An Hawaiian activist has welcomed the stalling of the Native Hawaiian bill.
US senator Daniel Akaka is promoting the measure which would give some elements of self rule to native Hawaiians.
He was hoping to get the bill debated in the US senate this week, but six senators have forced a delay.
Puuhonua Bumpy Kanahele from the organisation Nation of Hawaii, says controversy over the bill has created more awareness.
He says most native Hawaiians want full sovereignty.
Mr Kanahele says the bill is detrimental to the future legal status of all native Hawaiians.
"The Akaka bill to a lot of us in the opposition, basically takes away anything that we may want to claim for in the future. That is specifically one of the points the US justice put out, in other words they want a global settlement to pass the Akaka bill. We're saying - forget it."
Puuhonua Bumpy Kanahele
