This is a time of deep disappointment for Native Hawaiians and thousands across the nation who stepped forward to join Native Hawaiians in our quest for reconciliation and justice.

On June 8, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, we suffered a setback when the Akaka bill failed to move forward.

Since then, an outpouring of support from kama'aina and malihini, native and non-native Hawaiians steels our resolve, elevates our hope and renews our focus to stay the course.

We, joined with allies of honor and compassion, pursue a fair and just solution for the aboriginal, indigenous people of Hawai'i and for the future of Hawai'i.

In the final analysis, the failure to secure 60 votes for cloture on the "motion to proceed" to a full and free debate should not be mischaracterized as a Senate vote against the merits of the Akaka bill. We witnessed the abusive use of Senate rules to block full debate on the bill itself.

Senate rules allow any one senator to apply a "hold" on any bill, which stonewalls the "unanimous consent" to initiate full and free discussion, and in that circumstance, Senate rules require 60 votes to override the "hold." A "hold" on S.147 was applied, thus requiring 60 votes to proceed forward. Ultimately, 51 votes would have passed the bill.

Senate opponents knew that total of combined Democrat, Independent and Republican votes surpassed 51 and S.147 would pass; therefore, it needed to be stopped at cloture.

Senate Republican leaders, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, knew 60 votes for cloture existed, and on June 6 started applying political pressure on Republican colleagues who had expressed intent to support cloture. Despite the arm-twisting, 13 Republican senators courageously joined the Democrats and the Independent casting their votes for cloture to advance the democratic process for full and free debate to proceed.

However, the necessary 60 votes for open debate on the merits of the bill fell short, 56 to 41. At the end of the day, this temporary setback will be just that — "temporary" — and a mere setback. We are resilient and will not stand still. Queen Lili'uokalani's mana'o gives us counsel: "The world can not stand still. We must either advance or recede. Let us advance together.

"Hold thy breath! Walk abreast shoulder to shoulder."

We will advance. The compelling reasons that have brought thousands of us, native and non-native, to this place in time in support of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act remain unchanged. Our mission and priorities remain the same: