[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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