[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14117]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       WELCOMING THE HONORABLE COLLEEN HANABUSA TO THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. 
Gabbard) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to personally congratulate and 
welcome back to Congress my colleague from Hawaii, Colleen Hanabusa, as 
she is sworn in to the 114th Congress today to fill the remaining term 
of our dear friend Mark Takai.
  Colleen has a decades-long history of service to the people of 
Hawaii. As a respected labor lawyer, Colleen was first elected to 
represent the leeward coast of Oahu in the Hawaii State Senate in 1998, 
where she served as the chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 
majority leader, and eventually became the first female Senate 
president. She was elected to serve Hawaii's First Congressional 
District in 2010, serving in both the 112th and 113th Congress.
  Most recently, Colleen served the community in many different 
capacities, including as the board chairwoman for the Honolulu 
Authority for Rapid Transportation, overseeing the multibillion dollar 
rail project on the island of Oahu.
  I had the pleasure of serving with Colleen during my first term in 
Congress, where we worked together to ensure Hawaii's voice was heard 
here in Washington, and I look forward to continuing that work to 
address the many important issues that lie before us to serve Hawaii 
once again.
  Congratulations, Colleen, and welcome back.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa).

                              {time}  1900

  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Madam Minority Leader and, of 
course, my colleague from the Second Congressional District of the 
wonderful State of Hawaii.
  Being here today among all of you, many of you welcoming me so 
warmly, is bittersweet. I am here because our good colleague and 
friend, Mark Takai, unfortunately, passed just too early. However, 
before he passed, he asked that I seek the election of my old seat 
again so that we can continue to do the work for the people of the 
State of Hawaii, and it is an honor to be here and to do that.
  I can't end without saying I came in 2010, when we were the noble 
nine. My noble nine colleagues are here. I can't tell you how important 
it is for me to see them again. That is what it is all about: everyone 
in Congress. It is the relationships that we build, and it is the 
friendships that are there forever and ever. That is what makes this, 
the people's House, the greatest institution around.
  So, as we say in Hawaii, mahalo for this wonderful opportunity to 
serve with all of you again. Mahalo and aloha.

                          ____________________