A concurrent resolution 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, 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).

Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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.''

I ask my colleagues for their support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 so that we can honor one of Hawaii's great leaders.

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.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution.

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

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.

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

I ask unanimous consent the Rules Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 10 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

I ask unanimous consent the concurrent resolution be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, with no intervening action or debate.