Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 105 authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a celebration on June 24, 2012. This will be the 43rd time that we have celebrated the birthday of King Kamehameha in the Nation's Capitol.

Mr. Speaker, Hawaii has a unique history. We are, of course, the 50th State, and we are the only State that comes with a kingdom as part of our history. June 11 is the recognized State holiday. King Kamehameha was born around 1758, and he unified the eight Hawaiian Islands by 1810. He is also known as King Kamehameha I. His birthday has been celebrated for about 140 years in my State, beginning in 1871 by his great-grandson King Kamehameha V.

The statue that you see in the Capitol Visitor Center today has also a fascinating history. It was commissioned for the then-kingdom by Thomas Gould, and he finished it in 1880. It was made in Italy. He was an American sculptor. The ship actually sank that was bringing the first Kamehameha statue to Hawaii, and in 1883, the second statue made its way to Hawaii. What stands in Emancipation Hall today is molded from the second statue. That is the official statue that stands in front of what we call Ali'iolani Hale, which is the home of the Hawaii Supreme Court. The first statue was discovered and stands in the Big Island, which is the birthplace of King Kamehameha.

As you look at the statue--and I invite everyone to do that--you will see that it stands approximately 8\1/2\ feet tall. He has a helmet and a feather cape, and they are made from very rare bird feathers. His left hand has a spear, and that was his statement that he was ready to defend his kingdom. But his right hand is open in a gesture, and that is to welcome people, and that is what we call the gesture of, of course, aloha.

Lei draping is the customary celebration which will also happen on June 24 here, and what you see there is a tradition that has become almost uniquely Hawaii's. Lei is the way that we bond. And the lei draping is symbolic of the bonds that people have in Hawaii, and it is a very close and strong bond. The act of presenting a lei is something that many identify with Hawaii as they come to visit our beautiful islands.

As we all know, the President was born in Hawaii, and on June 20, 2010, he issued Proclamation 8534 in honor of the bicentennial of the uniting of the islands by King Kamehameha. This is what the President had to say in that proclamation:

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.

This particular celebration is also very special for the people of Hawaii, and I believe for Members of this House as well. Senator Daniel K. Akaka will be retiring at the end of his term, and as many of you are aware of, he served 14 years in this House and the last 22 in the United States Senate. He is the epitome of aloha. He is the epitome of everything that is good about Hawaii.

In honor of him, I would like to read a portion of what he said in the June 2009 Kamehameha Lei Draping Ceremony here because I think he gave a different perspective of King Kamehameha that many of us do not know.

He said:

As a military leader and statesman, Kamehameha was a

brilliant visionary who pursued opportunities for progress.

He pioneered military strategies that included unique

flanking tactics and the use of cannons on the bow of his

canoes. Those revolutionary concepts enabled Kamehameha to

succeed in battle and are principles recognized and taught to

this day at West Point. Beyond his military accolades,

Kamehameha understood that if his people were going to

thrive, they must be unified. Through governance, Kamehameha

brought Native Hawaiians together and established an

environment where they could perpetuate their heritage and

way of life. Under his leadership, the government

strengthened its autonomy and self-sufficiency. These actions

set the kingdom's framework for international commerce and

diplomacy that brought peace and prosperity to his people.

As we all know, Senator Akaka is the only Native Hawaiian who serves in the Congress of the United States.

It is very important for us to know that King Kamehameha was very thoughtful, even in the days that he was uniting the Hawaiian Islands. He is known in Hawaii for the Law of the Splintered Paddle, also called Kanawai Mamalahoe. What he basically said was that we have a responsibility to protect civilians at the time of war, that every human life was precious, and it was wrong for the powerful to mistreat the weak.

The context of this story is also very moving. Someone who didn't know who he was actually hit him on the head with a paddle and, of course, it splintered. When they found out that they had hit him, they all thought that their lives would come to an end. But instead, he decreed the Law of the Splintered Paddle. This is the visionary who united the Hawaiian Islands.

