[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATIONS TO AMY ASPINWALL, GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF THE HAWAII 
                CARPENTERS UNION VOTE 1996 ESSAY CONTEST

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                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 2, 1996

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work 
of Amy Aspinwall of Mililani, HI, and to congratulate her on winning 
the grand prize of the Hawaii Carpenters Union ``Vote '96--Works for 
Us'' essay contest. Amy, a student at Mililani High School, is the 
daughter of unit 7 member Angel Aspinwall. Her essay addressed the 
issue of why voting is important to our union family.
  I was pleased to serve as one of the judges in this contest dedicated 
to promoting the idea of participation in our electoral process. Amy's 
work was one of many fine entries into this contest. Part of her award 
is a trip to Wasington where she will get to see her Federal Government 
at work.
  Congratulations Amy. I am pleased to submit for the Record the 
winning essay by Amy Aspinwall:

              Why Voting Is Important to Our Union Family

       Imagine living in a country where the government had the 
     right to do whatever it wanted. You would have no say in the 
     election of government officials and your voice would never 
     be heard by them. If this sounds unthinkable to you, then you 
     might be surprised to know that there are thousands of people 
     in Hawai'i who subject themselves to this sort of treatment 
     year after year. The government is not at fault, though. 
     These people bring this on themselves, simply by not voting.
       As a member of a union family which is fortunate enough to 
     live in a democratic society, I realize that voting is very 
     important. In each election, the union carefully examines 
     each candidate's motives and intentions. Through this 
     process, they recommend the candidates they believe will best 
     serve the interests of the union and its members. With a 
     carpenters' union as strong as ours, if all the members voted 
     for these candidates, he or she would surely be elected.
       Having union-endorsed candidates in office would yield many 
     benefits. The officials would support legislation for 
     responsible growth and support the union movement, thereby 
     creating jobs for union members. They could also work with 
     other officials to support the carpenters' union in their 
     area.
       With our voice being heard in the government and enough 
     work for everybody, the nation's economy would be vastly 
     improved because people earning money means people spending 
     money. Also, if union members understood the link between 
     voting and jobs, they would show more interest in government 
     matters and more support for the Carpenters' Union. Perhaps 
     even some non-union contractors would join us.
       I believe that the right to vote should be taken seriously 
     by all who possess it, especially Carpenters' Union members. 
     If everybody did this, we would be able to elect the 
     candidates who would best serve us, have our voice heard in 
     the government, and improve the quality of life for everyone. 
     If not, we would be giving the government the right to do 
     exactly as it pleased, and we would only have ourselves to 
     blame.

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