[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 31, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H3780-H3781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING USE OF EMANCIPATION HALL TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY OF KING 
                               KAMEHAMEHA

  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and concur in the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 16) 
authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center 
for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 16

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF EMANCIPATION HALL FOR EVENT TO CELEBRATE 
                   BIRTHDAY OF KING KAMEHAMEHA.

       (a) Authorization.--Emancipation Hall in the Capitol 
     Visitor Center is authorized to be used for an event on June 
     5, 2011, to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha.
       (b) Preparations.--Physical preparations for the conduct of 
     the ceremony described in subsection (a) shall be carried out 
     in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed by 
     the Architect of the Capitol.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. 
Hanabusa) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend 
their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I am pleased to support this resolution authorizing the use of 
Emancipation Hall on June 5 to celebrate the birthday of King 
Kamehameha of Hawaii.
  King Kamehameha, often called Kamehameha the Great, is a legendary 
figure in Hawaiian history and culture, and rightly so. He fought 
heroically for its unity and independence at the end of the 18th and 
beginning of the 19th centuries.
  His law, or Rule of the Splintered Paddle, protecting noncombatants 
during wartime has been commended for its justness and established a 
human rights benchmark that would later be built upon in the Geneva 
Conventions.
  An illustrious statue of King Kamehameha is part of the National 
Statuary Hall Collection, and it now sits in the Capitol Visitor 
Center, visible to millions of our fellow citizens.
  On June 11, the people of Hawaii will celebrate the 95th annual King 
Kamehameha Day in Hawaii. In adopting the resolution, the Members of 
the House will join our colleagues in the Senate in authorizing the use 
of the Capitol Visitor Center for a similar celebration here in 
Washington, D.C.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.

         House of Representatives, Committee on House 
           Administration,
                                     Washington, DC, May 27, 2011.
     Hon. John Boehner,
     Speaker of the House, House of Representatives,
     The Capitol, Washington, DC.
       Dear Speaker Boehner: I write to formally notify you that 
     the Committee on House Administration hereby waives further 
     committee consideration of S. Con. Res. 16, a concurrent 
     resolution authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the 
     Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday 
     of King Kamehameha, in order that the legislation may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                Daniel E. Lungren,
                                                         Chairman.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Senate Concurrent Resolution 16 is entitled, ``Authorizing the use of 
Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to 
celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha.'' It speaks to authorizing 
the use on June 5, 2011, and states that the preparations for the 
ceremony shall be carried out with such conditions as may be prescribed 
by the Architect of the Capitol. This is not an unusual event. This 
will be the 42nd time such a celebration has taken place within the 
Capitol.
  This is Hawaii's way to share its most unique history with all. June 
11, the day of celebration, is the birthday of King Kamehameha the 
great. He was born around 1758 and is credited with unifying the eight 
major islands by the year 1810. Of course, the islands of Kauai and 
Niihau claim that they eluded him.
  This holiday was first decreed in 1871, when Hawaii was still a 
kingdom, by Kamehameha V, his great grandson. It was the first holiday 
proclaimed by the Governor and legislature when Hawaii became a State 
in 1959.
  The celebration in his honor is about 140 years old this year. And 
what we identify with the celebration, the statue of King Kamehameha 
and the traditional lei draping, is over 100 years old itself.

                              {time}  1820

  The American sculptor, Thomas R. Gould, was commissioned by the 
Kingdom of Hawaii to create the statue. He did so in 1879 from his 
studio in Rome. It was completed in 1880, but the ship that was 
transporting it from Germany sank. It was in 1883 when the second 
statue made its way to Hawaii.
  It stands 8\1/2\ feet tall with the king in his royal garb. The 
helmet is depicted to reflect that it is made out of red, very rare 
feathers, as is his cloak. The spear in his left hand is the symbol 
that his kingdom is willing to defend itself, and yet his right hand is 
extended in the gesture of aloha, to welcome, that gesture which is 
synonymous with Hawaii.
  The statue that stands here is the mold of the second statue which 
stands in front of Ali'iolani Hale, the home of the Hawaii Supreme 
Court. Many, actually, would recognize it as the new headquarters of 
``Hawaii Five-0.'' This was dedicated as a gift to the National 
Statuary Hall from Hawaii in the year 1969.
  Of note is the first statue was found and brought to the Big Island 
of Hawaii, the birth isle of King Kamehameha I. The tradition of the 
lei draping dates back to 1901, when Hawaii was still a territory. I 
personally recall it as a child with firefighters draping the leis on 
the statue using their very long ladders. We remember it clearly with 
the longest strands of the yellow plumeria blossoms being the flower of 
choice. These lei drapings take place on the Big Island as well and 
have for 42 years also taken place in the Capitol.

[[Page H3781]]

