[Senate Document 113-3]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






                    TRIBUTES TO HON. DANIEL K. AKAKA


                                           

                             Daniel K. Akaka

                        U.S. SENATOR FROM HAWAII

                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES




[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]









                                                       S. Doc. 113-3
 
                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                   Daniel K. Akaka

                              United States Congressman

                                      1977-1990

                                United States Senator

                                      1990-2013



[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]









                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                            WASHINGTON : 2014














                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing














                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Farewell Address......................................
                                                                     xi
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Blunt, Roy, of Missouri........................
                                                                     17
                    Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland...............
                                                                     18
                    Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
                                                                     11
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                      6
                    Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois................
                                                                      5
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                      7
                    Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
                                                                      5
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     17
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                  9, 15
                    Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland..............
                                                                      6
                    Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
                                                                     12
                    Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                     10
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada 
                     ...............................................
                     ............
                                                              3, 16, 20
             Proceedings in the House of Representatives:
                Tributes by Representatives:
                    Norton, Eleanor Holmes, of District of Columbia
                                                                     21

















                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Senator Akaka was born in Honolulu, HI, on September 11, 
             1924. He attended public grade school in Hawaii and 
             graduated from the Kamehameha School for Boys (high 
             school) in 1942. Like many of his generation, Senator 
             Akaka's youth was interrupted by World War II. Upon 
             graduation from high school, he served as a civilian 
             worker in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1943 to 
             1945, and served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947. 
             Following the war, Senator Akaka returned to school 
             enrolling in the University of Hawaii. He received a 
             bachelor of education degree from the University of Hawaii 
             in 1952.
               Senator Akaka taught at various schools in Hawaii from 
             1953 to 1960, and during this time went on to earn a 
             professional certificate in secondary education in 1953, a 
             professional certificate in school administration in 1961, 
             and a master of education degree in 1966.
               He was a vice principal from 1960 to 1963 and principal 
             from 1963 to 1968. He also served as Chief Program Planner 
             for the Hawaii Department of Education (1969-71), Director 
             of the Hawaii Office of Economic Opportunity (1971-74), 
             Special Assistant for Human Resources in the Office of the 
             Governor (1975-76), and Director of the Progressive 
             Neighborhoods Program (1975-76).
               He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 
             1976 and served from January 3, 1977 to May 16, 1990. He 
             was appointed to the U.S. Senate on May 16, 1990, to fill 
             the vacancy caused by the death of U.S. Senator Spark 
             Masayuki Matsunaga, subsequently winning a special 
             election to the office in November 1990. He was reelected 
             in 1994, 2000, and 2006, and served in the U.S. Senate 
             until January 3, 2013. Senator Akaka was the first U.S. 
             Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and the only Chinese 
             American Member of the U.S. Senate.
               In the U.S. Senate, Senator Akaka served on the Armed 
             Services; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Homeland 
             Security and Governmental Affairs; Veterans' Affairs; 
             Energy and Natural Resources; Indian Affairs; and Ethics 
             Committees. He was vice chair of the Democratic Steering 
             Committee. He also served as chairman of the Veterans' 
             Affairs Committee; Indian Affairs Committee; Homeland 
             Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on 
             Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce 
             and the District of Columbia; Armed Services Subcommittee 
             on Readiness; and Energy and Natural Resources 
             Subcommittee on National Parks.
               During his tenure as the chairman of the Veterans' 
             Affairs Committee, Senator Akaka secured significant 
             increases in health care funding for servicemembers 
             returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He 
             was also instrumental in reorganizing the U.S. Department 
             of Veterans Affairs to ensure it expeditiously handles 
             ``invisible wounds of war'' such as post-traumatic stress 
             disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Senator 
             Akaka played a key role in getting the U.S. Department of 
             Veterans Affairs and the Pentagon to share information and 
             work more cooperatively to assist with the care of U.S. 
             troops as they transition to civilian life. He, together 
             with U.S. Senator Jim Webb, passed a new GI bill that 
             provided expanded education benefits for veterans. Senator 
             Akaka strongly believed that the U.S. Government must 
             provide our veterans with the care and benefits that they 
             earned and deserved for their service to our country.
               Senator Akaka introduced legislation that enabled 
             military intelligence, Asian American and Pacific Islander 
             veterans to receive military awards which were unjustly 
             withheld. As a result, in 2000, 22 Asian Pacific American 
             World War II veterans, including Senator Daniel Inouye, 
             received the Medal of Honor, the Nation's highest award 
             for valor.
               Under Senator Akaka's chairmanship of the Homeland 
             Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on 
             Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce 
             and the District of Columbia, Federal workers and retirees 
             had a staunch advocate. Senator Akaka worked to ensure an 
             effective, efficient, and responsive Federal Government 
             through activities that support strong recruitment, 
             retention, motivation, and training initiatives for 
             Federal employees. He was a leader on civil service issues 
             and was a key protector of the rights of Federal 
             employees. Senator Akaka also worked to ensure that (1) 
             the Federal Government has the right people, with the 
             right skills, in the right place; (2) Federal employees 
             have adequate rights and protections to feel secure in 
             their jobs; (3) Federal employees are secure in the 
             knowledge that they can report government waste, fraud, 
             and abuse without facing retaliation; and (4) that Federal 
             managers have the flexibility required to recruit and 
             retain the best people. He included language in the FY 
             2003 Omnibus Appropriations Act to ensure that Federal 
             employees receive pay raises equal to the uniformed 
             services and parity in the pay for General Schedule and 
             Federal Wage Schedule employees. The Akaka language 
             continues to be used as a model.
               Senator Akaka worked with his colleagues to successfully 
             achieve enactment of the Non-Foreign Area Retirement 
             Equity Assurance Act which transitions employees in 
             Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. territories from non-foreign 
             COLA to locality pay; the Whistleblower Protection 
             Enhancement Act of 2012 to strengthen protections for 
             Federal employees who disclose government waste, fraud, 
             and abuse; the Hatch Modernization Act of 2012 to give 
             State or local government employees greater ability to run 
             for partisan elective office and allow flexibility in 
             penalizing violations of the law; the Telework Enhancement 
             Act of 2010 to expand the use of telework across the 
             Federal Government; the Civilian Service Recognition Act 
             of 2011 to recognize Federal employees who died in service 
             to their country; the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Act 
             to provide long term care insurance to Federal employees; 
             the Plain Writing Act of 2009 to improve the clarity and 
             understanding of Federal documents issued to the public; 
             and legislation allowing unused sick leave to count toward 
             an employee's retirement, employees to begin or alter 
             their Thrift Savings at any time, part-time reemployment 
             of annuitants, and employees to purchase supplemental 
             dental and vision insurance.
               His efforts to advance legislation increasing the 
             training of Federal supervisors, improving the Federal 
             hiring process, increasing diversity and inclusion among 
             the Federal workforce, increasing the number of language 
             proficient individuals in Federal service; providing equal 
             benefits to Federal employees and their domestic partners, 
             and reforming the security clearance process led the 
             administration in implementing reforms in each of these 
             areas. Senator Akaka also served as a cochair of the 
             Congressional Public Service Caucus.
               As chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, Senator 
             Akaka was adamant about ensuring that the United States 
             fulfilled its trust responsibility to its first peoples--
             American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. As 
             he observed first hand the problems Native communities 
             faced, Senator Akaka was intent on finding solutions and 
             strengthening the futures of America's Native peoples. 
             Senator Akaka worked tirelessly to bring parity in the 
             U.S. treatment of Native Hawaiians. He introduced The 
             Apology Resolution (passed in 1993), which acknowledges 
             U.S. participation in the overthrow of the Kingdom of 
             Hawaii, and officially apologizes to Native Hawaiians on 
             behalf of the United States and commits the United States 
             to a process of reconciliation. He also introduced The 
             Stand Against Violence and Empower (SAVE) Native Women Act 
             (passed in 2012 as part of the Violence Against Women Act) 
             that would restore Indian Country with jurisdiction over 
             non-Indians who commit crimes on Indian lands, provide 
             Native Hawaiian victims with access to the sexual assault 
             coalition grants, and provide additional tools to tribal 
             and Federal prosecutors to address domestic violence.
               As a senior member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban 
             Affairs Committee, Senator Akaka played a key role in 
             crafting the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer 
             Protection Act, legislation which contains several of his 
             consumer and protection provisions, including: the 
             establishment of the Office of Financial Education within 
             the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, grant programs 
             to encourage increased consumer education and access to 
             services provided by banks and credit union accounts, and 
             alternatives to predatory financial products like payday 
             and refund anticipation loans in an effort to empower 
             consumers and provide them with alternatives that are safe 
             and reliable.
               Senator Akaka was a strong advocate for financial 
             literacy throughout his career as an educator, 
             administrator, and Member of Congress. He was the sponsor 
             of the Excellence in Economic Education Act (Triple-E 
             Act), which was enacted as part of the No Child Left 
             Behind Act. Since 2004, the Triple-E Act has funded a 
             range of activities such as teacher training, research and 
             evaluation, and school-based activities to further 
             economic principles. Senator Akaka's Credit Card Minimum 
             Payment Warning Act was included in the Credit Card 
             Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act. All 
             credit card statements must now include simple disclosures 
             about minimum payments for every consumer. This 
             information can be found in a box (referred to as the 
             Akaka box) on all credit card statements which informs the 
             consumers about the amount of total interest they would 
             have to pay if they made the minimum payment and how much 
             they would have to pay if they wanted to pay off their 
             balance in 3 years.
               Senator Akaka was also a leader in renewable energy 
             research and development, national parks and wildlife 
             issues, tropical agriculture and coral reef research, 
             ocean resource conservation and preservation, and 
             environmental protection. He introduced legislation in 
             2005 to expand and reauthorize hydrogen research and 
             development to encourage the development of renewable and 
             other source materials for hydrogen production to help 
             find sustainable solutions for Hawaii's energy needs. In 
             1992, his Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act was enacted 
             into law to expand facilities at the Institute of Pacific 
             Islands Forestry and at tropical forests in Hawaii, and to 
             require a tropical forestry plan. He sponsored and 
             cosponsored legislation to ensure that our oceans and 
             reefs are protected and that resources are managed in a 
             sustainable way.
               Senator Akaka was raised in a deeply religious family 
             and is a member of the historic Kawaiaha'o Church where he 
             served as choir director for 17 years. He and his wife 
             Millie are the parents of 4 sons and a daughter, who have 
             blessed them with 15 grandchildren and 16 great-
             grandchildren.
                               Farewell to the Senate
                            Wednesday, December 12, 2012

               Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, I rise to give my remarks 
             and my aloha to the U.S. Senate.
               Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to wish my 
             good friend, my colleague of 36 years, my brother, Dan 
             Inouye, Hawaii's senior Senator, a speedy recovery and 
             return to the Senate.
               I rise today to say aloha to this institution. I have 
             been honored to be a Member of the U.S. Senate for 22 
             years. It has been an incredible journey that I never 
             imagined.
               As a senior in high school going to Kamehameha School 
             for Boys, which was noted as a military school, my life 
             was changed forever when I saw Japanese fighter planes 
             attacking Pearl Harbor. Like most men in my generation, I 
             joined the war effort. My path was forever altered.
               When the war ended, I believe I was suffering from PTSD. 
             It was an act of Congress that allowed me, and the 
             veterans of my generation, to build a successful new life. 
             Congress passed the GI bill, and I say with certainty that 
             I would not be standing before you today without the 
             opportunity the GI bill gave me, not only to get an 
             education but to have structure and a path forward--and 
             the feeling that there was a way for me to help people. 
             This proved to me that when Congress acts responsibly, it 
             can build a better America.
               That is why, when I was blessed with the opportunity to 
             lead the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I 
             dedicated myself to helping our servicemembers and 
             veterans and their families, and worked with my colleagues 
             to expand VA services and pass a new 21st century GI bill.
               So I want to take this moment to urge all of my 
             colleagues and all of the incoming Senators and 
             Representatives to do everything they can for our veterans 
             and their families because we ask them to sacrifice so 
             much for us. They put their lives on the line while their 
             wives and husbands watch over their families. Caring for 
             them is one of our most sacred obligations as a nation.
               Not everyone on the frontlines making our Nation 
             stronger wears a uniform. In many critical fields the 
             Federal Government struggles to compete with the private 
             sector to recruit and retain the skilled people our Nation 
             needs: experts in cybersecurity and intelligence analysis, 
             doctors and nurses to care for our wounded warriors, and 
             accountants to protect taxpayers during billion-dollar 
             defense acquisitions. These are just a few examples. After 
             I leave the Senate, it is my hope other Members will 
             continue to focus on making the Federal Government an 
             employer of choice. We need the best and brightest working 
             for our Nation.
               The work of the Congress will never end, but careers 
             come to a close. Like the great men whose names are etched 
             in this desk, I am humbled to know I have left my mark on 
             this institution. I am proud to be the first Native 
             Hawaiian ever to serve in the Senate, just as I am so 
             proud to be one of the three U.S. Army World War II 
             veterans who remain in the Senate today.
               The United States is a great country. One of the things 
             that makes us so great is that though we have made 
             mistakes, we change, we correct them, we right past 
             wrongs. It is our responsibility as a nation to do right 
             by America's Native people, those who exercised 
             sovereignty on lands that later became part of the United 
             States. While we can never change the past, we have the 
             power to change the future.
               Throughout my career I have worked to ensure that my 
             colleagues understand the Federal relationship with Native 
             peoples and its origins in the Constitution. The U.S. 
             policy of supporting self-determination and self-
             governance for indigenous peoples leads to Native self-
             sufficiency, resulting in our continued ability to be 
             productive and to contribute to the well-being of our 
             families, our communities, and our great Nation. That is 
             why I worked to secure parity in Federal policy for my 
             people--the Native Hawaiians.
               The United States has recognized hundreds of Alaskan 
             Native and American Indian communities. It is long past 
             time for the Native Hawaiian people to have the same 
             rights, same privileges, and same opportunities as every 
             other federally recognized Native people.
               For more than 12 years now, I have worked with the 
             Native Hawaiian community and many others to develop the 
             Native Hawaiian Reauthorization Act, which has the strong 
             support of Hawaii's Legislature and Governor as the best 
             path forward toward reconciliation.
               My bill has encountered many challenges, but it is 
             pono--it is right--and it is long overdue. Although I will 
             not be the bill's sponsor in the 113th Congress, it will 
             forever bear my highest aspirations and heartfelt 
             commitment to the Native Hawaiian people, the State of 
             Hawaii, and the United States of America.
               I know I am just one in a long line working to ensure 
             that our language, our culture, and our people continue to 
             thrive for generations to come. I believe Hawaii has so 
             much to teach the world and this institution. In Congress 
             and in our Nation, we are truly all together, in the same 
             canoe. If we paddle together in unison, we can travel 
             great distances. If the two sides of the canoe paddle in 
             opposite directions, we will only go in circles.
               I urge my colleagues to take this traditional Hawaiian 
             symbol to heart and put the American people first--by 
             working together.
               I want to say mahalo nui loa--thank you very much--to my 
             incredible staff. After 36 years there are far too many 
             individuals to name, so I will just thank all of my 
             current and former staff members in my Senate and House 
             offices and on my committees, including Indian Affairs, 
             Veterans' Affairs, and the Subcommittees on Oversight of 
             Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the 
             District of Columbia.
               I want to thank the hundreds of employees who work for 
             the Architect of the Capitol and the Sergeant-at-Arms. 
             Without the hard work they do every day, we could not do 
             what we do in the Senate. Mahalo. Thank you to the floor 
             and leadership staff as well.
               I also want to thank Senate Chaplain Barry Black, who 
             has provided me so much guidance and strength and has done 
             more to bring the two sides of the Chamber together and 
             find common ground than just about anyone. I want to thank 
             our colleagues who join together every week for the Prayer 
             Breakfast and Bible study as well. All of these have 
             helped to shape me and the things I do here.
               There is no one I owe more to than my lovely wife of 65 
             years, Millie. She is literally there for me whenever I 
             need her. Nearly every day that I have served in the 
             Senate for the past 22 years, Millie has come to the 
             office with me. She helps me greet constituents, she makes 
             me lunch, she keeps me focused, and she makes sure I know 
             what is happening back home. She means the world to me. 
             Every honor I have received belongs to her and to my 
             family, my children, my grandchildren, and great-
             grandchildren. This speech is their farewell speech too. 
             So mahalo, Millie and my ohana, my family.
               In life there are seasons. While leaving Congress is 
             bittersweet, I am looking forward to spending more time 
             with our 5 children and getting to know our 15 great-
             grandchildren, and--can you believe this--we are expecting 
             our 16th great-grandchild next year, and I will be home to 
             see it.
               I am looking forward to speaking with students and 
             mentoring up-and-coming leaders and visiting places in 
             Hawaii that I have worked for over my career. My goal was 
             to bring the spirit of aloha to our Nation's Capital in 
             everything I do. In Hawaii, we look out for one another, 
             we work together, and we treat each other with respect. I 
             hope I succeeded in sharing a little bit of Hawaii with 
             all of you.
               As I come to the end of 22 years in this Chamber, and a 
             total of 36 years serving in Congress, I offer my profound 
             gratitude and humble thanks to the people of Hawaii for 
             giving me the opportunity to serve them for so many years. 
             It truly was an experience of a lifetime. All I ever 
             wanted was to be able to help people, and you gave me that 
             opportunity. So mahalo nui loa. Thank you very much.
               In Hawaii, when we part, we don't say goodbye. Instead, 
             we say a hui hou, which means until we meet again.
               Although I am retiring, I see this as the start of a new 
             chapter, a new season. And I am blessed to have made 
             friendships and partnerships that will last forever.
               God bless Hawaii, and God bless the United States of 
             America with the spirit of aloha. A hui hou.
               Madam President, I yield the floor.
?