By this resolution, we honor this great person and also all that makes Hawaii special and unique.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. However, I would like to, first of all, thank the gentleman from Mississippi for managing this legislation and bringing it to the floor; Speaker Boehner, Chairman Lungren, and Ranking Member Brady for allowing it to come forward as well; and the Architect of the Capitol, the Capitol Police, and all others who will assist in this matter. And, of course, the people of Hawaii.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that we'll pass this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 105, to authorize the use of the Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the Lei Draping Ceremony on June 24, 2012, to celebrate the birthday of the great warrior, King Kamehameha.

I want to thank my colleagues, Ms. Hanabusa and Ms. Hirono, for their leadership, and to all the members of the Hawaiian congressional delegation for their support of this important legislation. I also want to take this opportunity to commend my good friend, Senator Daniel Akaka, for his stewardship on this and many other issues benefiting the people of Hawaii. Senator Akaka has been an integral part of the Lei Draping Ceremony for the past 36 years, and it is befitting that his outstanding service and dedication to the people of Hawaii will be recognized in next month's ceremony.

Mr. Speaker, for more than 40 years, the Hawaiian congressional delegation and the Hawaii State Society of Washington, D.C., has hosted the Lei Draping Ceremony on or about the second week of June to coincide with the celebration of King Kamehameha Day in

the State of Hawaii. Because King Kamehameha's statue has been moved to the Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, it now requires the enactment of a congressional resolution to authorize this annual celebration; hence, House Concurrent Resolution 105 is being considered before the House today.

Mr. Speaker, for some 2,000 years, the Hawaiian Islands existed under some tremendous rivalries among the Native Hawaiian warring chiefs. After almost 10 years of fighting, King Kamehameha brought all of the Hawaiian Islands under one rule, thus fulfilling an ancient prophecy that one day a high chief will be born and will defeat the chiefs of the other islands and thereby bring all the eight Hawaiian Islands under one rule.

Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha, while a mountain of a man--standing at 6 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing about 300 pounds and a great warrior of many feats--perhaps is better known for his foresight and for the peace and stability he brought to the Hawaiian Islands. 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 ways. It was said that before the unification of the Hawaiian Islands in 1782, King Kamehameha, during a raid, came across two unarmed fishermen, and as he attempted to slay the fishermen, his foot was caught between two rocks. In defending themselves, the two fishermen immediately hit King Kamehameha on the head with a large paddle, broke it, and left him for dead. King Kamehameha survived, and some 12 years later, the fishermen were caught and brought before the King. Rather than seeking revenge on the fishermen, King Kamehameha set them free with gifts. From then on, King Kamehameha, declared what is known now today in Hawaiian history as the Law of the Splintered Paddle, or Mamalahoe, as known among the Hawaiian people. The Law of the Splintered Paddle has become the basis of many modern human rights laws regarding the treatment of unarmed men, women, and children and that they are not to be harmed when traveling along the roadside.

In his time, King Kamehameha strived to maintain the sovereignty of his people. He created a unified legal system and did not allow non- Hawaiians to own land. These efforts came at the height of colonialism in the Pacific region, when one after another Pacific island succumbed to the colonial powers.

Mr. Speaker, I submit to you and to my colleagues and to the American people that the Native Hawaiian, King Kamehameha, was one of the greatest warrior chiefs who has ever lived among the Polynesian people. For anyone who has ever visited the Hawaiian Islands--now, proudly, the 50th State of our Nation--just think that during the late 1700s, he, with a fleet of some 900 war canoes and with some 20,000 warriors, embarked upon one of the greatest feats in military history--to unite the Hawaiian Islands under Kamehameha's rule, which took almost 10 years to achieve. And for some 100 years, King Kamehameha and his descendents ruled the Hawaiian Islands as an independent and sovereign nation.

