Mazie Hirono

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Thank you very much. We are going to be focusing on health care tonight for this hour, and I just wanted to share with all of you a little bit of my background because I know what it's like not to have health care. I came to this country as an immigrant. My mother brought me and my brothers to Hawaii, lucky me, and raised us as a single parent. We didn't have much, and she worked for many years in a job that did not have any benefit, no vacation, no health care, and I remember growing up that my greatest fear was that my mother would get sick, and if she did, she wouldn't be able to go to work, and if she didn't go to work, there literally would not be money for food or rent. So, today, in our country over 45 million people have no health insurance. I know what that's like. Our current system does not serve these millions of people, nor does our current system serve those who have health insurance because of rising costs which have not kept up with wages. Our current system also does not serve our businesses well, where employer-based health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000 and continue to rise. We're spending in this country over $2 trillion annually on health care with no one happy, certainly not 45-plus million people without any insurance, certainly not the business community, certainly not those people who literally, many of them, in fact, many individuals who file for bankruptcy in our country do so because of catastrophic health problems and costs. And our current system is spending almost 16 percent to 18 percent of the gross domestic product on health insurance, and yet with this kind of expenditure are we getting the kind of results that you would expect for each of us, spending something like $67,000 a year on health care? No. American children are two times as likely to die by the age of five as children in Portugal, Spain, or Slovenia. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Ms. HIRONO. Health care is a right, not a privilege, and everyone in our country deserves quality, affordable health care with choice.

Ms. HIRONO. As I had mentioned earlier, it is generally the States regulate, so-called regulate, insurance companies. So most States do not have the kind of resources or even the laws that allow them to look at what the health care insurance companies are doing, how they are basing their cost increases or their premium increases. So there really is a lack of transparency and accountability. And when you don't have the ability to look at the relationship between the rates they are charging and what the claims are, how can you even begin to say that people's needs are actually being met or that cost containment is actually occurring? You can't. You can't.

Ms. HIRONO. It just points out how broken this health care system is when people who are working, when people who are educated and when people who have good jobs cannot afford their health care. So, again, it points out that there are things we need to do. In fact, I had mentioned earlier in my remarks that many of us have been having health care forums in our communities. I had one in my community last week on the big island of Hawaii, and we had representatives from the hospitals, from the medical profession and from the dean of our medical school. While this whole health care issue is very complicated, certain common themes came out. First of all, of course, is the recognition that the cost is astronomical and that there is no end in sight. In terms of what we can do, I was really interested to know that there was this focus on prevention, on primary care. These are two areas that our current system does not reward, that it does not pay attention to, so we've got this topsy-turvy kind of a system where we're actually paying a lot of money for quantity, not quality, because if you really cared about saving cost--just focusing on the cost of health care for a moment--we would be spending a lot more on prevention so that people wouldn't have to go for long periods of time until their illnesses would be exacerbated and then they would have to go to the emergency rooms or wherever they would have to go to get much more expensive care. So prevention is really important, but our current system does not really pay attention to prevention. Also, if we had more emphasis and support for primary care providers, it would be the same thing. We would probably save billions and billions of dollars every year by enabling people to see their primary care providers. Of course, we know that we don't have as many primary care physicians and nurse practitioners and others as we need; but if we spent more time on the primary care side, then we would avoid some of these really expensive kinds of treatments later on. So this system is very topsy-turvy. I yield back.

Ms. HIRONO. Yes, I'll yield.

Ms. HIRONO. Will the gentleman yield?

