Colleen Hanabusa

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire if the gentleman from California has any more speakers?

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is one of three federally recognized Cherokee Tribes. Their ancestral homeland includes substantial parts of seven Eastern States, including Tennessee. In 1979, the completion of the Tellico Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority caused a large area of their ancestral lands along the Little Tennessee River to be flooded, covering many historic Tribal sites. The Cherokee can never recover those flooded lands, but there are other sites in the area that are in need of protection and preservation. H.R. 146 aids in this cause by transferring approximately 76 acres of historically significant lands from the TVA to the United States to be held in trust for the Eastern Band of Cherokee. This would give the Eastern Band greater control over their historic homelands as well as the opportunity to memorialize the history and culture of the Cherokee people. I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3961 amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to direct a study of the Kissimmee River to potentially be added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The designation would prohibit dams and other projects that would negatively impact the river's natural condition, but would not restrict private land use. Mr. Speaker, I support the passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto), the author of the bill.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the adoption of this bill. It is a great bill. It protects our first responders and is something that we need to provide for them. As stated earlier, the Forest Service has no other use for this land. Mr. Speaker, I encourage adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4609 authorizes the conveyance of 3.61 acres of National Forest System land to Dolores County, Colorado, for the purpose of building a fire station. The language of this bill also allows the United States to regain ownership of the land if the county no longer uses it for its intended purpose. During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing in February of this year, representatives from the Forest Service not only expressed their support for this conveyance, but went on to note the lack of non-Federal options for land suitable for building a fire station in the area. We can all agree on the importance of public safety. It is our duty as Members of Congress to ensure that the brave men and women who serve as firefighters in their communities have access to the infrastructure they need to do their work. Mr. Speaker, I support the adoption of the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, each year, the National Park Service collects approximately $2 million in fees for medical services provided to park visitors. Current law requires the Park Service to send the money it collects for these services to the Treasury rather than keeping them in the site where the services are performed. This requires the Park Service to use money out of individual park budgets to mitigate the costs associated with medical services. H.R. 3607 authorizes the Park Service to collect and retain fees for medical services, which would relieve some of the financial pressure faced by our parks and ensure that these services will be available to visitors. Mr. Speaker, I believe that H.R. 3607 is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote for its passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my Special Order.

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend and former colleague, Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka. For 36 years, Senator Akaka represented Hawaii in the Congress of the United States. He was the first person of Native Hawaiian descent to serve in the United States Senate. A 22-year veteran of that body, he chaired the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Committee on Indian Affairs, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Government Management, and was a senior member of the Senate Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Armed Services. Prior to serving the Senate, he proudly represented Hawaii's Second Congressional District for 14 years in this Chamber. He fought with humility and respect for his beloved home State of Hawaii and its people. A relentless champion of Native Hawaiians, an indigenous people, he advocated for increased access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunity. He worked to secure recognition and benefits for veterans. Before pursuing elected office, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He used the GI Bill to earn his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Hawaii before teaching math, music, social studies, and serving as a principal. He would later transition into State government as a director of the Hawaii Office of Economic Opportunity, focusing on policies and programs to help alleviate poverty. Senator Akaka's distinguished service and congressional contributions are numerous and distinguished. He embodied the aloha spirit, and his kindness and empathy is his greatest legacy. