Congress members' break is busy one

Congress members' break is busy one

Congress members' break is busy one
Hawaii campaigning just part of what's getting done in recess

By Dennis Camire
Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — With Congress in recess, Hawai'i's lawmakers are keeping busy schedules of campaign activities, constituent service and public appearances.


Free of competitive races in the state this year, the state's two House members are mixing other activities into their campaigns and the state's two senators, not up for re-election, are using the time to visit federal facilities and meet with constituents.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, running against Republican Steve Tataii for re-election to an 11th term, is making radio ads to promote the planned $3.7 billion Honolulu rail-transit system as part of his campaign as well as putting in appearances such as at a Chinese Community Action Coalition's candidate forum.

"My campaign consists of me doing my job," Abercrombie said. "That's the best way to campaign."

Abercrombie also chairs Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's Hawai'i campaign and has stumped for him in battleground states. Abercrombie stopped in Ohio on behalf of Obama on the way back to Hawai'i after Congress recessed and is now running phone banks urging people in Nevada's Hawaiian communities to vote for Obama.

"We've zeroed in on people who have Hawai'i connections," Abercrombie said. "If it's close, and it appears to be close in Nevada right now, we think we're going to make the difference."

Abercrombie and U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, also visited Fort Hood, Texas, last week to speak to Hawai'i Army National Guard and Reserve troops who are training for deployment to Kuwait this month.

Freshman U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai'i, said she is running a re-election campaign while meeting with constituents on environmental, education and other issues.

"I do some canvassing on the weekends and will be doing some ads," said Hirono, who faces Roger Evans on Nov. 4. "I'm ... taking nothing for granted."

Hirono also is holding town meetings where she and her staff talk with constituents about community issues. One is planned for today at Kane'ohe Elementary School and another for tomorrow at Kaunakakai Elementary School on Moloka'i.

Hirono said she also has campaigned in Hawai'i for Obama, but hasn't done anything outside the state.

"As a first-term person (in Congress), I'm pretty focused on what I need to be doing at home," she said. "For example ... I'm continuing to have meetings with people related to my Go Green focus ... (and) I've been meeting with educators."

Akaka, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, is visiting Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and other facilities across the country. So far, Akaka has toured six VA centers and plans to visit the Chicago center this week.

"The facilities that I've visited so far are have been amazing," Akaka said. "I didn't expect to see ... the huge progress they have made technically in providing service to veterans."

Akaka also stopped at Arlington National Cemetery to talk with officials there about repairs for the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington.

This week, Akaka and U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawai'i, will serve as hosts of a veterans' campaign lunch in Honolulu for Obama.

Inouye, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, also held meetings last week on the economy's impact on the state's tourism industry and Hawai'i's financial and credit markets. Other meetings are planned this week, with the Hawai'i Credit Union League, mortgage lenders and the Hawai'i Realtors Association.

As he has done for years, Inouye will take part in the traditional Democratic Party rally at Mo'oheau Bandstand in Hilo on election eve.

Inouye will leave Hawai'i a few days after the election to lead a Senate delegation to China as part of an exchange program with the National People's Congress, China's legislative body.
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Senator Akaka is the Senate Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee and he is spending the past few weeks visiting veterans facilities nationwide, I for one SALUTE him, he could have went to Hawaii to campaign instead he focused on the nations veterans, he is what the veterans and their families need in leadership a caring person. I thank him.

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