STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1614

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 130
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental
Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 130 entitled: 

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES
     POSTAL SERVICE AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITIZENS' STAMP
     ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ISSUE A COMMEMORATIVE STAMP AND
     STATIONERY TO HONOR SPARK M. MATSUNAGA (1916-1990), UNITED
     STATES SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN, AND WORLD WAR II HERO,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the United States
Postal Service to issue a commemorative stamp and stationery to
honor Spark M. Matsunaga.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Office of
Veterans Services, and Japanese American Citizens League.

     Your Committee finds that Spark M. Matsunaga was a World War
II hero who served with distinction in the 100th Infantry
Battalion and received the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze
Star, and two Purple Hearts.  He began his political career as a
member of the Territorial Legislature and was an instrumental
leader in Hawaii's bid for statehood.  In 1962, Mr. Matsunaga was
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he focused on
the rights of immigrants, the welfare of veterans, and civil
rights for Japanese Americans and other minorities.  In 1976, he
was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he was a major proponent of
the use of renewable energy sources and Soviet-American

 
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cooperation in space exploration.  One of Mr. Matsunaga's more
notable achievements was obtaining redress for Japanese Americans
who were unjustly interned and relocated during World War II.

     As a war hero, political leader, staunch defender of civil
rights, and peacemaker, your Committee believes it is fitting
that Spark M. Matsunaga be nationally recognized by the issuance
of a commemorative stamp and stationery in his honor.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental Affairs that is
attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the
intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 130 and recommends its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Transportation
                                   and Intergovernmental Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

 
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