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to articulate how much he means to the people of Hawaii. Senator Akaka represented everything that is and could be good in all of us. He saw the best in everyone and never had a bad word to say about anyone. If you were fortunate to meet him, as I was humbled to do so on many occasions, you walked away feeling better about yourself and the world. Your spirit refreshed and refocussed. He preached that kindness and aloha must never be sacrificed to get things done. We do not need to emulate the aggressive brinksmanship and bullying that too often define our policy debates here. Senator Akaka embraced bipartisanism and knew that, if we could empathize with those we disagreed with, we were that much closer to a compromise. Toward the end of his service in the Senate, he remarked: ``I feel that since I came here, one of the things I've tried to do--and done it as much as I can--was to bring about a feeling here of a spirit that comes from Hawaii, that we call aloha spirit, because it opens things up, it cuts down fences, it helps people to feel the need to work with each other.'' Whenever deciding how to vote, it wasn't about looking to the left or looking to the right, but what was inside his heart. He recalled many instances in which he disagreed or voted differently than his friends, but he never let a policy difference impact that friendship. Always a schoolteacher, he was a stickler for grammar and punctuation. Senator Akaka mentored generations of public servants. In every office of the Hawaii delegation, you will find the Senator's staff carrying on his mission. One of his former legislative assistants is now my colleague in the House, who spoke earlier, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. My legislative director, Elizabeth Songvilay, and military legislative assistant, Dan Kouchi, were fortunate to work for the Senator. Liz shared a story, one of many that live on, about how the Senator and Auntie Millie managed the annual Senate ice cream reception. They insisted that the entire office, including committee staff, go with them into the Senator's-only section, where Members and their immediate family were served with no lines. Auntie Millie would walk in and tell everyone the staff was her and the Senator's grandkids. He maintained one of the most diverse offices on the Hill, which usually included people of all races who definitely did not look like they were related to the Akakas. That was the Senator, always generous and striving for equality. There was no special line for Senators. He considered that everyone he ever worked for was his partner and equal. Mr. Speaker, I will forever be grateful for what Senator Akaka meant to me as a friend and mentor. I was humbled and honored to have his support. I urge my colleagues to honor the Senator's legacy by committing to bipartisan leadership and civil discourse but, more importantly, by living with aloha. Mr. Speaker, Senator Akaka was known to break into song at special occasions, and his favorite song was called the ``Hawaiian Lullaby,'' words by Hector Venegas and Peter Moon, music by Peter Moon. These are the words, and they epitomize him: Where I live, there are rainbows, With life in the laughter of morning and starry nights. Where I live, there are rainbows, And flowers full of colors and birds filled with song. I can smile when it's raining, And touch the warmth of the Sun. I hear children laughing in this place that I love. Where I live, there are rainbows, With life and the laughter of morning and starry nights. Mr. Speaker, that is Senator Akaka. General Leave

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young). As everyone knows, Alaska and Hawaii's relationship is more than legendary. (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to honor the memory of our dear friend and colleague, Senator Daniel Akaka. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard).

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Roy Fujiwara, a Honolulu resident, decorated World War II veteran, and loyal American citizen. Mr. Fujiwara was born February 15, 1918, in Seattle, Washington. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 17, 1941, soon after Pearl Harbor. He was a patriot prepared to die for his country, telling his family he ``was going, but not coming back.'' While he served the United States, his family was removed from their homes and sent to the Puyallup Relocation Center. The family was later separated and sent to internment camps that held Japanese-Americans throughout the war. Mr. Fujiwara joined the Army's segregated 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit that would go on to become the most decorated in the history of the United States Armed Forces. In 1945, the 442nd was ordered to attack Mt. Folgorito in Italy. From its heights on the western terminus of the Gothic Line, the enemy could block American operations all the way to the coast and for several miles out to sea. The mountain had to be taken for the Allies to advance. The 442nd made a surprise attack that required a stealthy eight-hour climb up the mountain in complete darkness. Italian partisans led the way, and Mr. Fujiwara climbed carrying the heavy Browning Automatic Rifle, or B.A.R. He remembers the battle at the summit that nearly cost his life: ``The Germans looked for us B.A.R. men because we had the firepower. My buddy got shot, and I could hear him yell, `Roy! I'm hit!' I stuck up my head and the sniper knew exactly where I was . . . Pow!'' The sniper's bullet hit Mr. Fujiwara next to his right eye and exited his neck, which still today bears a six-inch scar. Not yet spent, the same bullet shattered his right shoulder. His fellow soldiers carried him down the mountain, and he spent 30 days in the hospital with his arm in a cast and his jaw wired shut. Months of rehabilitation were to follow. The 442nd took the mountain, broke the Gothic Line, and the Allies continued to push the enemy out of Italy. Mr. Fujiwara's two brothers also served in the U.S. Army. After the war, he returned to find the Seattle Japanese-American community trying to pick up the pieces of its pre-Internment existence. He applied for work at Fredric and Nelson, which he calls the ``biggest and nicest department store in Seattle at that time'' and worked there 32 years. The store had not hired Japanese Americans until Mr. Fujiwara broke the color barrier. He met and married Sei Kanogawa, who passed away in 2012, and has one son, Tod Fujiwara, who lives in Honolulu. 