                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                   DANIEL K. AKAKA
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                             Tuesday, December 11, 2012
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want to spend a little time 
             today talking about the junior Senator from Hawaii, Daniel 
             Akaka, as he retires from a life dedicated to his 
             community and this country.
               Senator Akaka's service to this Nation began during 
             wartime, when he was a teenager. He graduated from high 
             school and the war was ongoing. Of course, people were 
             watching Hawaii very closely because they had such a huge 
             Asian population--a huge Japanese-American population. So 
             it was watched very closely, and for reasons that weren't 
             valid, but that is what we did then.
               Dan Akaka spent 2 years as a civilian worker with the 
             U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and 2 years on active duty in 
             the U.S. Army. His duties with the Army, as I recall, 
             having talked to Dan Akaka, were to protect the water in 
             Honolulu.
               After the war, Dan attended the University of Hawaii, 
             using the original GI bill. Years later, he would receive 
             his master's degree from the University of Hawaii as well 
             as his bachelor's degree. Senator Akaka believes he would 
             never have become a U.S. Senator if not for the GI 
             benefits he received through his service in the military. 
             That is why, as a member and past chairman of the 
             Veterans' Affairs Committee, he has worked to make 
             important improvements to the 21st century GI bill. 
             Today's GI bill is modeled after the work done by Jim 
             Webb, after the educational opportunity program that Dan 
             took advantage of when he was a young boy.
               Senator Akaka was chairman of the Veterans' Affairs 
             Committee from 2007 to 2010, as thousands and thousands of 
             Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were coming home from 
             combat. As Democrats collectively worked to bring our 
             troops home from Iraq, Dan Akaka labored with the Veterans 
             Administration to meet the needs and challenges of a new 
             generation of veterans. The 21st century GI bill ensures 
             those veterans get the educational opportunities they 
             deserve.
               Dan so valued his own education that he went on to serve 
             his community as a teacher after he graduated from 
             college. He became a principal, worked for the Department 
             of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Hawaii Office 
             of Economic Opportunity. He served 14 years in the House 
             of Representatives before he was appointed to the Senate 
             in 1990. He won election to the Senate later that year.
               As chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, Dan has 
             been a strong voice and tireless advocate for Native 
             Americans. He has taught us all about history--the history 
             of Hawaii and its Native communities, as well as the 
             issues facing indigenous Hawaiians today.
               Senator Akaka is a descendant of Native Hawaiians. He is 
             75-percent Hawaiian and he has Hawaiians on both sides of 
             his family. He is very proud of his heritage. Dan was the 
             first Native Hawaiian in the Senate.
               He is also a deeply religious man who comes from a 
             strong faith tradition. His devout mother taught her 
             children a custom of charity. His mother was really a soft 
             touch. If anyone came by with a sad story, she would 
             invite them in. Sometimes her hospitality only allowed 
             her--because she had nothing else--to give them something 
             to drink. His family was very poor when he was young. But 
             Dan was able to work through this. Even if his mother had 
             spent the grocery money for the month, strangers were 
             always welcome at her table.
               A friend of Dan's brother came to Hawaii from Chicago 
             for a very brief period of time, and his mother took him 
             in. He never left. He basically was raised in the Akaka 
             home. Anthony became such a part of that family that, 
             before he died, he wanted to make sure he was buried in 
             Hawaii. He wanted to be buried with Dan's siblings and 
             family in Hawaii. And he was.
               Senator Akaka served as choir director of the Hawaii 
             Christian Mother Church, where his brother was minister 
             there for some 17 years. Senator Akaka is still a member 
             of that church.
               He is blessed with a wonderful family as well as a 
             rewarding career. He and his wife Millie have 5 children, 
             15 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
               Senator Akaka has served his constituents well and with 
             distinction. He has served not only his constituents and 
             the State of Hawaii but our country with distinction. He 
             has enjoyed a long and productive career and his presence 
             in the Senate will be missed.
               I offer congratulations to Senator Akaka on his 
             dedicated military and public service and wish him and 
             Millie happiness in their retirement.

               Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I add my comments in chorus 
             to what the majority leader said about Senator Dan Akaka 
             of Hawaii.
               I came to know him--and I have spoken about this on the 
             floor--and Millie who are the perfect Senate family. They 
             have devoted a major part of their lives to serving Hawaii 
             and serving in the national interest.
               The legacy Senator Akaka leaves behind is substantial 
             when it comes to legislation, particularly in helping 
             veterans and agricultural issues. But, more important, 
             what Dan Akaka leaves behind is the feeling of kinship and 
             camaraderie that he has with so many Members of the 
             Senate. He is a stalwart at the Senate Prayer Breakfast, 
             leading the singing every Wednesday morning, and it is 
             heartfelt and very genuine.
               As Senator Reid mentioned earlier, his family background 
             of Hawaii--which he shared with us one afternoon at a 
             lunch--is a tradition of giving and hospitality, which we 
             find built in to Danny Akaka. We are going to miss him.
                                           Wednesday, December 12, 2012
               Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today I would like to honor 
             the legacy and service of my colleague and dear friend, 
             Senator Daniel K. Akaka.
               My brother, Senator Daniel Akaka, has been my friend and 
             partner in Washington for 36 years.
               During that time, he has fought hard for Native 
             Hawaiians, veterans, and the needs of Hawaii.
               I am sad at the thought of the Senate without him and I 
             am sorry I am unable to join him on the floor today.
               Dan Akaka is the spirit of aloha.
               I have always relied on his even keel and hard work to 
             help me represent the people of Hawaii. I have never, ever 
             heard him utter a harsh word or do anything to harm 
             another person.
               There are few words to describe a kind man of his 
             stature, but I assure you, Hawaii and this Nation are 
             better because of his work.
               On behalf of the people of Hawaii, thank you Danny. 
             There will never be another like you.

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute 
             and recognize the accomplishments of a colleague and dear 
             friend who will be retiring from the U.S. Senate at the 
             end of the term. Senator Akaka has represented the State 
             of Hawaii with distinction for 36 years. He has been a 
             firm advocate for his constituents, especially for Native 
             Hawaiians.
               I have had the honor and privilege to work alongside 
             Senator Akaka on the Indian Affairs Committee. During this 
             time and throughout his tenure as chairman, I have 
             witnessed his commitment to improving the overall well-
             being of Native Hawaiians as well as all indigenous 
             people. He has been a tireless advocate for their rights, 
             and, with his leadership and bipartisan dedication, he has 
             brought many issues they confront to the forefront. For 
             more than a decade, Senator Akaka has championed the 
             Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, which 
             establishes a process for Native Hawaiians to gain Federal 
             recognition. He has also been the driving force in 
             advancing the Native Hawaiian language movement. His 
             dedication and leadership has ensured survival of the 
             language.
               As part of the Greatest Generation and a veteran, 
             Senator Akaka also used his time as chairman of the 
             Committee on Veterans' Affairs to champion laws to improve 
             health care and benefits for countless veterans, 
             servicemembers, and their families.
               Known for breaking down barriers and building 
             relationships, Senator Akaka has served the people of 
             Hawaii with integrity and humility. He is a true 
             statesman, gentleman, and patriot, and our country is 
             better for his service. He leaves a distinguished legacy 
             and will be greatly missed by us all. I thank Senator 
             Akaka for his friendship and service to our Nation, and I 
             wish him and his wife Millie all the best for the future.

               Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to comment about 
             some wonderful men in the Senate who are retiring on both 
             sides of the aisle. Earlier today I spoke about my deep 
             affection and sorry-to-see-go friends Olympia Snowe and 
             Kay Bailey Hutchison, but I want to rise as the dean of 
             the women in the Senate to say some very special words 
             about very special men on both sides of the aisle. Because 
             when I came to the Senate, it was only Nancy Kassebaum and 
             me, and yet we worked on so many issues together. There 
             are really wonderful men here who supported me, supported 
             our issues, but really stood up for those States and their 
             communities.
               I want to say goodbye, aloha, to my very good friend 
             Danny Akaka, a wonderful man with whom I have served in 
             both the House and the Senate. He has been a real advocate 
             not only for the people of Hawaii but, wow, I salute the 
             way he stood up for the Federal workforce, the civil 
             servants who do such a great job, and the outstanding job 
             he has done on the Veterans' Committee.
               Lives are better off, particularly for our veterans. I 
             want to say a wonderful goodbye and give a hug to him 
             because he demonstrates that you do not have to be loud to 
             be powerful. ...
               I wanted to be sure that the day would not end without 
             me acknowledging these wonderful people who have given a 
             big part of their lives to making this country a better 
             place. I want to, in the most heartfelt way--I am so sorry 
             we did not have a bipartisan dinner or party to be able to 
             express this. I would have liked to have been in the same 
             room, breaking bread with them, in order to be able to 
             tell them how much we appreciate them, across party lines, 
             across those lines that ordinarily divide us. They came 
             from different parts of the country, they arrived in the 
             Senate with different objectives, they will leave under 
             different circumstances. I want to again let them know 
             that each and every one of them had a positive impact on 
             me and I think a wonderful impact on the future of this 
             country. So I wish them well. God bless and Godspeed.
                                            Thursday, December 13, 2012
               Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, we are bidding farewell to 
             one of our most respected and beloved Members, Senator 
             Daniel Akaka of Hawaii or, as we all know him, ``Danny.''
               With his retirement, our friend is bringing to a close a 
             remarkable and distinguished career in public service 
             spanning nearly seven decades. Having witnessed, as a 17-
             year-old boy, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he took 
             a civilian job with the Army Corps of Engineers before 
             joining the U.S. Army in 1945. We honor him, along with 
             his senior colleague from Hawaii, Senator Inouye, and 
             Senator Lautenberg, as the only veterans of World War II 
             still serving in the Senate.
               Not surprisingly, Senator Akaka has been a leader on 
             veterans issues. He served as chairman of the Committee on 
             Veterans' Affairs in the 110th and 111th Congresses, and 
             he remained active on that committee despite relinquishing 
             his chairmanship in the current Congress in order to chair 
             the Committee on Indian Affairs.
               We will not soon forget Senator Akaka's retort when 
             another Senator was holding up a package of veterans 
             benefits, demanding that the costs of the veterans 
             benefits be offset.
               Senator Akaka calmly, very deliberately argued that the 
             costs did not need to be offset, stating, ``The price has 
             already been paid, many times over, by the service of the 
             brave men and women who wore our Nation's uniform.''
               Needless to say, Senator Akaka carried the day.
               Senator Akaka has played a leading role in demanding 
             improvements in the handling of post-traumatic stress 
             disorder and traumatic brain injuries sustained by service 
             men and women. In 2009, he joined with Senator Inouye in 
             securing compensation for Filipino veterans of World War 
             II who fought for the United States.
               Senator Akaka is the only ethnic, Native Hawaiian to 
             serve in this body. Throughout his congressional career, 
             including 4 years in the House and 22 years in the Senate, 
             he has been a determined and impassioned advocate for the 
             people of his State of Hawaii. He has fought for 
             legislation that would grant Federal recognition to ethnic 
             Native Hawaiians, the same recognition we have granted to 
             American Indians and Native Alaskans.
               In 1993, President Clinton signed a resolution sponsored 
             by Senator Akaka officially apologizing on behalf of the 
             U.S. Government for overthrowing Hawaii's last monarch a 
             century earlier.
               In so many ways, Senator Akaka represents the Senate at 
             its very best--the Senate the way it used to be in less 
             partisan times. He works tirelessly behind the scenes, and 
             he shuns the media limelight. He prides himself on 
             reaching across the aisle and forging honorable 
             compromises. He is the ultimate gentleman, and his word is 
             his bond.
               Across these many years Danny Akaka has been a wonderful 
             friend and colleague. Of course, that friendship will 
             continue, and I will miss him in the Senate.
               I join with the entire Senate family in wishing Danny 
             and Millie all the best in the years ahead.
                                           Wednesday, December 19, 2012
               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, for the last 22 years, Daniel 
             Akaka has represented the people of Hawaii in this body. 
             They have been the better for his service, and I have 
             greatly appreciated the wisdom, humility, and passion with 
             which he has served here.
               One issue on which we have been able to work closely as 
             fellow members of the Homeland Security and Governmental 
             Affairs Committee is oversight of the Federal workforce, a 
             key issue for his State and for taxpayers everywhere. 
             Senator Akaka's passion for Federal workforce issues comes 
             from his passion for public service and for effective 
             government. Just in this Congress, I was an original 
             cosponsor of his Federal Whistleblower Protection Act to 
             strengthen the law protecting Federal employees who bring 
             to light fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal programs. That 
             Akaka bill is expected to be signed into law before the 
             end of the year. Also this Congress, I was proud to 
             cosponsor his Hatch Act Modernization Act to allow hard-
             working employees of State and local governments, who are 
             covered by the Hatch Act, to serve as elected officials in 
             their communities.
               In addition to his focus on Federal workforce issues, 
             Senator Akaka has long been a valued member of the Armed 
             Services Committee. We have worked together on legislation 
             to reform Defense Department business and financial 
             management systems; strengthen oversight and 
             accountability of wartime contracting; and strengthen the 
             Defense Department's management of the substantial funds 
             it spends to acquire property and services.
               In 2002 Senator Akaka joined with Senator Inhofe to form 
             the Senate Army Caucus, and through this bipartisan group 
             they have focused welcome attention on the programs and 
             needs of our Army. Senator Akaka, himself an Army veteran, 
             has been an important source of insight into the 
             challenges facing our soldiers and their families.
               Of course, as the former chairman of the Veterans' 
             Affairs Committee, Senator Akaka has long demonstrated an 
             intense dedication to those who have helped defend our 
             Nation. His steadfast advocacy for veterans health 
             programs, education benefits, and other important programs 
             has made a significant and lasting impact on the lives of 
             veterans and their families.
               When people describe Daniel Akaka, one of the first 
             words used to describe him is ``humble.'' He is indeed 
             that. He has been a dedicated and principled servant of 
             the people of Hawaii and our Nation, an unfailing ally of 
             our veterans and their families, and a valued colleague 
             and friend. I will miss him, and I will always remember 
             how he taught us that gentleness and effectiveness are not 
             mutually exclusive characteristics.
                                            Thursday, December 20, 2012
               Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take 
             a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at 
             the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th 
             Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New 
             Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North 
             Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison 
             of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, 
             Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of Indiana, 
             Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Jim 
             Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly to give 
             their constituents the best representation and give the 
             country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and 
             their experience. They are men and women who are committed 
             to the Nation, and they have every day in different ways 
             contributed to this Senate and to our great country.
               I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, 
             in so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for 
             listening to my points and for, together, hopefully, 
             serving this Senate and this Nation in a more positive and 
             progressive way.
               In particular, let me say a few words about some of the 
             Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more 
             closely.
               Senator Daniel Akaka, like his colleague, the late and 
             revered Senator Daniel Inouye, proudly served our Nation 
             during World War II. I am stepping into the huge shoes of 
             Danny Akaka as the cochair of the Army Caucus. From one 
             soldier to another, I salute him.
               He has also been an extraordinarily forceful advocate 
             not just for active-duty personnel but for veterans and, 
             of course, for the men and women of his beloved Hawaii. 
             ...
               I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking 
             them for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for 
             their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they 
             depart, they have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is 
             our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, 
             and I hope we measure up to what they have done. If we do, 
             then we can go forward confidently.
               With that, I yield the floor.

               Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, in his farewell message to 
             the people of Hawaii, Senator Daniel Akaka wrote that his 
             dream was always to work in a job in which he could help 
             people. In his 36 years in Congress--14 in the House of 
             Representatives and 22 here in the Senate--Danny Akaka has 
             done that job exceedingly well.
               He has done it with statesmanship and perseverance. As 
             just one example, just a few weeks ago, President Obama 
             signed into law landmark legislation to better protect 
             Federal employees who come forward to disclose government 
             waste, fraud, abuse, and other wrongdoing. The Akaka-
             Collins Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act would not 
             have passed without Danny's determination to help both our 
             dedicated Federal workers and the citizens they serve.
               Serving with Danny on the Homeland Security and 
             Governmental Affairs Committee, I appreciate the priority 
             he always placed on making the Federal Government more 
             efficient and transparent, and on advancing policies to 
             attract, recruit, and retain the skilled workforce needed 
             to meet today's challenges. From safeguarding our Nation 
             against terrorist attacks to supporting the first 
             responders in our communities, Danny has been a great ally 
             and a true leader.
               It also has been an honor to work with Danny on the 
             Armed Services Committee. As a World War II veteran, he 
             brought to the committee a deep and personal understanding 
             of the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform, 
             and by their families. He is a champion of efforts to 
             ensure that our Active National Guard and Reserve 
             personnel have the equipment and training to remain the 
             best fighting force in the world, and he is dedicated to 
             providing our veterans with the services they earned and 
             deserve.
               Danny Akaka has been described as the ``Aloha Senator.'' 
             To most of us, that multipurpose word can mean anything 
             from ``hello'' to ``goodbye.'' To the Hawaiian people, it 
             is a word of deep spirituality and profound meaning.
               The late Reverend Abraham Akaka, Danny's oldest brother 
             and one of Hawaii's most beloved clergymen, defined the 
             ``aloha spirit'' this way: ``God first, others second, 
             yourself last.'' As a patriot and statesman, Senator 
             Daniel Akaka embodies that spirit through his desire to 
             promote the true good of others and to help people. Aloha 
             pumehana, Senator Akaka, farewell with my deepest regards 
             and affection. Thank you for your friendship and for your 
             service to our country.

               Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I was watching my friend 
             and colleague Senator Akaka as he was delivering his 
             comments earlier about Senator Inouye and the legislation 
             that both he and our dear friend and former colleague have 
             worked so hard on over the years, and I wanted to come to 
             the floor this evening and tell my friend that I am deeply 
             appreciative of the words he has delivered as the chairman 
             of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. I would 
             certainly hope the Senate would respect the thinking the 
             Senator has outlined as it relates to the Native Hawaiian 
             Government Reorganization Act. ...
               Senator Inouye and Senator Akaka have worked valiantly 
             to create programs for Native Hawaiians that parallel 
             those available to American Indians and Alaska Natives, 
             but this is not enough. Justice demands that the Native 
             people of Hawaii earn the Federal recognition that is 
             rightfully theirs. ...
               We began our morning paying tribute to our friend and 
             former colleague Senator Inouye. As we think about Hawaii 
             and its peoples, and as we remember the contributions of 
             Senator Inouye, and as we recognize Senator Akaka as he 
             departs from this body after years of honorable service, I 
             would hope that within this body we would not forget the 
             efforts they have worked on so valiantly.
               I will commit to my friend, Senator Akaka, that the 
             cause the Senator has taken up, that he has worked on so 
             hard with Senator Inouye, will not die until justice for 
             the Native people of Hawaii is achieved. I thank the 
             Senator for his leadership.
               Mr. President, I was going to yield the floor, but I 
             would like to take a moment to provide my remarks 
             regarding Senator Akaka and his contribution here, if I 
             may.
               Mr. President, I rise to speak on behalf of my friend, 
             my colleague, Senator Daniel Akaka, who is set to retire 
             after 22 years of dedicated service in the Senate. He has 
             been a personal friend to me, he has been a personal 
             friend to my family, and to my parents. He and his wife 
             Millie, a wonderful, beautiful woman, have been leaders on 
             behalf of the people of Hawaii and have long been friends 
             and partners to the people of Alaska.
               Senator Akaka has served our Nation and the great State 
             of Hawaii honorably for nearly 70 years. That is an 
             incredible contribution. His service began in 1943, 
             immediately following his graduation from the Kamehameha 
             School for Boys in Honolulu. The Japanese attack on Pearl 
             Harbor had taken place a year earlier, only 5 miles from 
             his dormitory steps. In the hours immediately following 
             that attack, Senator Akaka, who was a 17-year-old ROTC 
             cadet, helped his classmates search for paratroopers in 
             the fields above his school grounds. Like so many others 
             of his generation, Senator Akaka answered the call of 
             duty, joined the U.S. Army, first with the Corps of 
             Engineers as a mechanic and a welder, and later as a 
             noncommissioned officer.
               In 1952, Senator Akaka used the GI bill to earn his 
             degree in education from the University of Hawaii and 
             began his lifelong dedication to our Nation's students, 
             first as a teacher, then as a principal at a high school 
             in Honolulu, and later with the Department of Health, 
             Education, and Welfare.
               Senator Akaka was first elected to the U.S. House of 
             Representatives in 1976 and then went on to win six more 
             elections. It was clearly evident the people of Hawaii 
             within that Second Congressional District valued his 
             passion and his dedication for the office. In 1990, after 
             the death of Senator Spark Matsunaga, Senator Akaka was 
             appointed and then subsequently elected to the seat in the 
             Senate that he has held for 22 years now.
               Senator Akaka's fortitude and his determination have not 
             waned in these 70 years. As the first Native Hawaiian ever 
             to serve in the Senate, and the only indigenous person 
             currently serving in the Senate, he is a proven champion 
             for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native 
             Hawaiians. It was just in October of this year that 
             Senator Akaka came to Alaska and was honored by the Alaska 
             Federation of Natives with the Denali Award. This award is 
             presented to an individual who is not an Alaska Native for 
             their contributions to the growth and development of the 
             Alaska Native community's culture, economy, and health. 
             Senator Akaka has done that repeatedly over the years.
               The efforts he has worked on, whether it was bigger 
             initiatives or whether to ensure the people in King Cove 
             had access to an airport so their lives weren't threatened 
             in a medical emergency and they could get out, Senator 
             Akaka has stepped up to ensure the people of Alaska are 
             cared for.
               It has truly been a pleasure to work with Senator Akaka 
             over these past 10 years on the Senate Indian Affairs 
             Committee. The chairmanship he has administered has been 
             admired and appreciated by all of us who are on that 
             committee.
               Senator Akaka's leadership, wisdom, and grasp of issues 
             has helped us work together toward many visions and goals 
             that we shared. The Save Native Women Act--a bill to help 
             protect Native women and children across our 565 federally 
             recognized tribes--was largely incorporated into the 
             Senate version of the 2012 Violence Against Women Act. We 
             need to make sure that legislation passes. Again, as we 
             think about the statistics that so many of our Native 
             peoples face, we need to make certain we are making 
             appropriate gains and strides to help address them, and 
             Chairman Akaka has worked with us on that. We fought to 
             ensure the preservation of Native languages not only in 
             our communities but within our classrooms.
               As I mentioned, I have long supported the concept that 
             Senator Inouye and Senator Akaka have championed with 
             regard to Federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.
               Senator Akaka is also special to two other 
             constituencies--our Federal employees and our veterans. He 
             is one of this body's leading experts on some of the more 
             arcane laws that apply to Federal civil service. Alaska's 
             Federal employees clearly appreciate his leadership on the 
             Non-Foreign AREA Act, which made them eligible for 
             locality pay that counts toward retirement. This is an 
