The leaders of the provisional government asked the United States to annex, or add, Hawaii to the United States. Most Hawaiians were against annexation. Liliuokalani, herself, visited the United States and called on members of the U.S. Congress to reject such a step. In spite of her efforts, President Benjamin Harrison signed an annexation treaty. The Senate, however, failed to ratify the treaty before Harrison finished his term. Without that Senate ratification, the treaty could not go into effect.