzia Olter
Edwin Herry
Eva Rose B. Washburn-Repollo
Dina Shek
Grace Roby
Wayne Tanaka
Sharde Freitas
Kind K. Kanto
Peter Boone Sana
Professor Karen L. Nero
Alicia Sitan
Amy Sojot
Joakim Jojo Peter
Josie Howard
Samuel John
Gary Novosel
Cecilia Chipen
Christine Lipat
Clark Graham
Dawn Mahi
Mike Mariano
Richard Salvador
This is an amazing amount of support, and we are sure now that our legislators are beginning to really understand what COFA CAN DO!