July 28, 2009

On July 27, 2009, The House unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by Neil and co-sponsored by 56 House members to recognize and to celebrate Hawaii's Statehood 50 years ago.

Below, you will find the text of the resolution which is from the Library of Congress's online service, Thomas. This is followed by Neil's floor statement about the resolution prior to the House vote.

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H. Res. 593

Whereas August 21, 2009, marks the 50th Anniversary of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's signing of Proclamation 3309, which admitted Hawaii into the Union in compliance with the Hawaii Admission Act, enacted by the United States Congress on March 18, 1959;

Whereas Hawaii is `a place like no other, with a people like no other' and bridges the mainland United States to the Asia-Pacific region;

Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961;

Whereas Hawaii has contributed to the diversity of Congress in electing--

(1) the first Native Hawaiian to serve in Congress, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana`ole;

(2) the first Asian-American to serve in the Senate, Hiram Fong;

(3) the first woman of color to serve in Congress, Patsy T. Mink;

(4) the first Native Hawaiian to serve in the Senate, Daniel Kahikina Akaka; and

(5) the first Japanese-American to serve in the Senate, Daniel Ken Inouye;

Whereas Hawaii is an example to the rest of the world of unity and positive race relations;

Whereas Pearl Harbor is a strategic military base for the U.S. in the Pacific and also a historical site for the Nation, being the location of the December 7, 1941, surprise Japanese aerial attack that thrust the Nation into World War II;

Whereas Hawaii is home to 1/4 of the endangered species in the United States;

Whereas Hawaii has 8 national parks, which preserve volcanoes, complex ecosystems, a Hansen's disease colony, and other sites of historical and cultural significance;

Whereas Kilauea ranks among the most active volcanoes on Earth;

Whereas President Bush nominated the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Centre for consideration to the World Heritage List;

Whereas Hawaii has produced musical legends ranging from traditional favorites such as Alfred Apaka, Don Ho, and Genoa Keawe, to Hawaii renaissance performers such as Eddie Kamae, Raymond Kane, Gabby Pahinui, Israel Kamakawiwo`ole, the Brothers Cazimero, and the Beamer Brothers, and continuing on to contemporary stars such as Keali`i Reichel, Ledward Kaapana, Jake Shimabukuro, and Raiatea Helm;

Whereas Hawaii is culturally rich, as the Hawaiian culture has been protected through Hawaiian language immersion schools, hula competitions such as the Merrie Monarch Festival, canoeing voyages undertaken by vessels like the Hokule`a, and the continuing historic preservation of Hawaiian traditions;

Whereas the Hawaii Statehood Commission has held a Joint Session of the Hawaii State Legislature in honor of statehood and will be celebrating this milestone with a public discussion and with the arrival of the USS Hawaii ; and

Whereas for all of these reasons Hawaii is a truly unique State: Now, therefore, be it

Attest:

Clerk.

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Statements from the Congressional Record:

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 5 minutes to my good friend and proud native of Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie).

   Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, mahalo nui. Thank you very much.

   I thank Representative Clay very much for his gracious introduction to this resolution.

   Madam Speaker, I am filled with great emotion today. There are a lot of dates being celebrated. Representative Clay's birthday is today, and, of course, we want to wish him a very happy birthday.

   I introduced this resolution on my birthday, June 26. It was about that time 50 years ago that I understood that I would be able to go to Hawaii. Just before that I had been informed that I had received a teaching assistantship at the University of Hawaii and that I would be soon on my way at the end of the summer to begin what became 50 years in Hawaii. So I have that same anniversary.

   The statehood, of course, came August 21, and the first week in September, Neil Abercrombie arrived in Honolulu and knew almost immediately that I would never leave if given the opportunity to stay.

   It is also going to be the birthday, of course, in a week or so, of President Obama, born in Kapiolani Hospital, just down the road from where I lived.

   As I said, it is great emotion for me, a great time of nostalgia. I arrived in Hawaii at the same time as President Obama's father. We met those first days in our matriculation at the University of Hawaii. Of course, I could not possibly conceive at that time that the young man who was to be born out of the union of Ann Dunham and Barak, Sr., would become President of the United States. So there is a great confluence of history taking place over the next month or so with the entry of the 50th State, the last State of the Union.

   As Mr. Clay indicated, there are also some very, very interesting firsts, if you will. We were maybe the last State to come into the Union, but we had some very, very interesting firsts, and I want to congratulate Representative Bachmann on her superb pronunciation of Prince Kuhio's last name, Kalanianaole. You said it perfectly. Thank you very much indeed.

   I know you must have struggled with that, because I remember my first day in the classroom, the first Saturday, 8 o'clock in the morning, teaching the lab course in sociology, determined to say the Hawaiian names right, and I remember the first one was Samson Poomahealani, a center on the football team. He became my good friend, and we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our friendship just the past month when we got together. Samson went on to do great things with the labor movement in this country.

   It is that kind of occasion. You can see it on my face, you can hear it in my voice. This is a time of great joy for us.

   Yes, the first Asian American Senator, Republican Senator Hiram Fong, lived almost a century. He was the first Asian American, Chinese American, Senator. And, of course, Patsy Mink, our beloved Patsy Mink, whom we miss every day. And Danny Akaka, perhaps the best-loved person in the Congress, of whom never a bad word has been said. Don't we all wish the same could be said of us? And, of course, the Congressional Medal of Honor winner, the third longest-serving Senator in the United States, Daniel K. Inouye, serves now as the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, the first Japanese American to serve in the Senate.

   There are some other dates I think of interest to all of us; 1778, James Cook comes to Waimea Bay near Kauai. Then in 1795, Kamehameha I, whose statue is very prominent in the Visitors Center right now, establishing the Hawaiian monarchy.

   On February 24, 1954, Mr. Speaker, a 250-pound petition containing 120,000 signatures in favor of statehood was delivered to the Congress, and then in March of 1959, this House of Representatives passed the Hawaii statehood bill, 323-89. I am sure the 89 all had a chance to visit and regretted their votes against it. Of course, then President Eisenhower signed the proclamation, making us the 50th State on August 24.

   So, Mr. Speaker, I can say from the bottom of my heart that Hawaii has given everything to me. I never conceived, as I indicated earlier, that I would ever have a chance to represent Hawaii in Congress. It is more than an honor and a privilege to do so.

   The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman's time has expired.

   Mr. CLAY. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

   Mr. ABERCROMBIE. So I now ask all then to join with us in this joyous occasion where we have the opportunity to celebrate friendships and relationships of decades' standing to celebrate the transition of Hawaii from the time of a pre-feudal kingdom, a kingdom, a shotgun republic, a territory, and now a State of the Union, the last State of the Union to this time.

   We are filled with a great sense of gratitude for that which has been given to us over these past 50 years, and, of course, pledge at this time that even though we were last to join the Union, we are first among those who appreciate, understand and take great pride in being a State of the United States of America.

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