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill that recognizes the contributions of Jesse Kuhaulua, known professionally as Takamiyama Daigoro, a trailblazer in the sport of sumo wrestling. Maui-born and a graduate of Baldwin High School in Wailuku, Jesse made his debut as an aspirant in Japan's national sport in the winter of 1964 in Osaka. At the time, he knew little of the Japanese language and the subtleties of the sport itself. In this initial test, he wondered if his stay in Japan would be counted in weeks or months. On June 15, 2009, Takamiyama Daigoro will retire from a 45-year long sumo career filled with historic milestones. This day marks the day before his 65th birthday by which senior members of the sport must retire. Takamiyama Daigoro was the first United States born wrestler to enter the sport of sumo. In 1972, he became the first foreigner to win the Emperor's Cup, a top division championship in the sport. He was also the first foreign-born wrestler to climb to the sumo's third highest rank of sekiwake. Takamiyama also stands as the only foreigner to open his own stable, to train future generations in the sport, after he stopped actively competing himself. Takamiyama opened the door for others from Hawaii to join him in this most ancient of sports. This group includes Saleva'a Atisano'e, also known as Konishiki, who became the first foreigner to reach the second- highest rank of ozeki; as well as Chad Rowen, also known as Akebono, who became the first foreigner to hold the highest rank of sumo, that of yokozuna; and Fiamalu Penitani, also known as Musashimaru, who became the second foreigner to hold the title of yokozuna. I urge my colleagues to support this recognition of Jesse Kuhaulua, a true ambassador of aloha spirit.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Kilroy amendment to H.R. 916, the FAA Reauthorization Act, which directs the GAO to study, within one year of enactment, the effectiveness of FAA oversight activities related to preventing or mitigating the effects of dense continuous smoke in the cockpit of commercial aircraft. There are several incidents every week where an aircraft must land due to the presence of smoke in the cockpit. In the great majority of these cases, pilots are able to land the aircraft or disperse the smoke before a catastrophic accident results. There have, however, been several accidents over the years caused by the inability of pilots to see due to the presence of unstoppable, dense, continuous smoke. Interestingly, the aircraft of the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, senior military leaders, and the Federal Aviation Administration have technology aboard that ensures that, even in cases of dense unstoppable blinding smoke, pilots can see. I was surprised to learn, however, that there is no FAA requirement that passenger airliners or military aircraft have an equivalent system to ensure that pilots can see under these conditions. The technology in question costs approximately $25,000 to $30,000 per aircraft--which equates to a penny or so per ticket over the life of the system. As I understand it, the FAA's minimum safety standard is that any failure of systems or components that result in catastrophic consequences must be ``extremely improbable,'' and that ``extremely improbable'' is defined by the FAA as not one catastrophic event in one billion flight hours. According to Boeing data, American certified planes have not flown one billion flight hours worldwide in the last 50 years. There have, however, been numerous catastrophic fatal airliner accidents in which smoke in the cockpit has been a cause or a factor during that period. Like with U.S. Airways Flight 1549, seconds count. Fortunately, in that case the pilot could see to land, even if under very difficult conditions. If the emergency had been continuous, unstoppable smoke in the cockpit and the pilot had been unable to see, it is unlikely we would have had such a happy outcome. I raised this issue during a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on the bill in February. The FAA contends that existing systems and procedures are adequate. I am not convinced, and I welcome an investigation of this issue by the GAO.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the North Maui Coastal Preservation Act of 2009, a bill directing the National Park Service to study the suitability and feasibility of designating certain lands along the northern coast of Maui, between Sprecklesville and Paia, as a unit of the National Park System. The citizens of Maui strongly support preservation of this coast, which provides important open space and public beach areas. Thousands of post cards in support of creating a national park or national seashore along this coast have been sent to me and to my predecessor. This beautiful coastline is under significant development pressure. Its closeness to major population centers in Maui and its popularity with both visitors and residents makes protecting access a major concern. Supporters of this park have asked that it be named after Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink, a native of Maui who grew up in the Hamakua Poko/Paia area. While this bill, which authorizes a study, does not direct what the prospective national park would be named, I would certainly support naming it after Patsy Mink, whose commitment to the people of the island and state was without question. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Ka`u Coast Preservation Act, a bill directing the National Park Service to assess the feasibility of designating coastal lands on the Ka`u Coast of the island of Hawaii between Kapao`o Point and Kahuku Point as a unit of the National Park System. Late last year, the National Park Service issued a reconnaissance report that made a preliminary assessment of whether the Ka`u Coast would meet the National Park Service's demanding criteria as a resource of national significance. The reconnaissance survey concluded that ``based upon the significance of the resources in the study area, and the current integrity and intact condition of these resources, a preliminary finding of national significance and suitability can be concluded.'' The report goes on to recommend that Congress proceed with a full resource study of the area. Although under significant development pressure, the coastline of Ka`u is still largely unspoiled. The study area contains significant natural, geological, and archeological features. The northern part of the study area is adjacent to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and contains a number of noteworthy geological features, including an ancient lava tube known as the Great Crack, which the National Park Service has expressed interest in acquiring in the past. The study area includes both black and green sand beaches as well as a significant number of endangered and threatened species, most notably the endangered hawksbill turtle (at least half of the Hawaiian population of this rare sea turtle nests within the study area), the threatened green sea turtle, the highly endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the endangered Hawaiian hawk, native bees, the endangered and very rare Hawaiian orange-black damselfly (the largest population in the state), and a number of native endemic birds. Humpback whales and spinner dolphins also frequent the area. The Ka`u Coast also boasts some of the best remaining examples of native coastal vegetation in Hawaii. The archeological resources related to ancient Hawaiian settlements within the study area are also very impressive. These include dwelling complexes, heiau (religious shrines), walls, fishing and canoe houses or sheds, burial sites, petroglyphs, water and salt collection sites, caves, and trails. The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail runs through the study area. The Ka`u Coast is a truly remarkable area: its combination of natural, archeological, cultural, and recreational resources, as well as its spectacular viewscapes, are an important part of Hawaii's and our nation's natural and cultural heritage. I believe a full feasibility study, which was recommended in the reconnaissance survey, will confirm that the area meets the National Park Services high standards as an area of national significance. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. One of the things that I always say is that this is a great country, and even if we are not perfect, what a country. I am reminded once again of that with the election of our first African American President.

Ms. HIRONO. Thank you, Congressman.

Ms. HIRONO. I thank my colleague for yielding me such time as I might use. Aloha. I rise today to join my fellow congressional Asian Pacific Islander American Caucus members in celebrating Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month. Of course, I'd like to thank Congressman Honda for organizing this Special Order tonight and for his continuing leadership throughout the year and his service as the chair of CAPAC. In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two key anniversaries: The U.S. arrival of the first Japanese immigrant on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the week to a full monthlong celebration of the Asian and Pacific Islander American community. We certainly have added to the diversity and the cultural richness of our country. As a first generation immigrant myself, having come to this country when I was about eight years old, this country has afforded not just me, but the millions of immigrants, the first generation we call issei and nisei, opportunities that we never would have had in our home countries. With 16.2 million residents, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. In fact, the Census Bureau estimates that by the year 2050, more than 33.4 million Asian Americans will call the United States home. Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have made valuable contributions to every aspect of American life--from business to education to politics to the arts to the military. For example, there are approximately 1.1 million APIA-owned small businesses all across the country that employ 2.2 million workers. There are also hundreds of thousands of APIA servicemembers and veterans, including more than 53,500 brave men and women who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Today, I was glad to join my colleagues in supporting passage of H.R. 347, which appropriately awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in honor of their extraordinary and dedicated service during World War II. Comprised predominantly of nisei, the American-born sons of Japanese immigrants, members of the University of Hawaii's Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the ROTC, aided the wounded, buried the fallen, and helped defend vulnerable areas in Hawaii after the attack at Pearl Harbor. In spite of these acts of courage, the U.S. Army discharged all nisei in the ROTC unit, changed their draft status to ineligible, and segregated all Japanese American in the military on the mainland out of their units. In the meantime, more than 100,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated from their homes to internment camps. Undaunted, members of the Hawaii Provisional Infantry Battalion joined the 100th Infantry Battalion in California to train as soldiers. The sheer determination and pursuit of excellence displayed by this battalion in training contributed to President Roosevelt's decision to allow nisei volunteers to serve in the U.S. military again, leading to their incorporation into the 442nd. Members of the 100th and 442nd risked their lives to fight for our country and allies in Europe. The 442nd ``Go for Broke'' unit became the most decorated in U.S. military history for its size and length of service, with its component, the 100th Infantry