To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow the sworn affidavit of a veteran who served in combat during the Korean War or an earlier conflict to be accepted as proof of service-connection of a disease or injury alleged to have been incurred or aggravated by such service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill directing the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating and acquiring lands located along the southern coast of the island of Maui as a National Seashore, National Recreation Area, National Monument, National Preserve, or other unit of the National Park Service.

The study area covered by the proposed South Maui Coastal Preservation Act of 2005 includes lands from and including the 'Ahihi- Kinau Natural Area Reserve to Kanaloa Point, a distance of approximately six miles.

The area is rich in archaeological, cultural, historical, and natural resources. Important sites in the proposed park area contain remnants of dwellings, heiau (places of worship), fishing shrines, platforms, enclosures, shelters, walls, graves, and canoe hale (houses) that date back as early as 1100 A.D. This portion of the southern coast is also the home of unique native plants and animals, some of which are endangered.

The County of Maui passed Resolution 00-136 on October 6, 2000, expressing its support for having this area designated as a National Park. The Hawaii State House and Senate also passed bills in support of having the area managed by the National Park Service.

Both these resolutions were in support of my predecessor, Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink's bill, H.R. 591, introduced in the 107th Congress, to study the feasibility of designating the more limited area from Keone`o `io to Kanaloa Point as a National Park.

An initial reconnaissance survey by the NPS indicated that the resources deserved protection but stated that the more limited area was not appropriate for a National Park because most of the land was owned by the state. However, I believe the expressions of support for NPS control of the area by the County and State offer a firm basis for moving forward. Therefore, I have included a provision in my bill to ensure that the proposed study includes consultation with the State of Hawaii to assess the feasibility of transferring some or all of the State lands in the study area to the federal government.

The State of Hawaii has been unable to effectively manage and protect these important resources due to lack of funds. Further, this pristine coastline lies directly in the path of development and, absent action, too soon will be lost forever.

This is a site of national significance, which deserves the level of protection only the National Park Service can provide. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.