  On June 20, 2010, President Obama issued Proclamation 8534 in honor 
of the bicentennial of the unification of Hawaii. The President, who 
like me and others who were born in Hawaii, recognizes the significance 
of King Kamehameha to our history. A relevant part of his statement is, 
``On this bicentennial King Kamehameha Day, we celebrate the history 
and heritage of the Aloha State, which has immeasurably enriched our 
national life and culture. The Hawaiian narrative is one of both 
profound triumph and, sadly, deep injustice. It is the story of Native 
Hawaiians oppressed by crippling disease, aborted treaties, and the 
eventual conquest of their sovereign kingdom. These grim milestones 
remind us of an unjust time in our history, as well as the many 
pitfalls in our Nation's long and difficult journey to perfect itself. 
Yet, through the peaks and valleys of our American story, Hawaii's 
steadfast sense of community and mutual support shows the progress that 
results when we are united in a spirit of limitless possibility.''
  I would like to also add, as Chairman Lungren pointed out, what King 
Kamehameha is also known for is creating the law of the land, the law, 
as we call it, the Law of the Splintered Paddle. In Hawaii we also call 
it Ke Kanawai Mamalahoe. This is an interesting story, and one that 
people may not believe. It is really the story of a warrior king and 
his humanity. It was a law to protect the civilians at a time of war. 
It is a lesson in human life because the king, warrior king, decreed 
that any human life was precious, and it was wrong for the powerful to 
mistreat the weaker.
  Though many of us think of it as a celebration with parades and, as 
we call it at home hoolauleas, festivities, and parties, it is more 
importantly a symbol of that which is Hawaii, that which makes us so 
unique.
  I would like to express my appreciation on behalf of the people of 
Hawaii, to Speaker Boehner, Chairman Lungren, the architect of the 
Capitol, the Capitol Police, and all others who assist in this event.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would 
just say that it gives me great pleasure to join my colleague from 
Hawaii in bringing this resolution to the floor, particularly because 
my daughter, who was married in this town on Sunday, is on her way to 
Hawaii to celebrate her honeymoon and I believe will actually still be 
there on the 5th of June, so that she will see that up close and 
personal.
  I would urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 
Con. Res. 16, legislation to authorize the use of the Emancipation Hall 
in the Capitol Visitor Center for the Lei Draping Ceremony to celebrate 
the birthday of King Kamehameha on June 5, 2011. The concurrent 
resolution, already passed in the Senate, is cosponsored by the two 
Senators and my good friends from the State of Hawaii, Senator Akaka 
and Senator Inouye. And I wish to thank all the Hawaiian congressional 
delegation for their support of this resolution to commemorate this 
historical event.
  Mr. Speaker, the Kamehameha Lei Draping Ceremony in the Statuary Hall 
of the U.S. Capitol has been hosted by the Hawaii congressional 
delegation and Hawaii State Society of Washington, D.C. since 1969. For 
more than 40 years now we have conducted this ceremony each year on or 
about the second week of June to coincide with the celebration of King 
Kamehameha Day in the State of Hawaii.
  Mr. Speaker, the King Kamehameha statue has now been moved to 
Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, and in doing so, 
under section 103 of Public Law 110-437, it requires the enactment of a 
congressional resolution to authorize this annual celebration- hence, 
the resolution before the House floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha was one of the greatest Hawaiian warrior 
kings known among the Polynesian people. After some 2,000 years of 
tremendous rivalries among the warring chiefs of the Hawaii Islands, it 
was prophesied among the Hawaiian priests that there will one day be 
born a high chief who will be a slayer of other high chiefs and he will 
unite all of the Hawaiian Islands under one rule. King Kamehameha 
fulfilled that prophecy, after almost 10 years of fighting against 
other rival chiefs of the Hawaiian Islands.
  Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha was about 6 feet, 8 inches and weighed 
almost 300 pounds. He learned the ancient martial arts, known among the 
Hawaiian people as lua. He also learned military tactics and the art of 
warfare from his warrior chief, Kekuhaupio. He was able to lift the 
ancient Naha Stone, which weighed 4,500 pounds. One of his favorite 
sports to prove agility and combat readiness involved the ability to 
dodge spears thrown at him simultaneously. King Kamehameha was able to 
do this with six spears--he would grab two, parry two more, and let the 
last two go by.
  Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha unified the islands and established 
peace and stability. He was shrewd in building prosperity for his 
people by encouraging agricultural development and promoting commercial 
trade in Europe and even with the United States. While he was open to 
new ideas, he was cautious and circumspect in the old way. He 
instituted the Law of the Splintered Paddle, or Mamalahoe as known 
among the Hawaiian people, which protected elderly men and women and 
children from any harm as they'd travel along the roadside.
  Mr. Speaker, S. Con. Res. 16 reaffirms that the United States is 
built upon diversity, and we all share the same ideals of freedom and 
democracy and a commitment to justice for all people. These ideals 
embody the legacy of King Kamehameha the Great. It is only fitting that 
we not only honor the birth date of this great Hawaiian warrior king, 
but we continue to have the special ceremony of draping hundreds of 
flower leis on his statue that now stands prominently in the 
Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
  I urge my colleagues to support S. Con. Res. 16.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, aloha. I rise today in support of S. Con. 
Res. 16, which authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol 
Visitor's Center for the 42nd Annual Kamehameha Day Lei Draping.
  I would like to thank Speaker Boehner, Chairman Lungren, and Ranking 
Member Brady for their support of this bill. The location of the 
Kamehameha statue in Emancipation Hall requires that a concurrent 
resolution be passed to authorize the use of the space for this event.
  The Kamehameha Day Lei Draping has been hosted by the Hawaii 
Congressional Delegation and the Hawaii State Society of Washington 
D.C. since 1969. The event has been held on or about June 11th to 
coincide with the celebration of Kamehameha Day, a state holiday in 
Hawaii. This year, the event will be held on Sunday, June 5.
  Born in 1758, Kamehameha was the first monarch to unify the Hawaiian 
Islands and is fondly remembered as a leader who was daring, strong, 
and courageous.
  As King of all Hawaii, Kamehameha appointed governors for each 
island, made laws for the protection of all his people, planted taro, 
built houses and irrigation ditches, restored important cultural sites, 
encouraged industries like farming and fishing, managed the island's 
natural resources, and entered into trading agreements with other 
nations. The flag design he ordered for his kingdom later became the 
Seal of the State of Hawaii. He would rule the islands until his death 
in 1819.
  I would like to close by thanking the staff of the Committee on House 
Administration, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, and the 
Office of the Sergeant At Arms who each year help make this event 
possible. I urge my colleagues support of S. Con. Res. 16.
  Mahalo nui loa (thank you).
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) that the House 
suspend the rules and concur in the concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 
16.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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