United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) is urging the people of Hawaii to contact the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C., which will meet July 15-16, 1999, to vote on future U.S. postal stamps. A proposal to issue a stamp commemorating Duke Kahanamoku is on the Committee's upcoming agenda.

Akaka met with Postmaster General William J. Henderson in March regarding Akaka's continued strong support for a stamp honoring the father of modern surfing and Olympic gold medalist, whose spirit embodies old Hawaii. Akaka, the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services, which has jurisdiction over postal issues, said, "A commemorative stamp celebrating the life of one of the state's most respected citizens would be welcomed not only by the people of Hawaii, but by sports enthusiasts worldwide."

The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) was established in 1957 to recommend to the Postmaster General stamp subjects that it believes are interesting and educational. It receives as many as 40,000 letters annually recommending stamp subjects and designs. If a suggested stamp is determined to meet the criteria set by the CSAC, research is done on each proposal and included on the Committee's agenda for its next meeting.

"Letters from local folks supporting a stamp commemorating Duke Kahanamoku will mean a lot," said Akaka. "I have supported this effort for a long time and expressed my strong belief that the time has come to honor the Duke, Hawaii's own Olympic hero who holds a place unequal to any other person in surfing history. I hope the people from Hawaii will do the same."

Correspondence should be sent to:

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Development
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W.
Room 4474-E
Washington, D.C. 20260-2437