Honoring the life, achievements, and distinguished career of Chief Justice William S. Richardson.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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

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).

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.