Three-days weekends might be a great kickoff to summer, but Rep. Colleen Hanabusa says they detract from remembering what Memorial Day is really about.

She says the holiday should be celebrated on May 30th every year, regardless of what day of the week it falls on. And, she says, she’s interesting a bill tomorrow to do just that.

The issue was championed by the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, and the bill seems like the latest of example of Hanabusa trying to link herself to Inouye as she runs for his old seat against. Sen. Brian Schatz.

In a press release today, Hanabusa said Memorial Day had been celebrated on May 30th, but it was changed by Congress in the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968.

“Because of this, many Americans have begun to celebrate the long weekend as the beginning of summer rather than honoring those who died courageously in battle,” she said.

Hanabusa noted, “Restoring the traditional intention of Memorial Day was a cause championed by Senator Inouye throughout his career, because he understood the importance of ensuring that all Americans never forget the true significance of this holiday.”

A blog post in The Hill the other day recounted the importance of the issue to Inouye, a World War II veteran.

It said in part:

“Inouye lamented that “in our effort to accommodate many Americans by making the last Monday in May, Memorial Day, we have lost sight of the significance of this day to our nation. Instead of using Memorial Day as a time to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made by Americans in combat, many Americans use the day as a celebration of the beginning of summer.

 “To rectify this state of affairs, Inouye in 1989 sponsored a Senate bill to restore Memorial Day to May 30. He reintroduced the measure in every single Congress thereafter as long as he lived,” the post said.

— Kery Murakami