Battalion, earning the nickname ``The Purple Heart Battalion.'' I'd like to thank Congressman Schiff, the chief sponsor of H.R. 347, for providing us with the opportunity to bestow this body's most distinguished honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to these brave soldiers on the behalf of a grateful Nation. I would be remiss if I did not mention one of Hawaii's favorite sons as we celebrate this month, and that is President Barack Obama. While not ethnically Asian American or Pacific Islander himself, his ties to our community are strong ones, and his support on our issues could not be more heartfelt. He has appointed, as mentioned earlier, Asian Americans to key cabinet positions: Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy; Gary Locke, Secretary of Commerce. By the way, Gary Locke is the first Asian American to be elected Governor outside of Hawaii. And Kauai's own General Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veteran Affairs. One of the issues that President Obama has supported is self- determination for the indigenous people of our State of Hawaii--native Hawaiians who deserve to have the same right to self-determination enjoyed by other indigenous groups such as the American Indians and the Alaskan natives. H.R. 2314, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, would set up a process for native Hawaiians to organize a governmental entity. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and our President in passing this important bill. I would also be remiss if I did not pay tribute to my predecessor, Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink of Hawaii, a trailblazer in every sense of the word. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Richardson, for mentioning Patsy Mink, for whom title IX was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act. Title IX changed the lives of women and girls across our country. In fact, a couple of years ago, several of the high schools in my district were given a special recognition for really promoting title IX and participation of high school girls in sports. When I attended one of these high schools to present them with a special recognition, one of the girls asked me a question that totally floored me. That question was, If you could pick a sport, what sport would you have participated in? And it floored me because it was a question that had never been asked when I was in high school. That's the kind of difference that title IX is making. In fact, Patsy's own daughter, when she applied to a particular school and did not get accepted, the reason for that was, they told her, We have enough women in our university. This all preceded title IX. Literally thousands and thousands of lives have been change by title IX. In closing, I'd like to also once again thank Chairman Honda for allowing us this opportunity to reflect upon how far our APIA community has come, and yet we must remember how much further our community has to go. As we say in Hawaii, mahalo nui loa.

Ms. HIRONO. I can tell you, having gone to the women's gym in the Rayburn Building, things have changed. We have full-size lockers now. Truly, in terms of gender equality, Patsy was a leader because she had to fight every step of the way. And, in fact, one of the other stories about Patsy is when she applied to medical school. And she was a very smart woman. She wanted to become a doctor. She applied to medical school and was refused because she was a woman. When she finally applied to law school, they put her in the international dorm because they thought she was a foreign person. We have come a long way. I did want to mention as long as we are talking about the challenges that immigrants face. There was a historic poll done recently focusing on immigrant women and the fact that so many of them come to this country to truly create a new life of opportunity for their children. Many of them were professionals in the countries from which they came, and so they did not come to make money. Often the kind of jobs they were able to get in this country were very poor paying with not very many benefits. This was so reminiscent of when my mother brought us to this country. We came literally with nothing, and she started off in a very poor- paying job with no benefits. But what guided her was this immigrant spirit of wanting to create a new life for her children. That kept her going. She wanted for herself to be able to take care of her family, but to have us have opportunities that she never had. That story is replicated in thousands and thousands and thousands of stories by the waves of immigrants from Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, over and over. And to know that even now these women and their families face particular challenges should reinforce in us our desire to not only celebrate all of the accomplishments of the APIA community, but to know that there is much more work to be done.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act, a companion to Senator Akaka's bill of the same name, which will provide for the expedited reunification of the families of our Filipino World War II veterans. As you know, Filipino veterans are those that honorably answered the call of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served alongside our armed forces during World War II. They fought shoulder to shoulder with American servicemen; they sacrificed for the same just cause. We made a promise to provide full veterans' benefits to those who served with our troops. And while we have recently made appreciable progress toward fulfilling that long-ignored promise, we have not yet achieved the full equity that the Filipino veterans deserve. In 1990, the Congress recognized the courage and commitment of the Filipino World War II veterans by providing them with a waiver from certain naturalization requirements. Many veterans thereafter became proud United States citizens and residents of our