[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5787-H5788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1470) honoring the life, achievements,
and distinguished career of Chief Justice William S. Richardson.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1470
Whereas William S. Richardson was born on December 22,
1919, and spent most of his childhood in Palama and Kaimuki;
Whereas William S. Richardson was born to a working class
family of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Caucasian ancestry;
Whereas William S. Richardson served as a platoon leader in
the United States Army during World War II and was later
inducted into the Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of
Fame;
Whereas William S. Richardson served as Lieutenant Governor
of Hawaii from 1962-1966;
Whereas William S. Richardson led the Hawaii Democratic
Party from 1956-1962;
Whereas William S. Richardson served as the Chief Justice
of the Hawaii Supreme Court from 1966-1982;
Whereas the William S. Richardson School of Law honors his
leadership by opening educational and professional avenues
for the Islands' most disadvantaged groups;
Whereas William S. Richardson upheld traditional Hawaiian
laws and expanded public rights for Native Hawaiians and all
people in Hawaii;
Whereas as William S. Richardson was awarded the Spirit of
Excellence Award from the American Bar Association; and
Whereas, on June 21, 2010, at the age of 90, William S.
Richardson passed away in Honolulu, Hawaii: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors the life, achievements, and distinguished career
of Chief Justice William S. Richardson;
(2) emphasizes that, among his judicial accomplishments,
Chief Justice William S. Richardson changed the face of
higher education in Hawaii by opening avenues for the
Islands' most disadvantaged groups and by building a more
equitable society for the people of Hawaii; and
(3) recognizes the William S. Richardson School of Law, the
educational institution that bears his name, as a significant
part of the legacy of William S. Richardson.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Scott) and the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Djou) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
House Resolution 1470 honors the life, achievements, and
distinguished career of Chief Justice William S. Richardson. Chief
Justice Richardson was a leading proponent of the rights of Native
Americans throughout his 16-year tenure as Hawaii State Supreme Court
Chief Justice.
He was primarily known for drawing on ancestral Hawaiian customs
rather than Western common law in his decisions. He has been credited
with triggering a ``renaissance'' in pride in native identity and the
language and culture of Native Hawaiians.
Born in 1919, William Richardson worked his way through the
University of Hawaii, where he received his undergraduate degree. He
went on to earn a law degree from the University of Cincinnati.
Upon graduating from law school in 1941, he volunteered for the Army
Air Corps, and later served as a platoon leader with the 1st Filipino
Infantry Regiment. After World War II ended, he returned to Hawaii,
where he served in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He was later
inducted into the Infantry Office Candidate School Hall of Fame.
Fueled by a sense of patriotism, William Richardson aligned himself
with the emerging Hawaii Democratic Party, eventually serving as its
chairman from 1956 to 1962.
In 1963, he became the lieutenant governor under Governor John Burns.
Just a few years later, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Hawaii
Supreme Court, where he served for 16 years.
Under Chief Justice Richardson's guidance, the Hawaii Supreme Court
oversaw judgments ensuring public beach access, expanding Native
Hawaiian rights to use private property, and affirming public ownership
of natural resources.
He was famously quoted as saying that ``the Western concept of
exclusivity is not universally applicable in Hawaii.''
Education was paramount to Chief Justice Richardson. One of his
proudest accomplishments was his successful effort to see a law school
opened in Hawaii. In 1973 The University of Hawaii opened the only law
school in
[[Page H5788]]
the State. It was named the William S. Richardson School of Law upon
his retirement from the bench.
I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlelady
from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono).
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Scott, for
yielding me time.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 1470, which recognizes
the life, achievements, and distinguished career of the late Bill
Richardson, Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court.
William Shaw Richardson was born in Honolulu on December 22, 1919.
Raised in Kaimuki and a graduate of a public school, Roosevelt High
School, Bill worked in pineapple canneries to pay his way through the
University of Hawaii. He then earned a law degree from the University
of Cincinnati. Bill later enlisted in the Army and served as platoon
leader with the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment during World War II.
In 1956, Bill served as chairman of Hawaii's Democratic Party. He was
elected to the office of Lieutenant Governor in 1962. In 1966, Governor
John A. Burns appointed him as chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme
Court. C.J. Richardson served on the court for 16 years.
