27
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
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                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  COMMEMORATING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE ORGANIC ACT.



 1        WHEREAS, on January, 17, 1893, the Kingdom of Hawaii was
 2   overthrown; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, on July 7, 1898, the Republic of Hawaii was
 5   annexed by the United States by a Joint Resolution of
 6   Annexation; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, after annexation, United States President William
 9   McKinley appointed, pursuant to the Joint Resolution, five
10   commissioners to recommend to Congress "such legislation
11   concerning the Hawaiian Islands as they shall deem necessary or
12   proper"; and
13   
14        WHEREAS, the five commissioners were United States
15   Senators Shelly M. Cullom, chairman, and John T. Morgan; United
16   States Representative Robert R. Hitt; and Hawaii residents
17   Sanford B. Dole, and Walter F. Frear; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, the commissioners held meetings and hearings in
20   Honolulu and the neighbor islands in the fall of 1898; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, on December 6, 1898, President William McKinley
23   of the United States transmitted the report of the Hawaiian
24   Commission, appointed pursuant to the "joint resolution to
25   provide for annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United
26   States," approved July 7, 1898; together with a copy of the
27   civil and penal laws of Hawaii; and
28   
29        WHEREAS, on April 30, 1900 the Congress of the United
30   States passed the Organic Act; and
31   
32        WHEREAS, the Organic Act provided for a government for the
33   Territory of Hawaii; and
34   
35        WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Islands consisted of the following
36   islands:  Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau,
37   Kahoolawe, Molokini, Lehua, Kaula, Nihoa, Necker, Laysan,
38   Gardiner, Lisiansky, Ocean, French Frigates Shoal, Palmyra,
39   Brooks Shoal, Pearl and Hermers Reef, Gambia Shoal and Dowsett

 
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                                     H.C.R. NO.         
                                                        
                                                        

 1   and Maro Reef; and
 2   
 3        WHEREAS, under the laws of the Kingdom of Hawaii, the
 4   Crown lands were declared to be inalienable; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, under the Organic Act, the Crown lands were
 7   declared to be public domain and "subject to alienation and
 8   other uses as provided by law"; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, On July 9, 1921 the Congress of the United States
11   enacted the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act; and
12   
13        WHEREAS, On March 18, 1959 the Congress of the United
14   States enacted An Act to Provide for the Admission of the State
15   of Hawaii into the Union; and
16   
17        WHEREAS, in December 1999, representatives of the
18   Department of Interior held reconciliation discussions within
19   the Native Hawaiian communities regarding the unlawful
20   overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii; now, therefore,
21   
22        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
23   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
24   of 2000, the Senate concurring, that the centennial anniversary
25   of the passage of the Organic Act is hereby commemorated; and
26   
27        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the House of
28   Representatives and the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature,
29   "Express Aloha" to the Native Hawaiian community on this
30   centennial event that saddens many Native Hawaiians; and
31   
32        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all members of the House of
33   Representatives and the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature of
34   the State of Hawaii, are encouraged to gather with the Native
35   Hawaiian community at Iolani Palace on April 30, 2000,
36   commemorating the centennial of the Organic Act; and
37   
38        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Concurrent Resolution
39   serve as a reminder to the United States Congress of its
40   involvement in the creation of the Organic Act; and
41   
42        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Concurrent Resolution
43   serve as an invitation to President William Jefferson Clinton

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     H.C.R. NO.         
                                                        
                                                        

 1   of the United States of America and the Congress of the United
 2   States to gather with the Native Hawaiian community at Iolani
 3   Palace on April 30, 2000, commemorating the Centennial of the
 4   Organic Act, or at their earliest convenience; and
 5   
 6        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 7   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the
 8   United States, the United States Secretary of State, the
 9   Attorney General of the United States, the United States
10   Secretary of the Interior, the President of the United States
11   Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the
12   United States, Hawaii's Congressional delegation, the Chief
13   Justice of the United States Supreme Court, the Governor of
14   each state, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the State
15   of Hawaii, the Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court, and
16   each member of the House of Representatives of the State of
17   Hawaii.
18   
19 
20 
21 
22                           OFFERED BY: ___________________________