country. However, allowances were not made for their children and many have been waiting decades for petition approval. The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act would allow for the further recognition of the service of the veterans by granting their children a special immigration status that would allow them to immigrate to the United States and be reunified with their aging parents. It is important to note that the Filipino soldiers who fought under the command of General Douglas McArthur at this critical time in our nation's history represent a unique category. These soldiers were members of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East. They were led to believe that at the end of the conflict they would be treated the same as American soldiers. It took more than sixty years to begin to make good on our commitment. The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act recognizes the special circumstances of this group of soldiers. I look forward to working with my colleagues by providing for the reunification of our Filipino World War II veterans with their families.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 347. This legislation appropriately awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in honor of their dedicated service during World War II. Comprised predominantly of Nisei, the American-born sons of Japanese immigrants, members of University of Hawaii's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) aided the wounded, buried the fallen, and helped defend vulnerable areas in Hawaii after the attack at Pearl Harbor. In spite of these acts of courage, the U.S. Army discharged all Nisei in the ROTC unit, changed their draft status to ineligible, and segregated all Japanese-Americans in the military on the mainland out of their units. In the meantime, more than a 100,000 Japanese-Americans were forcibly relocated from their homes to internment camps. Undaunted, members of the Hawaii Provisional Infantry Battalion joined the 100th Infantry Battalion in California to train as soldiers. The sheer determination and pursuit of excellence displayed by this battalion in training contributed to President Roosevelt's decision to allow Nisei volunteers to serve in the U.S. military again, leading to their incorporation into the 442nd. Members of the 100th and the 442nd risked their lives to fight for our country and allies in Europe. The 442nd ``Go for Broke'' unit became the most decorated in U.S. military history for its size and length of service, with its component, the 100th Infantry Battalion, earning the nickname ``The Purple Heart Battalion''. The 100th and the 442nd received seven Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier's Medals, and more than 4,000 Purple Hearts, among numerous additional distinctions. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2110.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Fair Funding for Schools Act, which reauthorizes and improves the Impact Aid program. Impact Aid benefits millions of American students attending elementary and secondary schools in every state in the country. Through this program, the federal government does the right thing by reimbursing local school districts for lost tax revenue due to federal lands within the borders of their districts and the number of military- connected students in the district. The majority of public school funding in America comes from local property taxes. Unfortunately, this vital funding stream is drastically reduced in school districts where the federal government controls part of the land in the district. For instance, the many U.S. military bases located in Hawaii take up a vast amount of space and house large populations, but these bases do not generate local property taxes. In other states, large national parks and forests, federal prisons, and Indian lands all similarly decrease local property tax revenue. Left uncorrected, this loss of revenue would leave the children living in these areas with a second class education, funded by substantially fewer dollars than their peers living in areas with no federally impacted land. In 1950, Congress recognized the need to address this inequity and created Impact Aid, a program by which we provide additional federal dollars to school districts feeling this financial strain. Impact Aid is one of the most effective programs run by the Department of Education because it sends money directly to local school districts with very few strings attached. Just like the property tax revenue it replaces, Impact Aid dollars can be used to fund the most essential needs identified by the school district--textbooks, computers, utilities, and salaries, for instance. Many districts rely heavily on this money, and without it their students would be shortchanged. Therefore, we must reauthorize this program. Even great programs need to be tweaked every so often, and this Fair Funding for Schools Act makes necessary changes in Impact Aid. The bill addresses the effects of military base realignment and troop redeployment by allowing Impact Aid payments to be calculated using current student counts instead of prior year data. This change will allow districts receiving an influx of new military families to receive their Impact Aid dollars in a timely manner. The Impact Aid law also has become overly complicated during its 59- year history. This bill simplifies the law by eliminating some outdated provisions that added unnecessary complications. It also maintains the program's traditional focus on need, whereby payments to school districts are calculated based on the percentage of the budget lost due to federal actions and on the number of federally connected children in a district. Madam Speaker, this is a vitally important bill for Hawaii and for many school districts across the country. The students most impacted are often from families serving in our military. Given the sacrifices we ask of military families, they deserve nothing less than the best education for their children. This bill will take us in that direction, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Aloha. