[House Report 114-720]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
114th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 114-720
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ACKNOWLEDGING AND HONORING BRAVE YOUNG MEN FROM HAWAII WHO ENABLED THE
UNITED STATES TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN JURISDICTION IN REMOTE
EQUATORIAL ISLANDS AS PROLONGED CONFLICT IN THE PACIFIC LED TO WORLD
WAR II
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September 6, 2016.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Bishop of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted
the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 169]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the resolution (H. Res. 169) acknowledging and honoring brave
young men from Hawaii who enabled the United States to
establish and maintain jurisdiction in remote equatorial
islands as prolonged conflict in the Pacific lead to World War
II, having considered the same, report favorably thereon
without amendment and recommend that the resolution be agreed
to.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of House Resolution 169 is to acknowledge and
honor brave young men from Hawaii who enabled the United States
to establish and maintain jurisdiction in remote equatorial
islands as prolonged conflict in the Pacific led to World War
II.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The United States first began establishing its presence in
the Equatorial Pacific during the mid-19th century through
guano\1\ mining conducted by private American companies under
the Guano Islands Act (48 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.). After several
decades, guano resources became depleted, leading to the
diminishing presence of American companies on the equatorial
Pacific islands, leaving them vulnerable to development and
claim by other world nations, especially the regional rival,
Imperial Japan. The United States still maintained a desire for
military and commercial air routes between Australia and
California, air routes that would be facilitated by the use of
Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands. In 1935, the Department of
Commerce developed a clandestine colonization plan with the
objective of placing U.S. citizens on the remote islands for
the United States to lay claim to them. The colonization
program called for non-active military personnel, to avoid
conflicting with international law regarding colonization by
military.
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\1\Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave-dwelling bats,
pinnipeds or birds in general and is a highly effective fertilizer due
to its high concentration of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium.
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In March 1935, the U.S. government enlisted the help of
native Hawaiians, graduates of the Kamehameha School for Boys,
as well as furloughed Army personnel to establish the remote
colonies necessary to lay claim to these islands in the
equatorial Pacific. The native Hawaiian men were all skilled
fishermen, expert swimmers and boatmen, and were willing to
undertake the requested mission with discipline and optimism,
making them the ideal candidates for the colonization program.
By June 1935, the furloughed army personnel had been ordered
off the islands and replaced by more graduates of the
Kamehameha School, leaving only the native Hawaiian volunteers
to maintain U.S. presence on the three remote islands. Daily
tasks of the colonists included recording weather conditions,
cultivating plants, maintaining daily activities logs,
recording local fish and fauna, and collecting biological
specimens for museum research.
After a year-long occupation of the islands by these men,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 7368,
proclaiming that the islands of Howland, Baker and Jarvis were
officially under the jurisdiction of the United States.
Administration of these remote islands was granted to the
Department of the Interior, with an emphasis on weather data
and radio communication as the primary objectives of the
colonists. In 1938, the U.S. colonized the islands of Canton
and Enderbury with the objectives of furthering commercial
aviation interest, and expanded the colonization program to
include these two islands.
By 1940, the Navy acknowledged a desire to maintain these
remote islands for strategic military positions against the
threat of the Imperial Japanese fleet. On December 8, 1941,
Howland Island was attacked by a fleet of Japanese bombers,
killing Hawaiian colonists Joseph Keliihananui and Richard
Whaley. The other islands were also subsequently attacked by
Japanese submarine and aircraft fleets, although fortunately
resulting in no further casualties to American colonists on the
islands. Unaware of the attacks on the remote islands of
Howland, Baker, and Jarvis by the Japanese and distracted by
the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Navy did not rescue the
remaining colonists until the beginning of February 1942. The
colonization project lasted a total of 7 years in which time
over 130 men volunteered for the project, a significant
majority of them being native Hawaiians. In July 1943, a
military base was established on Baker Island and played a
substantial role in the Tarawa-Makin operation, a significant
U.S. offensive against the Japanese fleet in the Pacific
theatre.
In 1956, the participants of the colonization project
established an organization to preserve the fellowship of their
group, naming it ``Hui Panala'au.'' In 1974, the islands of
Howland, Baker and Jarvis were designated as National Wildlife
Refuges and are now part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine
National Monument. The islands of Canton and Enderbury became
part of the Republic of Kiribati.
Concerns have been raised by the author of House Resolution
169 that the U.S. Government has never formally acknowledged or
thanked the men or their families for their sacrifices through
service in the equatorial islands colonization program. With
only one remaining member of the original Hui Panala'au
colonists still living, there is some urgency to pass this
resolution.
In the 112th Congress, Congresswoman Colleen W. Hanabusa
(D-HI) introduced a similar resolution (H. Res. 388) that was
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. No action was
taken on the bill. No similar resolution was introduced during
the 113th Congress.
COMMITTEE ACTION
House Resolution 169 was introduced on March 24, 2015, by
Congressman Mark Takai (D-HI). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs. On
June 14, 2016, the Natural Resources Committee met to consider
the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous consent.
No amendments were offered and the resolution was adopted and
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by
unanimous consent on June 15, 2016.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of Rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. This resolution
acknowledges certain accomplishments, recognizes the dedication
of certain individuals, extends condolences, honors certain
individuals and extends the appreciation of the House of
Representatives. Given its nature, this resolution incurs no
cost on the part of the federal government.
2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required
by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new budget
authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase
or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to acknowledge and honor brave young
men from Hawaii who enabled the United States to establish and
maintain jurisdiction in remote equatorial islands as prolonged
conflict in the Pacific lead to World War II.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5
Directed Rule Making. The Chairman does not believe that
this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any
specific rule-making proceedings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.
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