[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 80 (Monday, June 17, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H3571-H3573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PU'UHONUA O HONAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ADDITION ACT OF 2002

  Mr. HANSEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1906) to amend the Act that established the Pu'uhonua O 
Honaunau National Historical Park to expand the boundaries of that 
park, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1906

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Pu`uhonua o Honaunau 
     National Historical Park Addition Act of 2002''.

     SEC. 2. ADDITIONS TO PU`UHONUA O HONAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL 
                   PARK.

       The first section of the Act of July 26, 1955 (69 Stat. 
     376, ch. 385; 16 U.S.C. 397), is amended--
       (1) by striking ``That, when'' and inserting the following:
       ``Section 1. (a) When''; and
       (2) by adding at the end thereof the following new 
     subsections:
       ``(b) The boundaries of Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National 
     Historical Park are hereby modified to include approximately 
     238 acres of lands and interests therein within the area 
     identified as `Parcel A' on the map entitled `Pu`uhonua o 
     Honaunau National Historical Park Proposed Boundary 
     Additions, Ki`ilae Village', numbered PUHO-P 415/82,013 and 
     dated May, 2001.
       ``(c) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to 
     acquire approximately 159 acres of lands and interests 
     therein within the area identified as `Parcel B' on the map 
     referenced in subsection (b). Upon the acquisition of such 
     lands or interests therein, the Secretary shall modify the 
     boundaries of Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park 
     to include such lands or interests therein.''.

[[Page H3572]]

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
  Mr. HANSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 1906, introduced by the gentlewoman from Hawaii 
(Mrs. Mink), would amend the act that establishes the Pu'uhonua O 
Honaunau National Historical Park to expand the boundaries of the park 
by up to 397 acres. The expansion would add part of the historical 
village of Ki'ilae, several significant burial caves, and the upper end 
of the prehistorical royal sledding trek, which all should have been 
included in the original park boundary in 1955.
  Madam Speaker, the Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park has 
become a legacy of Hawaiian culture, housing some of the most 
significant artifacts of the island's early village life. In fact, the 
park preserves the site where Hawaiians who broke ``kapu,'' one of the 
ancient laws used to balance and protect the laws of nature, could 
avoid certain death by fleeing to a place of refuge, or Pu'uhonua.
  Madam Speaker, although not part of the legislation, I would 
encourage the National Park Service to perform a reconnaissance study 
of the Kauleoi area, which is adjacent to the lands included in the 
boundary expansion, for its historical archaeological resources.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 1906 is supported by the administration and the 
majority and minority of the Committee on Resources. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1906, as amended.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. KILDEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, H.R. 1906 was introduced by the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and cosponsored by my colleague on 
the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. 
Abercrombie). The bill would amend the act that established the 
Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park in Hawaii to provide for 
the addition of important archaeological lands to the park.
  The park preserves an ancient sacred refuge or sanctuary site and 
includes numerous archaeological and historical resources dating back 
to 1100 A.D. It contains spectacular shore scenery as well. However, 
significant archaeological sites associated with the park remain 
outside the park boundary.
  H.R. 1906, as amended, is identical to S. 1057, which passed the 
Senate last year and has been referred to the Committee on Resources. 
H.R. 1906, as amended, adds 238 acres of land in the park and 
authorizes the future addition of another 159 acres upon acquisition. 
The lands added by H.R. 1906 would provide for the inclusion of an 
ancient coastal village within the park, an addition recommended by a 
1992 boundary study.
  Madam Speaker, the language of H.R. 1906, as amended, is supported by 
the administration and members of the Hawaiian delegation. I also 
support the amended bill and urge its adoption by the House today.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink).
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for yielding me this time. I really appreciate 
this opportunity to ask this House to pass H.R. 1906, which authorizes 
the expansion of Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park. It is 
an enormously important national treasure which is located in South 
Kona. I want to especially take this opportunity to thank the gentleman 
from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for 
reporting this bill up today on suspension and certainly the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin 
Islands (Mrs. Christensen), the subcommittee chairman and the ranking 
member, for the committee hearing and for reporting this bill out to 
the full committee. The support of the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. 
Abercrombie), who is a member of the Committee on Resources, also has 
made this event possible today.
  The citizens of the Big Island, and really the whole State, are 
enormously grateful to the Committee on Resources and their leadership 
for reporting out this bill. They have been lobbying for years to have 
this done and the park boundaries extended, because so many of the 
valuable attributes of the park are located currently outside the park 
boundaries.
  The Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, formerly known as 
the City of Refuge National Historical Park, was authorized on July 26, 
1955. It formally was established in 1961. It is a very, very valuable 
natural, national and native Hawaiian resource. The park had a 
tradition where the kings and the monarchs of the Republic would allow 
citizens who had broken a law, a kapu, to escape to this city of 
refuge; and if they succeeded in arriving there, no harm could come to 
them until such time as they were released. That is the name, Pu'uhonua 
O Honaunau, City of Refuge.
  There are enormous values that will be added to this park by the 
passage of this bill. The proposed addition of 397 acres, which 
includes the Ki'ilae Ahupua'a which is a land designation of the 
mountain to the sea, contains many, many important cultural and 
historic resources. It has some 800 cultural sites; some 25 caves; a 
minimum of 10 heiaus, which are the native worshipping temples; 25 or 
more closures which are part of this concept of their religious 
worships; and over 40 burial sites, including many trails. This 
addition is going to add some very, very important aspects to an 
already well-visited park.
  The bill, H.R. 1906, has been revised from the original version, 
which I offered, which would have added some 800 acres. The bill 
actually parallels identically the bill which was passed by the Senate 
offered by my colleague in the Senate, Senator Akaka. Hopefully if this 
bill passes today and is transferred over to the Senate, it will be 
very quickly adopted and passed on to the White House for signature.
  I am very grateful to hear the words of Chairman Hansen, who is 
asking the National Park Service to do a reconnaissance study of the 
remaining 400 acres which are part of the bill which I introduced which 
I believe are essential additions to the park. This may take a while 
for the reconnaissance study to be completed, but I am confident that 
once it is done that the Park Service will recommend this addition as 
well to this historic park.
  I thank the committee again for taking up this bill. It is enormously 
important. Our county officials have passed resolutions in support of 
the addition to Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, and today's action will really 
come as a great tribute and celebration for the people of Hawaii, 
particularly the native population that lived in this area since the 
12th century.
  Mr. HANSEN. Madam Speaker, I compliment the gentlewoman from Hawaii. 
I think her legislation is very meritorious and should be passed.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 
1906, which will authorize the expansion of one of the most beautiful 
and historically important parks in Hawaii.
  The site was a place of refugee for the early Hawaiians up into the 
19th century. As a national historical park, it is still an important 
refuge for people today. Several areas neighboring the park have been 
found to be rich with archaeological artifacts and remains of the 
Hawaiian culture. The Trust for Public Land has done its part by 
acquiring and protecting these neighboring lands, but now it is time to 
make these historical treasures a part of our National Parks System. 
This will help the National Park continue to be a place where people 
can get away and learn more about the history and culture of Hawaii.
  Hawaii is well known for its fabulous hotels and prestigious resorts, 
but I am pleased to see that the Gentlelady from Hawaii continues to 
fight for Hawaii's national parks too--places that are accessible to 
all Hawaiians and visitors from the continent as well. I support that 
endeavor, and H.R. 1906.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
H.R. 1906.
  The Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park was authorized by 
Congress nearly

