Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the democratic alternatives to H.R. 4, the Personal Responsibility, Work and Family Promotion Act, and in opposition to the underlying bill.

I support what is widely referred to as Patsy Mink Memorial TANF Reauthorization substitute introduced offered by Representatives Kucinich, Lee, McGovern, and, Lantos for two principal reasons. First, I owe it to my distinguished predecessor, the late Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink, to vote to support her legacy of work on welfare reform. This substitute is based on H.R. 3113, which was introduced by Congresswoman Mink in the 107th Congress, and reflected her deeply-held belief that education was the key to enabling poor women and children escape poverty. Indeed, improving welfare law in these respects was her major legislative priority during her last term in Congress.

Second, I believe that the States should have very broad authority on how to spend their TANF funds, including decisions on whether to provide benefits to legal permanent residents and educational opportunities beyond basic vocational training. The principal bill does exactly the opposite.

I am also voting for the Cardin-Kind-Woolsey substitute, which retains the State flexibility contained in current welfare law and provides States with the option of allowing recipients up to 24 months of education, doubling the provision in current law.

I am voting against H.R. 4 because it reduces State flexibility provided under the current law and imposes an unfunded mandate on States. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the expanded work requirements for welfare mothers--up from 30 hours to 40 hours per week--will cost the States $8 to $11 billion to create make- work jobs and to provide for increased child care.

I am supportive of reasonable, fair welfare reform that moves people from welfare to work. But I reject Federal mandates that limit the States' flexibility and unnecessarily harm people who are trying to improve their futures and that of their children through education.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage of the first United States soldiers to scale the summit of the heavily-defended Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima is a small rocky island only two miles wide and four miles long located approximately 650 miles south of Tokyo, Japan. It is a volcanic island, much like the islands in my home state of Hawaii--a place where cool Pacific breezes rush over soft beaches and birds sing songs learned during lonely flights across the wide ocean.

For a brief moment in time, the island of Iwo Jima became a central battleground between the Empire of Japan and the Allied Forces during those terrible and dark days of World War II. The Allied Forces were determined to take the island in preparation for a final attack on Japan, and the Japanese were unbendable in their desire to defend Iwo Jima and to prevent foreigners from moving any closer to the main islands of Japan.

On February 19, 1945, approximately 70,000 American and other Allied Forces and 22,000 Japanese soldiers locked themselves in a horrific battle that would begin the final phase of the War in the Pacific. Entrenched in a series of interlocking caves, blockhouses, and pillboxes, the Japanese fought with determination to defend their island. Debarking off a naval armada of more than 450 ships, the Allies, led by the United States, brought the full weight of their highly trained and battle tested troops to bear with the determined goal of taking the rocky island no matter what the cost. The battle for Iwo Jima would be one of the fiercest conflicts of the Second World War. Almost 7,000 Americans were killed in action. More than 20,000 Americans were wounded. Of the 22,000 Japanese defenders, only 1,083 survived.

On February 23, 1945, the fifth day of the battle, Marines from the 5th Division were ordered to ascend the slopes of Mt. Suribachi, the main peak controlling the island. Four Marine squads worked their way up the mountain and, at 10:30 a.m., 1st Lieutenant Harold Schrier, Platoon Sergeant Ernest Thomas, Sergeant Henry Hansen, Corporal Charles Lindberg, and Private James Michels raised the first American flag on Mt. Suribachi.

Today, when our Nation thinks about the brave soldiers of Iwo Jima, we often visualize the commanding bronze statue resting on the banks of the Potomac River. Most Americans do not realize that this memorial actually depicts the second, much larger flag that was raised over Mt. Suribachi, signaling the courage and determination of the United States to almost every soldier on Iwo Jima and to the naval vessels at sea.

