[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 2, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4170-S4171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO STATE OF HAWAII REPRESENTATIVE HELENE HALE

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I wish to honor Hawaii's tireless 
public servant, Helene Hale, who recently celebrated her 83rd birthday 
and is the oldest person ever elected to the State of Hawaii House of 
Representatives.
  I ask that the following proclamation, signed by the Honorable Harry 
Kim, mayor of the county of Hawaii, be printed in the Record.
  The Resolution follows:

       Whereas, Helene H. Hale has served the people of Hawaii in 
     various elective capacities for almost 50 years, and in at 
     least one office in each of the past six decades: in the 50s 
     and 60s as a County Supervisor, in the 60s as Chairman or 
     Mayor of Hawaii County, in 1978 as a delegate to the State's 
     Third Constitutional Convention, and in the 80s and 90s as 
     the County Council; and
       Whereas, at the age of 92 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 governments; and
       Whereas, Helene Hale has claimed many ``Firsts,'' including 
     first female government official in Hawaii since Queen 
     Liliuokalani, first African ``American elected official in 
     Hawaii, first resident of Hawaii on the cover of Ebony, first 
     female chief executive of a county in Hawaii, and the first 
     octogenarian in Hawaii 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 Hawaii, 
     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 
     Hawaii, do hereby proclaim (belatedly) March 23-29, 2001, as 
     Helene H. Hale Week in the County of Hawaii, and extend 
     belated best wishes for a Happy Birthday and many more in the 
     future.

[[Page S4171]]

       ``In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and 
     caused The Seal of the County of Hawaii to be affixed. Done 
     this 10th day of April, 2001, in Hilo, Hawaii.''

                          ____________________