Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am deeply honored to represent Hawaii-- my home State is second to none when it comes to patriotism, public service, and personal sacrifice. I thank the Senate for so swiftly passing S. Res. 109, a resolution I authored to acknowledge the deeds of 130 brave young men from Hawaii who answered the call to serve our country at a perilous time in our Nation's history. Passage of this resolution commemorates the 80th anniversary of the landing of the first Native Hawaiian colonists on remote equatorial islands in the Pacific. It also marks the 79th year since President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an Executive order to proclaim the islands of Jarvis, Howland, and Baker under the jurisdiction of the United States. This was a 7-year colonization effort from 1935 to 1942 to secure and maintain the islands under the jurisdiction of the United States. The vast majority of the 130 individuals involved in colonization efforts were Native Hawaiian--many recent high school graduates of the Kamehameha Schools. Later colonists included those of Asian ancestry and recent graduates from high schools across Hawaii. These young men left their homes and families to be transported to barren equatorial islands, and were then largely left to fend for themselves and each other. They caught fish, constructed rudimentary lodgings, and throughout the years demonstrated great courage and self- reliance.…”