C.J. Richardson was our Nation's first native Hawaiian Supreme Court
chief justice. Working closely with his fellow justices, C.J.
incorporated native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices into
State law and expanded public rights. In perhaps his most famous case,
in 1968, C.J. Richardson, in essence, asked, ``Why should Hawaii follow
Anglo-American common law rather than its own ancient traditions
regarding the use of property?'' C.J. recalled not being allowed on the
beach in front of Waikiki's Royal Hawaiian and Moana hotels as a boy.
The historic 4-to-1 ruling he wrote incorporated Hawaiian customs by
preserving public access to the shoreline. No Hawaii beach could be
considered a private beach like on the mainland.
Under his leadership, the court also established the water rights of
people living downstream from privately owned property that surrounded
rivers or streams. It awarded new land created by lava flows to the
State instead of adjacent property owners, and it ruled that native
Hawaiians could cross private property to gather traditional cultural
resources, like particular plants used by hula dancers as part of their
ceremonies.
Among C.J. Richardson's proudest achievements was the opening of
Hawaii's only law school in 1973. He knew that those with the greatest
stake in building a more just and equitable society were often denied
the opportunity to attend law school because of the high cost. He
fought a lengthy uphill battle to create and shape the law school that
now proudly bears his name. Over the last years, C.J. had an office at
the school, where he was a regular source of support and inspiration to
students and faculty alike.
I would like to extend my deepest condolences to C.J. Richardson's
son, William; his two daughters, Barbara Richardson-Phillips and
Corinne Wolfe; his two sisters, Amy Kahoiwai and Pearl Nishimura; his
six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Mahalo nui loa--Hawaiian
for thank you very much--for sharing the great C.J. with all of us.
{time} 1850
Mr. DJOU. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support House Resolution 1470.
I want to thank my colleague from Hawaii for her kind words, and I
want to echo much of her sentiment--a voice on the life of Chief
Justice William S. Richardson.
Mr. Speaker and colleagues, this resolution honors the life,
achievements, and the distinguished career of William S. Richardson,
the former chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court, Lieutenant
Governor of the State of Hawaii and former Democratic chairman of the
Democratic Party of Hawaii.
Chief Justice Richardson passed away on June 21 of this year. He was
one of Hawaii's most influential figures. As Hawaii's Governor, Linda
Lingle, recently stated, ``The former chief justice played an integral
role in shaping Hawaii's political and legal landscape.''
For myself and my family, personally, Chief Justice Richardson
touched my wife and I, as my wife is a graduate of the William S.
Richardson School of Law, and I taught at the law school that bears his
name.
Chief Justice Richardson was born on December 22, 1919, and always
referred to himself as ``just a local boy from Hawaii.'' He graduated
from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and he later attended law
school at the University of Cincinnati.
Then, at the outset of World War II, he volunteered to serve in the
U.S. Army. He saw combat as a platoon leader with the 1st Filipino
Infantry Regiment. He was later inducted into the Infantry Officer
Candidate School Hall of Fame.
After service in World War II, he returned to Hawaii where he played
a key role in promoting Hawaii statehood. In 1959, when Hawaii became a
State, Chief Justice Richardson was one of the most prominent figures,
and he deserves the thanks of all of us for Hawaii's becoming the 50th
State.
In 1962, Hawaii elected John Burns as its Governor. Chief Justice
Richardson was his Lieutenant Governor, serving one term as the
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1966, as a Democrat. He was
the first person of Hawaiian ancestry to hold that office.
Then, from 1966 to 1982, Richardson served as the chief justice of
Hawaii's Supreme Court. During his 16 years as chief justice, he made a
number of landmark rulings that have shaped Hawaii and our Nation's
case law to this day.
Most of all, he is much loved by his family. As his son Bill
Richardson recently stated, we should always remember him as a
grandfather: ``When school ended, I could always count on him ready to
pick me up. He'd come by and watch my practices as much as he could.''
I think that is the legacy all of us want to remember Chief Justice
Richardson for.
For many years, Chief Justice Richardson fought for the establishment
of a law school. His efforts culminated in 1973, establishing the first
and, thus far, only law school in the State of Hawaii: the University
of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law. Chief Justice
Richardson shared his wealth of knowledge with students, attorneys and
judges; and he leaves a lasting legacy in our State.
Mr. Speaker and colleagues, this resolution honors this long-time
leader and path-breaking American. I urge my colleagues to join me in
support of this resolution.
Mahalo and aloha.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my two colleagues
from Hawaii for their bipartisan cooperation on this resolution. I urge
my colleagues to support it.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1470.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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