             issue in my State that took some time to negotiate and to 
             move through, but the Federal employees in Alaska--as they 
             are seeing the benefits of that locality pay--owe thanks 
             and gratitude to the work of Senator Akaka. And he knows 
             well the laws that govern the U.S. Postal Service probably 
             as well as anyone in this body.
               During Senator Akaka's tenure as chairman of the Senate 
             Veterans' Affairs Committee, this body has made great 
             progress in ensuring that the VA had a budget commensurate 
             with its needs. His contributions to ensuring that post-9/
             11 veterans had access to critically needed health and 
             education resources will endure.
               As neighbors in the Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii have 
             always shared a very special bond, not only because of our 
             geography and our time differences. Every time I endure a 
             12-hour flight across the country to go home--and home is 
             four time zones away--I am reminded that it takes Senator 
             Akaka a couple hours more and one time zone more to get 
             home. It is not only our geography that binds us; we have 
             many other similarities: our indigenous peoples, the 
             relative youth of our States, our unique landscapes, and 
             for years our delegations have worked together across the 
             aisle for the good of our people.
               Senator Akaka's bipartisan approach, his willingness to 
             work toward success, will be missed by me and so many of 
             our colleagues. Of course, I don't think Senator Akaka 
             would call it bipartisanship. He would call it aloha. We 
             work in the aloha spirit.
               With that, I wish to tell my friend and my colleague, 
             mahalo. From the bottom of my heart, mahalo. I am going to 
             miss you, Senator Akaka. I am going to miss your wife 
             Millie and your entire extended family. As you return home 
             to your beloved Hawaii, know that you have left an 
             impression on so many.
               With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield the floor, and I 
             suggest the absence of a quorum.
                                              Friday, December 21, 2012
               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, now that the 112th Congress 
             will soon be coming to a close, the Senate will be able to 
             take a moment to acknowledge and express our appreciation 
             to those Members who will be retiring when the gavel 
             brings an end to the current session. One Member who has 
             had a great impact on so many of us on a personal basis is 
             Daniel Akaka.
               Danny, as I have come to know him, has been one of the 
             strongest and most loyal parts of our Senate Prayer 
             Breakfast. That regular gathering that many of us attend 
             gives us an opportunity to come together to share our 
             faith and discuss the difference it has made in our daily 
             lives.
               No one has played a more important role in those weekly 
             meetings than Danny. His faith has brought him through 
             some very difficult situations in his life and it has also 
             helped him to pursue policies and programs that have made 
             a difference in more lives than we will ever know.
               When Danny was in the House he was the song leader. His 
             understanding of the importance of music helped him to 
             better express his faith. He led our singing of the hymns 
             by providing us with the history of each song as he 
             explained the meaning of the words that were used to bring 
             its message to life. His faith also showed itself with his 
             work on a sailing ship that helped to bring missionaries 
             around the Pacific to share their faith with those who 
             might otherwise have never heard such stories.
               Danny is a veteran of World War II. His experience 
             during the war gave him an understanding of the sacrifices 
             our veterans made during their service and the importance 
             of ensuring that we as a nation take good care of them and 
             address their medical needs.
               That is why one of Danny's great accomplishments here in 
             the Senate has been his efforts on behalf of his fellow 
             veterans. Whenever an important bill was taken up and 
             passed, Danny immediately got to work, trying to determine 
             the impact each bill would have on our veterans and how 
             any negative impacts could be addressed and reversed. Just 
             as we owe our veterans a great debt of gratitude for their 
             service, veterans everywhere have a special place in their 
             hearts for everything Danny has done over the years to 
             protect and preserve the benefits they have earned with 
             their service.
               In addition to his great faith and his concern for our 
             Nation's veterans, Danny also brought to the Senate his 
             love of Hawaii and its great culture and history. It was a 
             gift he shared with us over the years that increased our 
             awareness of Hawaii's past and the great traditions of his 
             home State.
               Through the years Danny has made a reputation for 
             himself here in the Senate as a careful, thoughtful 
             legislator who works quietly but effectively. The good 
             work he has done on a number of issues has had an impact 
             that will continue to be felt for many years to come.
               Thank you, Danny, for your service both here in the 
             Senate and in our Armed Forces. You can be very proud of 
             all you have achieved. You have represented your State 
             very well. Thank you most of all for your friendship and 
             for sharing your faith and the impact it has had on your 
             life. You will be missed and not just by those of us in 
             the Senate who have enjoyed having a chance to come to 
             know you. You have been a great friend to our Nation's 
             veterans, too, and they will always remember your 
             commitment to them.
                                            Thursday, December 27, 2012
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, before my friend from Hawaii 
             leaves the floor, we have all come and given speeches--a 
             lot of us, at least--about Senator Akaka, but we have not 
             had a lot of people on the floor when we have done that.
               The presentation just now is typical for Dan Akaka: 
             never a word about himself, always about somebody else. If 
             the new Senator has Senator Akaka's qualities--the 
             kindest, gentlest person I have ever served in this body 
             with--it is something for which he should strive. The 
             shoes he has to fill, we all know--Akaka and Inouye--are 
             significant to fill, but he can do that.
               For you, Senator Akaka--with these people on the floor--
             we are going to miss you so much. You are a wonderful 
             human being and have been a great Senator.