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 80, which would authorize the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the 40th Annual Kamehameha Day Lei Draping Ceremony. And, of course, I encourage and invite all my colleagues to join us in this ceremony. I would like to thank Chairman Brady for his leadership and for allowing this bill to be brought forward in an expeditious manner. I would also like to thank the cosponsors of this bill, my fellow Pacific Island delegation members: Congressman Abercrombie, Congressman Faleomavaega, Congresswoman Bordallo, and Congressman Sablan, for their support. The Kamehameha Day Lei Draping Ceremony has been hosted by the Hawaii congressional delegation and the Hawaii State Society of Washington, D.C. since 1969. The ceremony has been held on or about June 11 to coincide with the celebration of Kamehameha Day, a State holiday in Hawaii. This year the event in D.C. will be held on Sunday, June 7. While the Kamehameha Day Lei Draping Ceremony has been held for decades, with the Kamehameha statue being moved to Emancipation Hall, a concurrent resolution must be passed to authorize the use of this space for this year's ceremony. Why do we celebrate and acknowledge King Kamehameha I? He was the first monarch to unify the Hawaii Islands and was the living embodiment of a leader. Born in 1782, Kamehameha I was daring, visionary, strong, and courageous, not just the kind of courage you find on the field of battle but the courage to forgive others for the greater good of all. As a young man on the Island of Hawaii, Kamehameha participated in a raid and surprised two local fishermen who then attacked him with a paddle, leaving him for dead. These same fishermen were presented to Kamehameha for judgment for this act 12 years later as Kamehameha was then a young chief. He could have sent them to their deaths with the slightest utterance, but he did not. Instead, he blamed himself for attacking innocent people and, astonishingly, gave the fishermen gifts of land and set them free. History records this act as the basis for the Law of the Splintered Paddle, a law which provided for the safety of noncombatants in wartime. It is a law that undoubtedly saved many lives during Kamehameha's later unification of all of the Hawaiian Islands. While this may have seemed like a simple gesture of kindness, this act took real courage and vision. As King of all Hawaii, Kamehameha appointed Governors for each island, made laws for the protection of all his people, planted taro, built houses and irrigation ditches, restored important cultural sites, encouraged industries like farming and fishing, managed the island's natural resources, and entered into trading agreements with other nations. The flag design he ordered for his kingdom later became the Seal of the State of Hawaii. He would rule until 1819. I would like to close by thanking the staff of the Committee on House Administration, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, and the Office of the Sergeant At Arms, who have been real partners in making this annual event possible for these many decades. Mahalo nui loa.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, Hawaii has some of the least-affordable housing in the country. Many of my constituents have more than one job just to make enough to put food on the table and pay their bills. Others have lost jobs due to the bad economy and the downturn in tourism. Families are struggling to stay in their homes. In Hawaii, foreclosures are up 500 percent from a year ago, and one in 29 homes with high-cost loans are likely to go into foreclosure. Forestalling foreclosure is often an exercise in frustration for homeowners. Some people in Hawaii are 2 or 3 months behind in their mortgages and are spending hours trying to reach out-of-state lenders in a different time zone to get their loans modified. To make matters worse, lenders tell them that their paperwork is lost and slap them with fees and penalties. We recently passed H.R. 1106 to help families like these restructure or refinance their mortgages. We also need to pass H.R. 1728 to support counseling efforts, provide foreclosure prevention assistance and strengthen loan standards.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 627, the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act. Last year, I was an original cosponsor of a similar bill, which passed overwhelmingly in the House by a bipartisan 312 to 112 majority (including 84 Republicans). I was disappointed that this legislation languished in the Senate. Since last year's action in the House, many American families and businesses have been particularly hard hit by the economic crisis, including those who rely upon credit lines, who, through no fault of their own, have been subjected to predatory lending or abusive credit card practices that make it difficult for them to end the cycle of costly debt. Hundreds of constituents in my district have contacted me to express support for this critical legislation. In 2008, credit card issuers imposed $19 billion in penalty fees on families with credit cards, and this year card companies will break all records for late fees, over-limit charges, and other penalties, amounting to more than $20.5 billion for the industry. Credit card debt in the United States has reached a record high--nearly $1 trillion-- with almost half of American families carrying a balance averaging $7,300 in 2007. One-fifth of those carrying credit card debt pay an interest rate above 20 percent. H.R. 627 prohibits credit card issuers from raising rates retroactively on existing balances. The bill also requires a 45-day notice of any rate increase and prohibits companies from charging interest on balances from more than