In my home state of Hawaii, the Iwo Jima United States Memorial Association is working to raise the funds necessary to build a memorial to recognize the American soldiers who raised the first American flag on Mt. Suribachi. I applaud their efforts and hope that every citizen across the nation will support those groups dedicated to recognizing the courage of American soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to cosponsor legislation introduced by my friend and colleague from Hawaii, Mr. Abercrombie, which affirms the longstanding, political relationship between the indigenous people of my state and our federal government and extends the time-honored federal policy of self-determination for indigenous peoples under U.S. jurisdiction to Native Hawaiians. The bill provides for federal recognition of Native Hawaiians, establishes an Office for Native Hawaiian Relations in the Department of Interior, and creates a federal interagency group to better coordinate policies and programs that address Native Hawaiians.

Most Americans are very familiar with the indigenous peoples of the continental United States and the State of Alaska--American Indians and Alaska Natives. But, because of Hawaii's geographical distance from the U.S. mainland and our unique history with the United States, most overlook the fact that an equally indigenous people of our great country--Native Hawaiians--originated and retains their base in today's Hawaii.

U.S. interests in the Hawaiian Islands and contact with Native Hawaiians date back to the late 1700s. Throughout that period, the federal government has maintained a unique relationship with Native Hawaiians--a relationship that was reaffirmed when Hawaii became a territory in 1900 and a state in 1959, and has continued through today.

Over those years, more than 160 federal statutes have enacted programs to address the conditions of Native Hawaiians in areas such as Hawaiian homelands, health, education, and economic development. And in Hawaii, efforts by the state and quasi-autonomous entities such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and private entities like the Kamehameha Schools have all been devoted to the same ends.

In more recent years, the Congress and Executive Branch have undertaken further efforts to improve the conditions and clarify the political status of Native Hawaiians. Most notably, the enactment in 1993 of the Apology Resolution (P.L. 103-150), which received bi- partisan support in the House and Senate and was signed by President Bill Clinton, expressed a national commitment to reconciliation efforts between Native Hawaiians and the federal government.

In 2000, the Departments of Interior and Justice issued a reconciliation report which was a culmination of efforts undertaken by the departments in their consultations with Native Hawaiians on a broad range of issues. In complementary efforts, Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush also addressed the needs of Native Hawaiians in the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, established by executive orders to increase federal opportunities for and improve the quality of life in these communities.

Federal recognition legislation was a top priority recommendation of these efforts. Its intent was and remains to confirm that a federal policy of self-determination toward Native Hawaiians is appropriate and should be further memorialized.

As a result, federal recognition is Hawaii's singe highest priority in our federal efforts. Not only is it the natural next step in a long process of reconciliation for Native Hawaiians, but it is indispensable and necessary to the continuation of Hawaii as we know it.

That Hawaii cannot exist without the survival and prosperity of our indigenous people and culture. Federal recognition is the only practical way to assure the long term viability of the current and future programs and entities which provide for that culture's survival. In both ways, then, we all have a huge stake in federal recognition.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill to authorize expansion of the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, located on the Kona Coast of the Island of Hawai`i.

This bill would authorize expansion of the park boundaries to allow the National Park Service to purchase a 2.14-acre parcel with an existing building to serve as a park headquarters. The park has been without a permanent headquarters since its establishment in 1978, and is now renting space some distance from the park.

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park was created for the national preservation, protection and interpretation of traditional native Hawaiian activities and culture. This 1,160-acre park is remarkable not only for its cultural and historical attributes, but as an incredibly beautiful, unspoiled natural treasure. The park is the site of an ancient Hawaiian settlement, which encompasses portions of four different ahupua`a, or traditional sea-to-mountain land divisions. Its resources include ancient fishponds, kahua (house site platforms), ki`i pohaku (petroglyphs), a holua (stone slide), and heiau (religious sites). The park is of tremendous significance to the people of Hawai`i, and especially to indigenous Native Hawaiians.

The National Park Service is currently renting space for its headquarters at a cost of $150,000 a year. The current headquarters only has parking for three to four visitors at a time, which is woefully inadequate to accommodate the growing number of visitors to the park. Visitors increased from 54,000 in 2001 to 70,000 in 2002. The proposed acquisition has plenty of parking for visitors and park vehicles. And the existing building has more than adequate space for the park's administrative needs and interpretive mission. The already- developed parcel has the additional benefit of being right next to the park; therefore, the fragile resources within the current park boundaries will not be adversely affected.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and to come to my birthplace, the Big Island of Hawai`i, to visit this magnificent national treasure. Aloha!

