Making history with Hawaii's students The National History Day competition in Washington, D.C. attracted participants from Hawaii who visited with Neil, who addressed the group, Rep. Mazie Hirono, and Senator Daniel Akaka on June 19th (photo below). The national contest is for students in grades 6-12. The students conduct extensive research related to an annual theme and present their findings in one of four categories: exhibits, documentaries, performances or papers. Students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills while creating their entries. Participants have the opportunity to win national awards of up to $5,000 and university scholarships.
Photo/Sherilyn Tavares, 2009 Patsy T. Mink Fellow
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Hawaii's representative to Children's Congress Neil today met with Devin Retke, Hawaii's representative to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Children's Congress, the largest grassroots event held in support of research for type 1 diabetes, which was held in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, Nick Jonas, Mary Tyler Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard and kids with type 1 diabetes testified today before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on the need for funding for type 1 diabetes research. The hearing was the culmination of the foundation's Children's Congress. More than 150 children and teenagers representing all 50 states participated in the event, which included a visit with President Barack Obama at the White House, a Town Hall panel of athletes and celebrities impacted by diabetes, individual visits for each kid delegate with senators and representatives, and the Senate hearing. Pictured below are Devin, left, and his mother, Lisa Retke, with Neil on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
Photo/Rose Hacking
Preparing Hawaii's workforce for a "green" future Neil's workshop on "green" jobs for Hawaii, below, attracted about 100 representatives from business, education, and government to learn more about ways to use federal economic recovery funds to prepare today's workforce for tomorrow's jobs that will help to transform the way we live and use energy. The workshop was held at Honolulu Community College. The session enabled guests to network with one another and to hear from Neil and experts like Van Jones, President Obama's special advisor on "green" jobs and opportunities. A teleconference link (top row, below right) allowed Van to address the workshop with his presentation on "The Green Economy." (Photos/Terry Visperas, Field Representative & Randy Obata, Press Secretary)
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Inspiring tomorrow's healthcare professionals Neil was a guest speaker, below, at an opening ceremony for the University of Hawaii's Health Careers Opportunity Program aboard the USS Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor on June 21, 2009. It's a summer enrichment program that prepares UH students for careers in the health field. (Photo/Terry Visperas)
National reporters' group quizzes Neil on defense bill Neil was a guest of the Defense Writers Group at a breakfast meeting in Washington, DC. He was quizzed about the House Armed Service Committee’s passage of the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act on June 17. The Defense Writers Group, below, is an unofficial organization of journalists who cover military and defense issues for a number of national publications.
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Meeting with Hawaii's Military Affairs Council Neil and Rep. Mazie Hirono, seated below, hosted the Military Affairs Council (MAC) on their annual visit to Washington on June 11th. The MAC meets regularly with senior military commanders, defense officials and the Congressional delegation on matters affecting Hawaii’s military community.
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Protecting endangered Hawaiian monk seal Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration discuss the agency's programs to protect the monk seal. A recent incident in Hawaii involving a man who apparently killed a monk seal heightened public concern over the plight of the seals. (Photo/Julie Curti, Legislative Correspondent)
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Opening a door of opportunity for Marissa Neil recently named his appointee to the U.S. House Page summer session starting July 5. She's 17-year-old Marissa Kubo of Moanalua High School, below. Read about Marissa and why she's an intriguing selection for the program in Neil's June 9th news release.
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Connecting with old friends and new acquaintances Photo below, left: Victor Bellavia and Naomi Castellano dropped in to visit Neil on Capitol Hill. Victor's brother, Frank, was a staffer in Neil's office. (Photo/Julie Curti)
Photo below, right: "YMCA Youth Governors Conference" delegates Lorin Gill of Hawaii and D’Ante’ Tinson of Kentucky. (Photo/Anthony Ching, Legislative Assistant.)
Photo, bottom: Gerald Ohta of Hawaii represents the American Public Health Association. (Photo/Julie Curti)
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Akaka bill: "There's never been a better time" Neil, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, has been a key force behind the successful passage of the Akaka bill on previous votes in the House. On June 11th, the committee heard the bill for the first time this session.
At the hearing, Neil said: "This legislation will allow Native Hawaiians to establish a government that can truly speak for them and their interests; to join the American family of governments as full partners. We have strong support in the House of Representatives. We have a larger majority in the Senate. We have a President who has already said he would sign it. There has never been a better time to pass the Akaka Bill.”
The Natural Resources Committee's June 11th hearing. (Photo/Dave Helfert)
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Leading the way on new legislation to reunite families Neil has joined with Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) in introducing the Reuniting Families Act. The goal of the legislation is to reduce wait times in the U.S. immigration system that keep legal immigrants and their loved ones overseas separated for years. The measure would also address immigration provisions that prevent family members from obtaining visas. Honda is chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Abercrombie is CAPAC’s Immigration Chair.
Neil speaks to a news conference as the Reuniting Families Act was introduced in the U.S. House this month. (Photo/Dave Helfert, Communication Director)
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Meeting Hawaii's TSA Transportation Security Administration employees from airports in Honolulu and Kona (below) are attending a conference in the nation's capital. They took the opportunity to meet with Neil.
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Aloha Chaminade University! Representatives from Chaminade University, below, visited Neil in his Washington, D.C. office.They included Sharon LePage and Kapono Ryan (unsure of the kid’s name). Their visit included the King Kamehameha Day ceremony in the U.S. Capitol. (Photo/Desiree Borja, Intern)
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National group honors Neil's advocacy Neil was recognized in Washington Wednesday night (6/3/09) by the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) for his continued advocacy in Congress for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Neil and Ron Sims, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), were commended for their efforts at organization's 10th Annual Convention. Neil, below, with Native Hawaiian Economic Alliance VP Billy Ornellas, left, HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims, second from right, and National CAPACD Executive Director Lisa Hasegawa. (Photo/Melvin Tabilas, Legislative Assistant)
