[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3768-H3769]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  WELCOMING THE HONORABLE CHARLES DJOU TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. 
Hirono) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I would like to introduce to you and our 
colleagues today Congressman Charles Djou, the newest member of 
Hawaii's large delegation.
  Born in Los Angeles, Congressman Djou's family moved to Hawaii when 
he was three. He is a graduate of Punahou School in Honolulu, the 
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of 
Southern California Law School. By the way, he attended the same school 
as our President.
  Congressman Djou most recently served as one of nine members of the 
Honolulu City Council, where he represented District 4, the area 
extending from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai. He served as the chairman of the 
Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee, vice chair of the 
Planning Committee, and as a member of the Transportation and Public 
Safety and Services Committee. He was first elected to his seat in 2002 
and reelected in 2006. He previously served one term in the Hawaii 
House of Representatives, from 2000 to 2002, and was the minority floor 
leader.
  Hawaii is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse States in 
our country, and that diverse heritage is exemplified in Congress 
Djou's unique French variation on a Chinese surname, which goes back to 
his grandfather in Shanghai. I will let Congressman Djou tell you that 
story himself.
  Now I extend a warm, warm aloha to Congressman Djou, his wife, Stacey 
Kawasaki Djou, and their three children. I know that they and all the 
members of your family are very proud today, Charles, as you become a 
Member of the people's House.
  I look forward to working with you, Charles, to ensure that the needs 
of the people of Hawaii are met and that their voices are represented 
in the people's House.
  Congratulations.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. BOEHNER. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. HIRONO. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. On behalf of the House Republican Conference, let me 
welcome Congressman Charles Djou, his wife, Stacey, and their children, 
family and guests to our Nation's Capitol.
  Charles understands what it means to pursue the American Dream 
because he's lived it. Charles' mother was from Bangkok, Thailand, his 
father, from China, raised in Hong Kong. And during the Communist 
Revolution of China in 1948, his grandfather fled from Shanghai to Hong 
Kong which, at the time, was under British control.
  So Charles is the son of immigrants and a devoted young husband and 
father with three beautiful children. He serves as an officer in the 
U.S. Army Reserve, which gives him a deep appreciation for the 
sacrifices made by the many men and women of our military he will now 
represent in this body.
  He served his community, as you've heard, as a former member of the 
city council in Honolulu, and a former minority leader in the Hawaii 
State

[[Page H3769]]

House. And as most of you know, this son of immigrants is about to 
begin a new chapter of his life representing the people of Hawaii.
  Charles, on behalf of our conference and all of the Members of the 
U.S. House of Representatives, we welcome you to our Nation's Capitol, 
and look forward to your service on behalf of the people of the First 
District of Hawaii.
  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from Hawaii is 
recognized.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DJOU. Madam Speaker, Leader Boehner, my colleague Congresswoman 
Hirono, Members of the House of Representatives, aloha.
  Today, I am extraordinarily humbled to have the incredible honor of 
entering the United States House of Representatives. And I understand 
with this incredible honor comes incredible responsibility, and I feel 
privileged to call myself a colleague of all of yours.
  The reason I am here today, however, is not because of anything that 
I have done but, instead, thanks must go to a whole bunch of 
individuals who put an enormous effort to helping me become a Member.
  First and foremost, I want to thank my family, my parents, who raised 
me, my wonderful children, Nicholas, Victoria and Alexandria. They are 
the reason I get up every morning and consider myself so blessed to 
have so much and driven to do so much more. And most of all, my wife, 
Stacey, who is my confidante, my best friend, my most trusted adviser 
and the reason I go on every day and the reason I am so successful.
  Second, of course, I want to thank all of my hardworking volunteers. 
It is only because of their enormous amount of hard work, standing with 
me in the hot sun, doing the unique Hawaiian practice of sign waving, 
coupled with going door to door with me and phone-banking, that I was 
able to communicate my message to the voters of Hawaii.
  Third, I want to thank the voters from Hawaii for bestowing upon me 
this incredible privilege. I want all of the voters to know that every 
single day I have the privilege of serving them I will never, ever 
forget the trust and confidence they have vested in me.
  And, finally, I want to thank the American people. It is a testimony 
to the greatness of the United States of America that I, a son of 
immigrants from China and Thailand, have the privilege of calling 
myself a Member of the United States Congress.
  It is a testimony to the greatness of our Nation that, had I been 
born in the home nation of either one of my parents, the idea of 
calling myself the maker of laws in my parents' home nation would be 
laughable. But it is because of the good fortune that I was born and 
today call myself an American that I have this amazing privilege.
  I am eager to start work, eager to work with all of you. I look 
forward to beginning the hard work of doing good, bringing change and 
restoring our Nation to prosperity. Thank you all very much.
  And as we say in Hawaii, mahalo aloha, best wishes.

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