STAND. COM. REP. 245

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 657

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 657 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION OF THE KOREAN WAR COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to honor and recognize the Korean War Veterans who served and sacrificed for their country by appropriating $100,000 to enable the Korean War Commission to hold various ceremonies and events to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

The State Department of Defense; the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; members of the 5th Regimental Combat Team, Korean War Veterans Hawaii; members of the Korean War Veterans Association, Maui No Ka Oi Chapter 282, Maui; Korean War Veterans Association, Hawaii Chapter #1; members of the Aloha Chapter of the Chosin Few; and numerous individuals testified in support of this bill.

The United States Congress designated June 25, 2000, to November 11, 2003, as the official commemoration period for the fiftieth anniversary of the Korean War. As 2003 is the final year of this commemoration period, a variety of events are scheduled in Hawaii to recognize the men and women who served in Korea.

Your Committee supports this measure because it allows us to honor the Korean War Veterans who risked their lives, were killed in action, remain missing in action, or have since passed away. The fiftieth Commemoration of the Korean War is also important because it provides closure for the Hawaii families who lost loved ones and enables the public to understand the sacrifices made by those veterans who fought for their country.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to $1 for the purpose of continued discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 657, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 657, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on International Affairs,

 

____________________________

HELÉNE H. HALE, Chair