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans, including Mr. Fujiwara, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol in November 2011. Mr. Fujiwara also earned the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Combat Infantryman's Badge for his service. Mr. Fujiwara turned 100 years old on February 15, 2018, celebrating with his family and friends in Honolulu. He remains a patriotic American and an American hero for serving his country and enduring the wounds his service brought. He has led a productive life, has a great sense of humor, and always conducts himself with dignity, in spite of the many challenges he has faced. He is a treasure to his native state of Washington, his new home state of Hawaii, and the United States of America. I extend my sincerest birthday wishes to Roy Fujiwara and wish him many more healthy and happy years.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill expands the boundaries of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado to include an additional 300 acres. The expanded boundary will further the monument's paleontological research objectives and facilitate access for projects designed to decrease wildfire risk, a critical issue in this forested region. During our subcommittee hearing on this bill, we heard that the expansion is broadly supported by the local community and a critical addition to a monument that was established, thanks to enormous public interest in preserving a unique natural treasure. The story of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is an excellent example of the importance of conservation, and it is encouraging that we can work together in a bipartisan fashion to further this mission. I want to congratulate Representative Lamborn for his hard work. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to encourage the Members to please support this wonderful bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson).

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4851 establishes the Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site in Indianapolis to honor the site where Robert F. Kennedy gave a stirring speech shortly after learning of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination. The speech was a moment of unification and a rallying cry to remain committed to the values of nonviolent resistance preached by Dr. King. The location of the speech has become a source of pride and inspiration for the local community, so much so that they named the park after Dr. King and developed the Landmark for Peace Memorial to commemorate Senator Kennedy's moving remarks. Designating the memorial as a national commemorative site is a fitting tribute and honor to the legacies of both Dr. King and Senator Kennedy. I thank Representatives Carson and Brooks and the entire Indiana delegation for their hard work moving this bill through the legislative process. I support the adoption of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary man, Melvin Kauila Clark, who passed away on Sunday, December 24, 2017. A talented artist, Native Hawaiian traditional healer, celebrated leader of the community health center movement, and a personal friend of mine, Kauila will be deeply missed by the many people whose lives he has touched. Kauila grew up in Wahiawa on the island of Oahu and graduated from Leilehua High School in 1963. Kauila went on to earn a bachelor's degree in drawing and painting from Graceland University and a master's degree in clay and sculpture from the University of Puget Sound. He became an internationally acclaimed artist and potter, with his works exhibited in 53 countries and museums, including in the Smithsonian here in Washington. I always admired Kauila's pottery because they reflected who he was so well. His pieces were big but also delicate, reflecting both the strength of his character and the gentle kindness of his heart. Kauila's willingness to share and donate his pieces to raise money for the communities around him demonstrated his wonderful generosity of spirit. In Hawaii, Kauila will be fondly remembered as a Native Hawaiian traditional healer who shared his wisdom with all who sought it. He rightfully believed that the diverse communities of the United States could learn much from traditional indigenous knowledge of balance and harmony. Unsurprisingly, even though Kauila was a kahuna, a ``keeper of secrets,'' one of the select few certified to hold that title, he preferred to be called kahu, or ``priest.'' A passionate advocate of the community health center movement, Kauila has dedicated much of his life towards ensuring that Americans of all backgrounds across the country receive culturally competent, patient-centered health care. Kauila and I got to know each other over the course of his work on healthcare with the Waianae community, since Kauila and I were both part of the hanai family of Auntie Agnes ``Aggie'' Kalaniho'okaha Cope, who first founded the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Care