In This Section

About the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations

Congress established the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations (ONHR) within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) in 1995 and 2004. [1]

The Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget (ASPMB) is responsible for administering the United States’ responsibilities under the Federal laws governing the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust. 

ONHR discharges the ASPMB’s and Secretary’s responsibilities for matters related to the Native Hawaiian Community (NHC), the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust, and, when appropriate, serves as a conduit for the Department’s field activities in Hawai‘i.

[1] In 1995, Congress directed the Secretary to appoint an individual to administer the responsibilities of the United States under the Hawaiian Home Lands Recovery Act (109 Stat. 357, 363) and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (42 Stat. 108). In 2004, Congress established the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations within the Office of the Secretary of the Interior. (118 Stat. 445).