one billing cycle. Members of the House have collaborated with President Obama to strengthen the bill by mandating that card issuers apply payments beyond the minimum to debts with the highest interest rate, requiring card companies to inform customers about the long-term costs of paying only the minimum balance, and allowing consumers to opt whether or not they want to go over their credit limit and be charged a fee for doing so. This legislation codifies Federal Reserve rules prohibiting unfair or deceptive bank practices related to credit card accounts and overdraft services and goes further by banning the marketing and issuance of credit cards to minors under the age of 18, banning credit card companies from imposing unfair and arbitrary fees when customers pay their bills, and allowing customers to set a lower credit card limit. The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights will level the playing field between card issuers and cardholders. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, this Congress is committed to energy self- sufficiency as a matter of national security. Hawaii's situation is especially acute as Hawaii is the most oil dependent State in the country and has the highest fuel and electricity costs nationwide. Thus, Hawaii is particularly aware of the need to change the status quo and focus on achieving a clean energy economy. Recently enacted legislation has given consumers and businesses in Hawaii and across the country incentives to invest in clean and renewable technologies, and more will be accomplished through the American Clean Energy and Security Act on which we are working. Our actions result in real decisions by real businesses. For example, because we extended the solar tax credits, a solar panel company and a local business in Hawaii got together to install photovoltaic panels on the roof of the business, which now generates 95 percent of its electricity from these panels. Our work on the American Clean Energy and Security Act will help States like Hawaii reach our energy goals.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill to authorize a special resources study of the World War II-era Honouliuli Internment Camp site in the State of Hawaii. Unlike much of the mainland United States, Japanese Americans in Hawaii were not subjected to the mass roundups experienced by Americans of Japanese ancestry who lived on the West Coast of the U.S. mainland. Executive Order 9066, which called for removal of Japanese Americans from restricted areas, was not enforced to the same degree in Hawaii. Forcing all of Hawaii's Japanese American population into camps was simply not practical as they made up some 40 percent of the population at the time. Executive Order 9066 put Hawaii under martial law. Interestingly, even before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the FBI had a ``custodial detention list'' of 337 people in Hawaii marked for arrest if America went to war with Japan. On December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, the FBI and the Army ordered the internment of everyone on the ``custodial detention list.'' Most of these initial internees were ``consular agents,'' persons who worked on a volunteer basis to assist other Japanese in filling out reports of birth, marriage, and death to be sent back to the emigrants' original villages in Japan. Many of these volunteer ``consular agents'' were long-time residents of Hawaii but were not citizens because they were not born in Hawaii. At the time, Japanese immigrants were barred from becoming naturalized U.S. citizens on the basis of race. None of these ``consular agents'' were ever charged with espionage or sabotage. Shinto and Buddhists priests, language teachers, and community leaders were also rounded up and put in the camps. Honouliuli Internment Camp was the largest and last-closed of the eight detention centers that operated in Hawaii. Honouliuli was also used as a prisoner of war camp. Each of the major islands had internment facilities for a period of time. Some 1,200 Japanese Americans and 100 Americans of Italian or German descent were interned in Hawaii between December 7, 1941, and September 14, 1945. Many were initially held in Hawaii and then transferred to internment camps on the U.S. mainland. The story of the internments in Hawaii is not well known. Most people in Hawaii are not even aware of this history. Archeological reconnaissance surveys of the Honouliuli Camp site have been conducted with the support of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, Conservation Fund, National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the University of Hawaii. The landowner, Monsanto, has also been supportive. The Honouliuli site, which is located in a gulch in an agricultural area on the island of Oahu, still contains many remnants of the camp. The special resource study authorized by this bill will evaluate the Honouliuli site, as well as associated sites on Oahu and other islands, regarding its significance in the history of World War II; in relation to the forcible internment of Japanese Americans, Italian Americans, and German Americans; and for its physical historic resources. One of the things I am most proud about America is our willingness to examine painful and often shameful periods of our past. The experience of Hawaii in relation to Executive Order 9066 has not really been told before. The proposed resource study will provide a map of how we might move forward in preserving and interpreting the historical record of this period. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in enthusiastic support of H.R. 146, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, which includes my Kalaupapa Memorial Act (H.R. 3332 in the 110th Congress; H.R. 410 in the 111th Congress). The Kalaupapa Memorial Act authorizes establishment of a memorial at Kalaupapa National Historical Park on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, to honor the memory and sacrifices of the some 8,000 Hansen's disease patients who were forcibly relocated to the Kalaupapa peninsula between 1866 and 1969. Last August, I visited Kalaupapa and met with the mostly elderly former patients who reside there. Many expressed a strong desire to see the Memorial become a reality in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, that dream did not come true for two of the community's most beloved and distinguished residents: Kuulei Bell, the president of Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa, passed away in February 8, 2009 after a long illness. Despite her illness, she continued to champion establishment of the Memorial until shortly before her death. Bernard Punikai'a, who fought all his life for equality and human rights for persons with Hansen's Disease throughout the world, passed away on February 25, 2009. Today, I pay special tribute to Kuulei and Bernard in casting my vote for this bill. The policy of exiling persons with the disease that was then known as leprosy began under the Kingdom of Hawaii and continued under the governments of the Republic of Hawaii, the Territory of Hawaii, and the State of Hawaii. Children, mothers, and fathers were forcibly separated and sent to the isolated peninsula of Kalaupapa, which for most of its history could only be accessed by water or via a steep mule trail. Children born to parents at Kalaupapa were taken away from their mothers and sent to orphanages or to other family members outside of Kalaupapa. Hawaii's isolation laws for people with Hansen's disease were not repealed until 1969, even though medications to control the disease had been available since the late 1940s. While most of us know about the sacrifices of Father Damien (his statue is one of two representing Hawaii in DC), who dedicated his life to care for those exiled to Kalaupapa fewer know of the courage and sacrifices of the patients who were torn from their families and left to make a life in this isolated area. It is important that their lives be remembered. Of the some 8,000 former patients buried in Kalaupapa, only some 1,300 have marked graves. A memorial listing the names of those who were exiled to Kalaupapa and died there is a fitting tribute and is consistent with the primary purpose of the park, which is ``to preserve and interpret the Kalaupapa settlement for the education and inspiration of present and future generations.'' Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa, a non-profit organization consisting of patient residents at Kalaupapa National Historical Park and their family members and friends, was established in August 2003 to promote the value and dignity of the more than 8,000 persons some 90 percent of whom were Native Hawaiian--who were forcibly relocated to the Kalaupapa peninsula. A central goal of Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa is to make certain that the lives of these individuals are honored and remembered through the establishment of a memorial or memorials within the boundaries of the park at Kalawao or Kalaupapa. Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa has made a commitment to raise the funds needed to design and build the memorial and will work with the National Park Service on design and location of the memorial. The residents of Kalaupapa and the families of those who have passed want to make sure not only that the story of Kalaupapa is told but that the patients are recognized as individuals by having the names of each of those exiled to Kalaupapa and buried there recorded for posterity. Families that have visited Kalaupapa and Kalawao searching in vain for the graves of their family members will find comfort in seeing those names recorded on a memorial.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act. I commend my House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar for introducing this vital legislation that makes much-needed investments to improve water quality and better ensure safe, clean water for communities throughout the country. The central focus of the bill is reauthorization of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides low-interest loans and grants to local communities for construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other water pollution abatement projects. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund was last reauthorized in 1987, although the program has been funded every year, albeit at inadequate levels. For years, the amount of available funding has been far below the demand for funds from local governments. Much of the clean water infrastructure in our nation is rapidly approaching or has already exceeded its projected life. This aging infrastructure must be repaired or replaced soon. The gap between wastewater infrastructure needs and current levels of spending has been estimated at between $3.2 billion to $11.1 billion a year. If the authorized levels of funding provided in this bill are appropriated, Hawaii will see a four-fold increase in the annual level of funding received under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund--from $5.3 million in FY2009 to an estimated $21 million each year from FY2010 to FY2014. In addition to improving our infrastructure, this amount of funding could create or sustain some 700 jobs a year in Hawaii. This funding is critically needed in our state. Just this week, I met with members of the four county councils in my district. All have concerns about the condition of wastewater infrastructure in their districts and the inability of local governments to fund the level of investment that is urgently needed. Lack of this funding is having serious environmental consequences and, in some areas, is actually preventing development of much-needed housing. I urge my colleague to support this bill, which will stimulate employment and all of our local economies while protecting the environment.