Mr. Speaker, I humbly rise in support of H. Res. 51. I want to thank the Majority and Minority Leaders for bringing this resolution to the House floor on a completely united basis.

Mr. Speaker, what happened on the morning of February 1st was truly a world tragedy. The crew of the space shuttle Columbia, returning from a productive sixteen day scientific mission to the International Space Station, was lost over Texas. My heart goes out to the families of Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick Husband, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon, the heroic crew now known as the Columbia 7.

On Saturday, we were all again reminded of the dangers of space exploration. Many Americans, my self included, vividly remember January 28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger was lost a minute and thirteen seconds into its launch. That tragedy, as well as Saturday's, shocked our nation and focused national attention on the space program and the courageous men and women who risk their lives in the name of science and exploration. The heroic crew of the Columbia was composed of seven of our best and brightest men and women, who reflected the diversity of our nation and world and embodied a new spirit of international cooperation.

The Columbia tragedy was especially trying and painful for my home state, for one of our heroes met the same fate in the 1986 Challenger tragedy. Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka was from my home island, the Big Island of Hawaii.

Lt. Col. Onizuka was the ultimate local boy made good and the first Japanese-American to fly into space. Like those on the Columbia 7, he was a strong advocate for exploration, education and adventure. He once said, ``From your vantage point, your education and imagination will carry you to places which we won't believe possible . . . Think of the new horizons you can explore.''

He knew the risks, that there was a significant chance that something could go wrong on a space mission. But he was a dreamer, just like all heroes and leaders. In reinforcing his strong support for man's commitment to exploring new boundaries, he said: ``Make your life count . . . and your world will be a better place because you tried . . . Every generation has the obligation to free men's minds for a look at new worlds . . . to look out from a higher plateau than the last generation.''

Ellison's words still ring true today, and his actions embody the spirit of space exploration and scientific experimentation. He certainly would have said, notwithstanding the loss of the Columbia, that we must go on.

Mr. Speaker, I reluctantly rise today in support of S. 23, a bill to extend unemployment benefits for thousands of Americans.

Every day, too many American workers are exhausting their unemployment benefits and must use their retirement savings or make other sacrifices just to cover basic living expenses. More than 800,000 people have already exhausted their 13 weeks of extended unemployment insurance benefits that were provided in the economic stimulus legislation enacted in March, which means they have no federal assistance as they search for new jobs.

In my home State of Hawaii, over 23,540 workers are currently unemployed, and 3,100 workers who have exhausted their extended unemployment benefits in 2002 remain unemployed. Over 1,800 workers in Hawaii could lose their benefits because the State of Hawaii must cut off extended unemployment benefits unless we continue the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program.

I am pleased that the 108th Congress is passing legislation to retroactively extend unemployment compensation to laid-off workers who have exhausted their normal benefits. Congress has an obligation to make sure individuals who believed they would receive 13 weeks of extended benefits are not arbitrarily denied these benefits because the TEUC program expired on December 28.

When I was elected by the people of Hawaii, I quickly committed myself to helping working family struggling to survive this recession. I decided to join with my Democratic colleagues to introduce legislation to extend unemployment benefits for those who were going to lose their benefits because Congress failed to extend the TEUC program.

I wish the House could pass the Democratic proposal because it would give every worker 26 weeks of extended unemployment benefits, up from 13 weeks under the current program. During the last recession in the early 1990s, Congress provided 26 weeks of extended benefits, and struggling families need this type of temporary assistance once again. The Democratic proposal would help the 1 million American workers who have already exhausted their extended unemployment benefits.

Nevertheless, I reluctantly support S. 23. Unemployed American workers need our help. We must immediately pass this legislation and then develop a comprehensive economic program to help unemployed workers and stimulate our struggling economy.