HONOLULU -- The issue of President Barack Obama's birthplace that came up during the presidential election keeps resurfacing.

It was raised again on Monday and state officials responded.

Despite a birth certificate available for viewing on the Internet, those who believe Barack Obama is not an American citizen keep the issue afloat.

It came up Monday at a White House daily briefing when White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked if there was something he could do to make it go away.

"A year and a half ago, I asked that the birth certificate be put up on the Internet," Gibbs said. "Because Lord knows, if you got a birth certificate and you put it on the Internet, what else could be the story? Here's the deal, Bill: If I had some DNA, it wouldn't assuage those that don't believe he was born here."

State Health Director Chiyome Fukino is trying to put an end to the discussion. She released a statement that said she has seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawaii State Department of Health verifying that Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen.

Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, also is trying to quell the question.

He was one of sponsors of a House resolution celebrating 50 years of Hawaii statehood.

The resolution included the provision: "Whereas, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961..."

Abercrombie spoke of arriving in the islands 50 years ago and later befriending Obama's father while at the University of Hawaii.

"I arrived in Hawaii the same time President Obama's father," Abercrombie said. "We met at those first days in our matriculation at University of Hawaii and of course I could not possibly conceive at that time that the young man to be born of the union of Ann Dunham and Barack Senior would become the president of the United States," Abercrombie said.