King Kamehameha, indeed, was a true warrior of the first order. He was a master of the ancient Hawaiian martial arts, known to the Hawaiians as lua. We Samoans call it limalama. He fulfilled another prophesy, whereby anyone who would move what was known as the Naha Stone, which weighed only 4,500 pounds--Kamehameha moved the stone, again, fulfilling another prophecy that whoever was able to move the Naha Stone would rule the Hawaiian Islands. Kamehameha fulfilled that prophesy.

Of interest also, Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha's military tactics are still being studied at our West Point Military Academy at New York.

In sports, he was a master surfer. In those days, the surfboards weighed over a hundred pounds. Can you imagine a 6-foot, 8-inch man surfing with a board that is about a hundred pounds in weight?

Another famous ancient Hawaiian sport was to jump off the high cliffs just to jump in the ocean. But one of the sports that King Kamehameha was very famous for--specialized in--was the idea that three spears would be thrown at you, and what he would do is let two spears pass you, then he would carry two spears, catch the other two spears, and bury the remaining two spears. Try that, Mr. Speaker, and see if you might be able to do this.

The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is I want to thank the gentlelady from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) for her sponsorship of this legislation. Let's pass House Concurrent Resolution 105.

And I thank my friend from Mississippi for his assistance in managing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, Aloha. I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 105, which authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor's Center for the annual Kamehameha Day Lei Draping on June 24, 2012.

The event has been held on or around June 11th to coincide with the celebration of Kamehameha Day, a state holiday in Hawaii. The Kamehameha Day Lei Draping has been hosted by the Hawaii Congressional delegation and the Hawaii State Society of Washington DC since 1969; it parallels the lei draping ceremonies taking place at the Kamehameha statues on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii.

Commonly believed to be born in about 1758, Kamehameha came from a family of alii (chiefs) on the island of Hawaii and was raised to become a skilled warrior in the traditional ways of combat. In 1778, as a young man, Kamehameha met the world-renowned navigator, Captain James Cook, the first European to visit Hawaii. Kamehameha later led a successful campaign for control of his native island of Hawaii and subsequently conquered the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Oahu. With the agreement by King Kaumualii of Kauai to accept Kamehameha's rule in 1810, the island chain became a united kingdom for the first time. The islands became known collectively as Hawaii from that point on.

Under Kamehameha's reign, the islands became more involved in international commerce and a center for the sandalwood trade. As his kingdom opened up to the world and began adopting many western ways, Kamehameha remained an ardent defender of traditional Hawaiian culture and way of life, including restoring sacred sites. In the words of famed British explorer Captain George Vancouver, King Kamehameha was a man with ``an open, cheerful and sensible mind; combined with great generosity of disposition.'' Greatly mourned at the time of his passing in 1819, he continues to be revered in Hawaii and remains a respected historical figure today. A holiday in his honor was decreed by Kamehameha V, his great-grandson, in 1871.

This year marks the 43rd year of the annual Kamehameha Lei Draping Ceremony, which brings together people from Hawaii from all over the Washington area. Many also travel from the islands to take part in this beautiful showcase of traditional Hawaiian culture, including hula performances, traditional Hawaiian music, and honorary chants.

This yearly celebration would not be possible without the help and assistance of the outstanding staff of the Committee on House Administration, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, and the Office of the Sergeant At Arms. We thank them again for their support this year.

A concurrent resolution must be passed to authorize the use of the space for this event due to the Kamehameha statue location in Emancipation Hall.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 105.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 105) authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 105, authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall on June 24 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 96th 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. His law, known as the Law of the Splintered Paddle, specifically protected civilians in wartime and is today a model for human rights throughout the world.

A statue of King Kamehameha graces the Capitol Visitor Center as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection. In adopting the resolution, we will authorize the use of this space for the celebration of his life and accomplishments.

I thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) for introducing this concurrent resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have any further requests for time, and I am prepared to close.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today, May 7th, I missed the three rollcall votes of the day. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea,'' H. Con. Res. 105--Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha; ``yea,'' H. Con. Res. 117--Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service; ``yea,'' H. Con. Res. 118--Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Personal Explanation