Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 8219, the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act. On August 8, 2023, Hawaii experienced one of its very darkest days when the town of Lahaina was consumed by the worst wildfire in modern American history. We lost 102 members of our ``family,'' ``ohana,'' and we are still searching for 2 more that are missing. I stand on the House floor today, as I have dozens of times this Congress, to advocate on behalf of those impacted by this tragedy. As we approach the 16-month anniversary of the fires, there is still so much more that needs to be done. While I will continue to fight for disaster funding and continued Federal assistance for Lahaina and all of our communities touched by disaster, every action that we take to support the rebuilding of our community helps in the healing, which is why I am so grateful that we are here today to debate my Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act. Currently of the 62 national heritage areas in the United States, none are in Hawaii. I cannot think of a better place to designate as Hawaii's first national heritage area than Lahaina. Even before the fires, community-driven efforts led by generational descendants and local leaders were focused on preserving Lahaina's rich history, tradition, and culture for future generations. My bill would be the first step in ensuring that Lahaina finally gets the recognition that she has long deserved.…”