[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2584-H2586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1730
  AUTHORIZING USE OF EMANCIPATION HALL TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY OF KING 
                               KAMEHAMEHA

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
concur in the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 10) 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. 10

       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 
     9, 2013, 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 gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Miller) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
on the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support, Mr. Speaker, of Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, 
authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall on June 9 to celebrate the 
birthday of King Kamehameha, a legendary figure in Hawaiian history and 
culture.
  On June 11, the people of Hawaii will celebrate the 97th annual 
Kamehameha Day commemorating the life of Kamehameha the Great, who 
between 1795 and 1810 unified the islands into the Kingdom of Hawaii.
  Known for being a fierce warrior who fought for unity and 
independence, King Kamehameha was highly regarded for ruling with 
fairness and compassion. He's remembered for his law

[[Page H2585]]

known as the ``law of the splintered paddle,'' which specifically 
protects civilians in wartime. It is a model for human rights 
throughout the world today.
  The statue of King Kamehameha, prominently displayed in Emancipation 
Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center, was added to the National Statuary 
Hall collection by Hawaii in 1969.
  Every year, as part of the King Kamehameha celebration, the statue is 
draped in long beautiful strands of lei. In adopting the resolution, 
Mr. Speaker, we will authorize the use of this space for the 
celebration of his life and great accomplishments.
  I certainly want to thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii, Ms. Hirono, 
for introducing this concurrent resolution; and I certainly would urge 
my colleagues to support it, as well.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank Chairman Miller and 
Ranking Member Brady for allowing this bill to be heard on the floor 
today.
  As was stated, the Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 would permit use 
of Emancipation Hall to allow us to celebrate King Kamehameha and the 
lei-draping ceremony.
  King Kamehameha has a unique history; and, as you know, Hawaii is the 
only kingdom that is part of the United States. This is going to be the 
44th time such a celebration has taken place in the United States 
Capitol.
  June 11 is a State holiday in Hawaii, a day of celebration honoring 
King Kamehameha. He was believed to have been born around 1758 and is 
credited with unifying the major islands by the year 1810. By uniting 
the Hawaiian Islands, King Kamehameha secured Hawaii's future as a 
viable and recognized political entity.
  King Kamehameha was the first in a long line of Hawaiian--what we 
call ``ali'i,'' which is our royalty--who held the needs and well-being 
of their people as their foremost priority. Kamehameha's legacy and 
commitment to Hawaii's people is evident today through organizations 
created by his prodigy, like Kamehameha Schools, the Queen 
Lili'uokalani Children's Trust, Lunalilo Home, and the Queen's 
Hospital. These organizations are the bedrock foundations in Hawaii and 
provide crucial services to native Hawaiians while ensuring the 
maintenance of our State's uniquely Hawaiian identity.
  The Hawaiian lei that we'll be draping is a special bond, or 
relationship, between two people that is figuratively represented by 
the stringing of flowers together in a circle. The Kamehameha lei-
draping ceremony emphasizes the strong bond Hawaii's people have with 
each other and our State's rich history.
  Honoring King Kamehameha in this lei-draping ceremony acknowledges 
our deep appreciation for his sacrifice and success in unifying our 
island home and reaffirms our connections with one another and the 
responsibility we all share to care for one another.
  The significance of holding this ceremony in the Capitol of the 
United States cannot be overemphasized as it demonstrates to the Nation 
and the world that the rights and needs of the people should always be 
at the heart of the work that we do here. This is the legacy of King 
Kamehameha and his prodigy, and we should honor that by approving this 
event.
  The celebration of King Kamehameha has been honored for over 140 
years in Hawaii. It was first recognized 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 statue of King Kamehameha and the traditional lei draping is over 
100 years old itself. In Hawaii, the lei-draping ceremony is celebrated 
as a 2-day festivity in tribute to the great King. We celebrate it with 
parades, hula, music, chanting, storytelling, and arts. It is the way 
for Hawaiians to celebrate our history.
  The American sculptor, Thomas Gould, was commissioned by the Kingdom 
of Hawaii to create the statue. It was sculpted in 1879 from his studio 
in Rome. It was completed in 1880, but the ship that was transporting 
the original from Germany sank. In 1883, the second statue made its way 
to Hawaii. The first statue was ultimately recovered and erected on 
North Kohala on the Big Island, and that is where King Kamehameha's 
birthplace is.
  The statue stands 8\1/2\ feet tall with the King in his royal 
clothing. In it, King Kamehameha wears a mahiole, which is the helmet, 
and the 'ahu 'ula, which is the cloak. They are finished with gold 
leaf, reminiscent of the rare yellow feathers from the mamo bird the 
King wore. The spear in his left hand is the symbol of his kingdom and 
the fact that he is willing to defend it himself, and his right hand is 
extended towards the direction of the Hawaiian Islands.
  The statue in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center is a 
mold of the second statue which stands in front of our Ali'iolani Hale, 
the home of the Hawaii Supreme Court. This was dedicated as a gift to 
the National Statuary Hall from Hawaii in the year 1969.
  As everyone knows, President Obama was born in Hawaii. And on June 
20, 2010, President Obama issued Proclamation 8534 in honor of the 
bicentennial of the unification of Hawaii.
  President Obama said:

       On this bicentennial King Kamehameha Day, we celebrate the 
     history and the 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 the spirit of limitless possibility.