Center. Kauila continued Auntie Aggie's work by serving as board director of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center for twenty-seven years. Kauila dedicated much of the past nineteen years to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Over the course of his distinguished service, he served on the Consumer/Board Member, Finance, Farmworker Health, Membership, Health Center Governance, Nominating, and Screening Committees at various points in time. Between 2005 and 2008, Kauila was treasurer for NACHC. Kauila became chair-elect of NACHC in 2009, board chair in 2011, and immediate past chair in 2015, the first Native Hawaiian to hold those positions in NACHC. In everything he did, Kauila thought about his sons, whom he loved deeply. We used to talk about his sons and how they were growing up. I especially remember one conversation in which we chatted about how Tiger Woods's success was influencing Kauila's sons towards golf and away from football. Kauila was the grounding for his family, and it was always apparent to me that his kids came first in his heart and in everything he did. Much can be said of the art, wisdom, and leadership that Kauila shared with the world. He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by the people whom he encouraged, counseled, inspired, and healed. With cherished memories of Kauila in our hearts, we will continue his life's work for a better, kinder world.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, today, when the hallowed words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty seem to disappear into the fog of debate over immigration, I proudly rise to recognize and honor Dr. Edison Hiroyuki Miyawaki of Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. Miyawaki, an American healthcare executive and graduate of George Washington University School of Medicine, is a pioneer in Hawaii's skilled nursing industry. He is President of Pali Corporation, one of the largest privately-held healthcare businesses in Hawaii, whose facilities serve patients needing continuing, complex care after acute illness. In addition to his work in healthcare, Dr. Miyawaki's dedication to, influence on, and contributions to education and athletics have touched Americans of all ages, ethnicities, and social strata. Dr. Miyawaki's story began over 100 years ago when his father, Kazumi Miyawaki, immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima, Japan. The son of farmers, he sought new opportunities and found them in real estate. He built a successful general contracting business and paved a path that his son, born February 6, 1929, to Kazumi and his wife Fujiko, has walked for 89 years, 51 of those years with his late wife Sallie. Simply as the result of one person who responded to the Statue of Liberty's entreaty and came to Hawaii to start a new life, America has reaped a plethora of unanticipated, valuable gifts. Born on Oahu and a son of Hawaii in every sense, Edison Miyawaki witnessed the horrors of World War II that impacted his family. These included the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, his parents' birthplace where many relatives lived and where he spent the majority of his early years, and the federal government's threat to Japanese- Americans of internment despite their U.S. citizenship. While someone of lesser character might have turned inward because of those events, Dr. Miyawaki has followed his heart and applied his resources to make a difference to individuals, the State of Hawaii, and the people of the United States. Millions throughout the country have enjoyed the entertainment Dr. Miyawaki has brought them through his support of professional football, baseball and basketball. He is the first Japanese-American to purchase an ownership interest in a National Football League (NFL) franchise, having been a co-owner of the Cincinnati Bengals since 1994. He has added to his sports portfolio through subsequent investments in the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Celtics. As a member of the NFL Pro Bowl Committee, he was instrumental in convincing the NFL to keep the Pro Bowl in Hawaii for more than thirty years. But his avid interest in sports and his largesse has extended beyond the professional arena, encompassing Hawaii high school student- athletes. His generosity is grounded in his belief that participation and competition in high school sports can enable student-athletes to develop character and leadership skills and learn the values of sportsmanship and teamwork, thus opening doors to higher education and successful careers. Dr. Miyawaki has provided Hawaii student-athletes with countless opportunities to receive university scholarships, including via the Miyawaki Scholarship Fund at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), his alma mater, where he served as a trustee for 13 years and which has named him a Distinguished Alumnus. To help those aspiring to play professional football, Dr. Miyawaki established an NFL training camp, opening doors and advocating for Hawaii players to gain tryouts with NFL teams for over three decades. Among the players who have successfully entered those ranks are Arnold Morgado (Kansas City Chiefs) and Paul Dombroski (Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Dr. Miyawaki also values and provides financial support to a wide range of educational institutions and specialties. He is well-known for his generosity as a philanthropist in making educational opportunities available to young people in Hawaii and across the country. Among his major