[[Page H3573]]

50 years ago to preserve a truly unique relic of Hawaiian history and 
culture. Up until the early 19th century, Hawaiians who broke the 
ancient code of law could avoid an otherwise certain death by fleeting 
to this place of refuge, or pu'uhonua, for absolution and clemency. 
Defeated warriors and non-combatants could also seek refuge here during 
times of battle. It is this function that gave this park its name, City 
of Refuge, which was later changed to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau.
  In addition to the refuge, which is enclosed by a great wall, the 
surrounding land also housed several generations of powerful Hawaiian 
chiefs, adding to the area's great historical value. The pu'uhonua and 
royal grounds are still considered sacred by native Hawaiians and the 
sites draw a half million visitors each year who come in search of the 
vast cultural, spiritual, educational, and recreational opportunities 
the park has to offer. Visitors can attend cultural demonstrations of 
traditional Hawaiian arts and crafts, hike along the historic 1871 
Trail to several archaeological sites, observe wildlife such as the 
endangered green sea turtles in Keone Ele cove, or snorkel in the clear 
waters of Honaunau Bay.
  When the National Historic Park was established in 1955, nearly two-
thirds of the ancient village of Ki'ilae remained undiscovered and 
outside of the park in a single private ownership. Recently, the 
approximately 238-acre Honaunau tract, which contains the balance of 
the Ki'ilae Village site and a human habitation record stretching back 
nearly a thousand years, became available for acquisition. This 
property is extremely rich in pre-history, and provides important clues 
about ancient Hawaiian life. Agricultural structures, stone piles, and 
walls are interspersed among recreational sites and the burial sites of 
the villagers. Acquisition of this area is crucial to protect 
extraordinary early Hawaiian cultural sites and expand the public 
understanding and interpretation of cultural traditions and Hawaiian 
subsistence patterns. This public acquisition will safeguard this 
important glimpse into early Hawaiian village life and social dynamics.
  It is important to note that the acquisition and expansion of 
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau is overwhelmingly supported by the National Park 
Service, the County of Hawaii, and the local community. In addition, an 
identical version of H.R. 1906 has already passed the Senate in the 
form of S. 1057. All that remains is the passage of H.R. 1906 in the 
House of Representatives.
  I urge my colleagues to protect these ancient Hawaiian cultural sites 
and support this legislation.
  Mr. HANSEN. Madam Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1906, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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