  Mr. Speaker, that is what this celebration means to us. It is a 
symbol of how the Hawaiian people have the spirit of limitless 
possibility.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlelady from 
Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard).

                              {time}  1740

  Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Hawaii for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 
10, which authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol 
Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King 
Kamehameha.
  On June 11 of every year, the State of Hawaii celebrates King 
Kamehameha Day. It's a beautiful State holiday, filled with parades and 
lei draping at the statues that exist in his honor. One of these 
statues stands proudly here in Washington, D.C., in the Capitol Visitor 
Center; and for the last 43 years, we have celebrated King Kamehameha's 
birthday in our Nation's capital.
  Kamehameha I, sometimes called Kamehameha the Great, was a skilled 
and fierce warrior and an intelligent leader. He established his 
dynasty and reputation by uniting the eight major islands of the 
Hawaiian chain under his rule in 1910. By uniting the Hawaiian Islands 
into a viable and recognized political entity, Kamehameha helped 
protect his people during a time of great cultural change.
  King Kamehameha I is known for his prowess in war, but he is also 
remembered for his humanity.
  We honor King Kamehameha on his birthday, and we welcome visitors 
both to Hawaii and here to our Nation's Capitol, and appreciate the 
opportunity to tell a little bit about one of our great heroes.
  His Kanawai Mamalahoe, or Law of the on in the Hawaii State 
Constitution and is a model for human rights policies on civilians and 
other non-combatants today. When attacked by fishermen trying to 
protect their land and family, rather than punishing them, King 
Kamehameha declared, ``Let every elderly person, woman and child lie by 
the roadside in safety.'' This decree lives on in Hawaii and is a 
living symbol of this ruler's concern for public safety.
  After uniting the islands, Kamehameha also focused on governing his 
kingdom. He appointed governors for each island, made laws for the 
protection of all, built houses and irrigation ditches, managed natural 
resources such as sandalwood, and traded shrewdly with foreigners. Otto 
Von Kotzebue, a Russian explorer, said, ``The king is a man of great 
wisdom and tries to give his people anything he considers useful. He 
wishes to increase the happiness and not the wants of his people.''

[[Page H2586]]

  I ask my colleagues for their support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 
10 so that we can honor one of Hawaii's great leaders.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would certainly urge all of 
my colleagues to support this very bipartisan legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, a resolution that would authorize the 
use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to 
celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha in the annual Kamehameha Day 
Lei Draping Ceremony. I thank Senator Mazie Hirono for sponsoring this 
resolution, and I thank my fellow members of Congress who join me in 
support of this important resolution.
  Kamehameha the Great was one of the greatest Polynesian warrior-kings 
who ever lived. As a young man, Kamehameha was trained by one of the 
greatest warrior chiefs of his time, Kekuhaupi'o. He was knowledgeable 
of military tactics and was fearless in armed combat, and he was 
determined to bring all of the Hawaiian Islands under his rule, a 
monumental task that took him about ten years to achieve.
  Kamehameha, also seen as a great leader by his Pacific neighbors--
including the Samoan islands--developed political alliances to maintain 
Hawaiian independence under his rule.
  Along with being a bold leader and skilled warrior, Kamehameha was a 
humanitarian with a heart for the people of Hawai'i. He is also 
remembered for the Kanawai Mamalahoe, the ``Law of Splintered Paddle'', 
which ensured that during times of battle, every man, woman, and child 
would be able to travel freely and in peace, with the right ``to lie 
down to sleep by the roadside without fear of harm. . .'' This law, 
which was later preserved in Hawai'i's State Constitution, has become a 
model of human rights law.
  Since 1872, every June 11th in Hawai'i is honored as Kamehameha Day. 
It is tradition that the three statues of King Kamehameha placed at 
Ali`iolani Hale in downtown Honolulu, at King Kamehameha's home island, 
the Big Island of Hawai`i, and lastly at the United States Capitol in 
the Capitol Visitor Center, are draped with long strands of flower 
garlands, or leis, every Kamehameha Day in his honor.
  This year, the Capitol Visitor Center will welcome guests from across 
the nation as we gather once again to celebrate the life and 
accomplishments of a revered leader and today I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution to honor Kamehameha the Great.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller) that the House suspend the 
rules and concur in the concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 10.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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