[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 117 (Wednesday, September 27, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H8282-H8283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 H. RES. 587, EXPRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE U.S. RELATIONSHIP WITH 
                         THE PEOPLE OF OKINAWA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ney). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support 
H.R. 587, which expresses the appreciation of the United States to the 
people of Okinawa for hosting U.S. defense facilities, commends the 
Government of Japan for choosing Okinawa as the site of the recent 
summit meeting of the G-8 countries, and urges the President to work 
with the leaders of Japan to implement a joint U.S.-Japan education 
initiative.
  In his speech at Peace Park in Okinawa, Japan, on July 21, 2000, 
President Clinton noted that he was the first American president to 
visit Okinawa in 40 years. He also acknowledged the vital role that 
Okinawa plays in hosting more than 50 percent of America's forces in 
Japan on just 1 percent of its land mass.
  We know the tremendous impact that the presence of American troops 
has had on Okinawa's society and economy. Some 24,000 troops are 
headquartered there and military

[[Page H8283]]

bases and facilities use 11 percent of land in the prefecture.
  In his speech, President Clinton acknowledged the United States' 
responsibility to be a good neighbor and to work to bring the benefits 
of peace and prosperity to Okinawa, which is one of Japan's poorest 
prefectures. President Clinton announced plans for a new scholarship 
program by the United States and Japan to send young Okinawan graduate 
students to the East-West Center in Hawaii.
  The East-West Center is an internationally respected research and 
educational institution based in Hawaii. Established in 1960 through a 
bipartisan effort of the Eisenhower Administration and the Congress, 
the Center has worked to promote better relations and understanding 
between the United States and the nations and peoples of Asia and the 
Pacific through cooperative study, training, and research. It is an 
important forum for the development of policies to promote stability 
and economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region.
  Before the 1972 reversion of Okinawa from American control to Japan, 
Okinawans made up the largest percentage of students from any of the 34 
countries at the East-West Center. Since 1972, Okinawa's status as only 
one of Japan's 47 prefectures meant that far fewer were selected for 
these prestigious scholarships. Last year, the Center had only one 
Okinawan participant. Despite this fact, the Center's most active 
alumni chapter is in Okinawa, primarily made up of graduates from 
programs in the 1960s and early 1970s. This new scholarship program 
will add a strong and symbolic non-military dimension to a U.S. 
relationship with Okinawa that is now dominated by the military bases.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in sponsoring this resolution, which 
recognizes the importance of our connection to and friendship with the 
people of Okinawa.


              congratulating leonard ``bully'' kapahulehua

  I also wish to acknowledge the contributions of a remarkable man, 
Leonard ``Bully'' Kapahulehua of Kihei on the island of Maui. Bully 
Kapahulehua received the Excellence in Promoting Diversity in Coastal 
or Ocean Resource Management Award in the 1999 Walter B. Jones Memorial 
and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Excellence 
Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management. The award recognizes 
Mr. Kapahulehua's extraordinary commitment to integrating cultural or 
ethnic diversity into coastal or ocean resource management programs.
  Bully Kapahulehua is the first person from the state of Hawaii to 
receive this national recognition. I am inserting the nomination 
summary that led to Mr. Kapahulehua's selection for this award because 
it eloquently describes why he is so deserving of this great honor.

       He kane kupaianaha (an exceptional man)!
       How does one begin to describe the difference that this man 
     has made in the lives of thousands of Maui's youth? Bully 
     Kapahulehua has devoted countless hours teaching, playing and 
     working with the children of Maui to instill in them a sense 
     of stewardship for the natural coastal resources of Hawai`i. 
     He has the uncanny ability to transfer the ways and values of 
     ka wa kahiko (time of old) to the children of today.
       Bully has been able to increase public awareness of coastal 
     issues by integrating them with hands-on projects. He not 
     only teaches about the importance of canoeing to the Hawaiian 
     culture but also enlists Hawai`i's youth to help prepare a 
     canoe for a journey to Lana`i. He is also responsible for 
     helping to create and organize the annual ``Celebration of 
     Canoes'' festival. This annual festival draws thousands of 
     residents and tourists to Lahaina for a week long celebration 
     featuring South Pacific nations (Hawai`i, Tahiti, New 
     Zealand, etc.). Canoe carving, haka ceremonies, food booths, 
     an evening parade down Front Street, followed by an evening 
     filled with the mele (music) of local musicians highlight the 
     ancient art of canoe carving and navigation.
       Mr. Kapahulehua has used innovative approaches such as 
     creating youth programs (Ku l Ka Mana and Kamali`i programs) 
     that provide an opportunity for children to not only learn a 
     new sport, canoe paddling, but also stresses important values 
     such as caring for the ocean and the land. He then channels 
     their youthful energy into worthwhile projects such as beach 
     clean-ups at Kamehameha `Iki Park in Lahaina and pulling 
     weeds and planting native Hawaiian coastal plants (naupaka 
     and poehuehue) at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, Mai 
     Poina `Oe la `u Beach Park and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback 
     Whale National Marine Sanctuary. The children learn Hawaiian 
     values, work hard and make a difference in Kihei's coastal 
     zone.
       In addition, Bully has taken his knowledge about ocean 
     processes and native plants and, with the help of countless 
     volunteers, has applied for and secured grants to fund 
     projects like Kokua Kealia that grows and plants native 
     plants. He has also been instrumental in erecting and 
     maintaining a sand fence along North Kihei Road. The sand 
     fence effectively serves three purposes: helps restore the 
     sand dunes, prevents the endangered Hawksbill turtles from 
     crossing onto the road and prevents 4-wheel drive trucks from 
     driving on the sand dunes.
       He is a kumu (teacher) who teaches by doing. He is a kumu 
     of celestial navigation, canoe paddling, coral reef ecology 
     (how coral reefs interact with sand dunes), coastal processes 
     and cultural awareness. He is uniquely qualified to blend 
     Hawaiian values about caring for the land and the ocean into 
     educational programs for Maui's youth that actually help 
     preserve Maui's coastal zone.
       He kane kupaianaha (an exceptional man)!

  I join all the people of our nation and Hawaii in honoring Bully 
Kapahulehua for his remarkable achievements. In his love of the land 
and his commitment to Hawaii's youth, Bully embodies the true spirit of 
aloha.

                          ____________________