               Mr. BLUNT. I would also like to say I was here when the 
             new Member from Hawaii was sworn in and listened to Mr. 
             Akaka's comments. I have great respect for him and the 
             quiet dignity he brings to everything he does--from weekly 
             demonstrations of his personal faith, which I share with 
             him, to his name being mentioned first in all these quorum 
             calls that have gone on now for, I assume, all the time he 
             has been in the Senate, going back to 1990. ...

               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the great State of Hawaii has 
             been represented in the U.S. Senate by two of the longest 
             serving Senators, and they happen to have shared the name 
             Daniel. This year, Senator Akaka--with more than three 
             decades of service in Congress--now the senior Senator 
             from Hawaii, will return to his native State and enjoy 
             retirement.
               Senator Akaka has represented the people of Hawaii in a 
             variety of ways. Most recently, as chairman of the 
             Committee on Indian Affairs, he has worked tirelessly to 
             support vital programs that provided education, health 
             care, housing, and other basic services for tribes across 
             the country. Having attended college on the GI bill, he 
             has been an advocate for improving education for all 
             students. He also has been a strong supporter of veterans 
             and a proponent of protections for whistleblowers seeking 
             to expose waste, fraud, and abuse in government.
               On a personal note, I have always appreciated Senator 
             Akaka's strong support for the National Guard, and in 
             particular the Hawaii Guard. His military roots go back to 
             his own distinguished service in World War II. He was one 
             of the earliest and most senior adopters of the Guard 
             empowerment legislation when I teamed with Senator Bond, 
             Senator Graham, and so many others to enact. Senator Akaka 
             stood with the men and women of the National Guard in 
             demanding representation among the Nation's most senior 
             military advisory body. This stand was not an easy one to 
             take. He was, in fact, the most senior Democrat on the 
             Senate Armed Services Committee to cosponsor the Leahy-
             Graham bill, and his support sent a powerful statement 
             that some of our most knowledgeable Senators with the 
             specific responsibility of overseeing our armed services 
             recognized that it was time to give the Guard a stronger 
             voice. Among his many other achievements, Senator Akaka 
             will be remembered for his strong support of and 
             friendship with the Guard.
               Senator Akaka has brought a calm and insightful presence 
             to his work and the people of Hawaii are fortunate to have 
             had such a great representative in both the House and the 
             Senate. I wish Senator Akaka and his family the best in 
             his retirement from Congress.
                                              Friday, December 28, 2012
               Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute 
             to the Senators who will not be returning when the 113th 
             Congress commences next month. I have already spoken about 
             Senator Kyl and about Senator Inouye, one of the truly 
             great Americans and giants of this institution. At the 
             time of his death, Senator Inouye was just a few weeks 
             short of celebrating 50 years of Senate service. Only 
             Senator Byrd served in this institution longer.
               Turnover is a natural occurrence, but it's important to 
             acknowledge that the Senators who are departing have 
             served in the Senate for a combined total of 237 years, or 
             nearly 20 years per Senator, on average. Add Senator 
             Inouye, and the total is close to 300 years. That service 
             represents an enormous amount of expertise on issues 
             ranging from national defense and foreign affairs to the 
             Federal budget to energy policy. The departing Senators 
             will also take with them vast institutional knowledge and 
             bipartisan friendships and working relationships that will 
             leave a void we will need to fill.
               Mr. President, Daniel Akaka was born on September 11, 
             1924, just 4 days after Senator Inouye and, like Senator 
             Inouye, he overcame the prejudice and hostility directed 
             at Asian Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor to 
             serve with distinction in the U.S. Army during World War 
             II. Senator Akaka was a civilian worker in the U.S. Army 
             Corps of Engineers from 1943 to 1945. Then, he was on 
             active duty in the Army from 1945 to 1947.
               After Senator Akaka finished his military service, he 
             devoted his career to education, first as a teacher and 
             then as a principal and later as an official in the State 
             of Hawaii Department of Education. He was first elected to 
             the House of Representatives in 1976 and then appointed to 
             the Senate in 1990 upon the death of former Senator Spark 
             Matsunaga. He won an election that November with nearly 54 
             percent of the vote, and was reelected to the Senate in 
             1994, 2000, and 2006, twice receiving over 70 percent of 
             the popular vote and never dropping below 61 percent.
               Senator Akaka is America's first Senator of Native 
             Hawaiian ancestry, and the only Chinese American Member of 
             the Senate. He chairs the Indian Affairs Committee and, 
             like Senator Inouye, he has been a stalwart supporter of 
             Native Americans, Native Alaskans, Pacific Islanders, 
             Asian Americans, and Native Hawaiians. One of his highest 
             priorities has been to secure passage of the Native 
             Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, S. 675. That bill 
             was just placed on the legislative calendar and hotlined. 
             We need to get it across the finish line in the waning 
             days of the 112th Congress. It's the right thing to do.
               I have been privileged to work with Senator Akaka on 
             efforts to protect the Federal workforce. Federal 
             employees have no greater champion than Senator Akaka, who 
             has chaired the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
             Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management. 
             Senator Akaka is committed to making the Federal 
             Government an employer of choice capable of attracting and 
             retaining the best and the brightest. In 2009 he 
             introduced the Telework Enhancement Act, which became law 
             in 2010 and expands telework opportunities at executive 
             agencies. Senator Akaka has also fought to create a 
             culture of transparency and fairness in the Federal 
             Government, authoring the Whistleblower Protection 
             Enhancement Act, which I was proud to cosponsor. President 
             Obama signed that bill into law last month. Senator Akaka 
             has been a civil rights champion, partnering with Senators 
             Lieberman, Collins, me, and others to support domestic 
             partner benefits.
               I also appreciate Senator Akaka's determined advocacy 
             for financial literacy and consumer protections. His 
             Credit Card Minimum Payment Warning Act was included in 
             the 2009 Credit CARD Act. Now, thanks to Senator Akaka, 
             credit card bills must include a disclosure box to show 
             consumers how long it will take to repay their entire 
             balance if they only make minimum monthly payments. The 
             so-called ``Akaka Box'' also lets consumers know how much 
             it will cost to pay off their outstanding balance within 
             36 months, which is a typical length of a debt management 
             plan. Senator Akaka was also an author of portions of the 
             Dodd-Frank Act addressing financial literacy (establishing 
             the Office of Financial Education within the Consumer 
             Financial Protection Bureau) and investor protections.
               Throughout Senator Akaka's long and distinguished career 
             in Congress, he has also been an ardent environmentalist. 
             As a former chairman of the Subcommittee on National 
             Parks, legislation he authored has created, expanded, or 
             otherwise improved each of Hawaii's national parks. His 
             Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act established the Hawaii 
             Experimental Tropical Forest in order to promote the 
             recovery of tropical forests in Hawaii and undertake 
             needed research to better protect tropical forests around 
             the world.
               A hallmark of Senator Akaka, like Senator Inouye, is his 
             soft-spoken and courteous manner. The Senators from Hawaii 
             have always treated the rest of us with respect and 
             graciousness. They have reached across the aisle to foster 
             bipartisan cooperation. They have exhibited a rare and 
             calming serenity when partisan tempers have boiled over. I 
             will miss the warm and gentle and friendly personalities 
             of Senators Akaka and Inouye, their wise counsel, and 
             their service here in the U.S. Senate on behalf of 
             Hawaiians and all Americans. ...
               Mr. President, these men and women who will be leaving 
             the Senate soon have made extraordinary sacrifices to 
             serve our Nation. We are fortunate that they have chosen 
             to spend significant parts of their lives in public 
             service. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude. Those 
             of us who will be in the Senate next month when the 113th 
             Congress convenes can best honor the legacy of our 
             departing colleagues by reaching across the aisle as they 
             have done so many times to forge bipartisan consensus and 
             solutions to our Nation's most vexing problems. The men 
             and women who will be leaving the Senate at the end of 
             this Congress understand that compromise isn't a dirty 
             word; it is the genius at the heart of our political 
             system. We will miss them.
                                             Thursday, February 7, 2013
                            ORDER FOR PRINTING OF TRIBUTES
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of 
             materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the 
             retiring Members of the 112th Congress.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
                     Proceedings in the House of Representatives
                                            Thursday, December 13, 2013
               Ms. NORTON. I rise today in strong support of the D.C. 
             Courts and Public Defender Service Act of 2011. I would 
             like to thank Senator Joe Lieberman, the chair of the 
             Senate Homeland Security Committee, which has jurisdiction 
             over the District of Columbia, and particularly Senator 
             Daniel Akaka, the chair of the Senate Subcommittee on 
             Oversight and Government Management and the Senate sponsor 
             of the bill, the Federal Workforce and the District of 
             Columbia for ushering the bill through subcommittee and 
             committee and getting it passed by voice vote.
               Both Senators Lieberman and Akaka are retiring this 
             year. They each will leave rich legacies of accomplishment 
             to the Nation, and both Senator Lieberman and Senator 
             Akaka have always been good friends of the District of 
             Columbia. They will be very much missed in both Chambers 
             by all of us, I know, but particularly by the residents of 
             the District of Columbia. ...
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