philanthropic projects are scholarships and research awards (Miyawaki ``Trainee in Neuroscience'' Award Endowment at University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine; Edison H. and Sallie Y. Miyawaki Gifts for Teaching in Neurology at Harvard Medical School; Miyawaki Scholarship Fund at Temple Medical School), teaching chairs (Robert H. Taylor, S. J. Chair in the Department of Philosophy at LMU), and structures (Miyawaki Hall at the Middle School of Punahou School; Miyawaki Library at LMU; Miyawaki Law Journal Center at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles). Dr. Miyawaki has volunteered liberally to help his community, state, and country. He has served on the Hawaii Criminal Justice Commission and on the boards of numerous organizations (Japanese-American National Museum in Los Angeles; Japanese Cultural Center in Hawaii; the Mid- Pacific Institute). He has been honored by many in Hawaii for his extensive contributions spanning decades. Hawaii alone has inducted Dr. Miyawaki into the Hawaii Business Hall of Fame, awarded him the Charles Reed Bishop Medal, and named him a recipient of the National Football Foundation's (Hawaii Chapter) Community Service Award. From grandfather to father to grandson, the Miyawaki legacy of ``giving back and looking forward'' continues with Dr. Miyawaki's son, Dr. Edison Kazumi Miyawaki, a Boston-based neurologist, author, and philanthropist. Hawaii is proud of the Miyawaki family, proud of their contributions, and proud to acknowledge and express our gratitude for what we collectively have gained by long ago welcoming them and continuing to welcome them with a warm Aloha.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor to share the floor with my good friend from Alaska. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 219 instructs the Secretary of the Interior, after consulting with the Forest Service, to resurvey the Lost Creek section and other additional lands by the Swan Lake hydroelectric facility so the Interior Department can modify the boundary and convey land necessary for the facility's expansion. The Swan Lake hydroelectric facility is a tall concrete arch dam at the head of the Carroll Inlet. The project was authorized by FERC, and operation began in 1984. It is currently operated by a not-for-profit Alaskan Joint Action Agency called the Southeast Alaska Power Agency. These utilities provide an estimated 62 percent of the power consumed by the communities they serve. The survey that was used to convey land for the expansion project contained a mistake and omitted the Lost Creek section and other additional areas. More land, however, needs to be conveyed to the State of Alaska to utilize the additional reservoir storage from the recently finished expansion project. Because this bill corrects that mistake, conveys needed land for the facility expansion, and was supported by the U.S. Forest Service, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I believe that, given the nature of this bill--and we all know that when it comes to Alaska, no one is a better advocate and the strongest proponent of what is right and for the State of Alaska than my good friend, the Representative from Alaska. This is a bill that corrects that mistake, it conveys the needed land for the facility expansion, and it is supported by all the necessary Federal agencies. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I can make this even more real for people. Hawaii, as you know, my home State, is very close to Asia. We have many of the cuisines of Asia, and I can tell you that these are delicacies. Sea urchins are also called uni, for those who frequent sushi bars, and sea cucumbers are called namako. I grew up eating both, and they are very critical and a major part of what we consume, especially, not only in the sushi bars, but during festive holidays in Hawaii. So you can imagine what it means in terms of an export industry for Maine, not only to my home State, but also to the Asian market. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I join the introducers of this bill, the sponsors, and I ask that my colleagues support this. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), the sponsor of this bill.

Ms. HANABUSA

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, in closing, again, I congratulate the Missouri delegation for coming together in a bipartisan fashion and working so hard to move this legislation forward. We are going to, by passage of this legislation, give this very national icon an updated and recognizable name, as it has always represented, really, when you think about it, the Skyline of St. Louis. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues support this great piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill redesignates the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial as the Gateway Arch National Park. The Gateway Arch has become synonymous with the St. Louis skyline, and this is an important change that gives this national icon an updated and recognizable name. S. 1438 passed the Senate by a voice vote, so with our support today, we will be sending it to the White House for the President to sign. I congratulate the Missouri delegation for coming together in a bipartisan fashion and working so hard to move this through the legislative process. The House version of this bill was introduced by Representative Lacy Clay. Unfortunately, he was not able to be here this afternoon, but he deserves a hearty congratulations for his work on this initiative. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.