[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H1702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING HELENE H. HALE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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 rise today to honor Helene H. 
Hale, a distinguished citizen of Hawai'i, whose extraordinary example 
of public service truly sets her apart.
  I reprint here a copy of a Proclamation issued by County of Hawai'i 
Mayor Harry Kim on April 10, 2001, honoring Helene's many contributions 
to Hawai'i and recognizing a truly unique and remarkable woman.

                     County of Hawai'i Proclamation

       WHEREAS, Helene H. Hale has served the people of Hawai'i in 
     various elective capacities for almost 50 years, and in at 
     least one office in each of the past six decades: in the 50's 
     and 60's as a County Supervisor, in the 60's as Chairman or 
     Mayor of Hawai'i County, in 1978 as a delegate to the State's 
     Third Constitutional Convention, and in the 80's and 90's on 
     the County Council; and
       WHEREAS, at the age of 82 years young, in the year 2000, 
     she was elected to the State House of Representatives on the 
     slogan ``Recycle Helene Hale,'' becoming the oldest freshman 
     ever elected to the State House, and she has taken State 
     government by storm; and
       WHEREAS, far from being a career politician, she has 
     combined government service with other vocations, including 
     wife, mother, college lecturer, bookstore manager, coffee 
     grower, realtor, U.N. supporter, and founder of the Merrie 
     Monarch Festival, and she has brought to each of these the 
     same intelligence, wit, energy, and dedication which have 
     marked her service in government; and
       WHEREAS, Helene Hale has claimed many ``First,'' including 
     first female government official in Hawai'i since Queen 
     Liliuokalani, first African American elected official in 
     Hawai'i, first resident of Hawai'i on the cover of Ebony, 
     first female chief executive of a county in Hawai'i, and the 
     first octogenarian in Hawai'i to campaign for public office 
     in a bathing suit, and
       WHEREAS, Jeremy Harris, Mayor of the City and County of 
     Honolulu, proclaimed March 23, 2001, as ``Helene H. Hale 
     Day'' in the City and County of Honolulu; and
       WHEREAS, Helene Hale is a resident of the County of 
     Hawai'i, and her political career has been here, not in 
     Honolulu, and we cannot allow Honolulu to steal credit for 
     our Helene.
       NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY KIM, Mayor of the County of 
     Hawai'i, do hereby proclaim (belatedly) March 23-29, 2001, as 
     HELENE H. HALE WEEK in the County of Hawai'i, and extend 
     belated best wishes for a Happy Birthday and many more in the 
     future.
       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused 
     The Seal of the County of Hawai'i to be affixed. Done this 
     10th Day of April, 2001, in Hilo Hawai'i.

                          ____________________