[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 81 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5757-S5758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE AS RECIPIENT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL 
                             MEDAL OF HONOR

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the strength of this Nation lies in its 
people. Throughout our Nation's history, American men and women have 
been called upon time and time again to serve the Nation in times of 
peril. These men and women, at great risk to themselves and without 
regard to their personal safety, have given their all for their 
Country. These are the true heroes of America.
  We have some of such heroes in this body who have given so very much 
for their country--Senator Max Cleland,

[[Page S5758]]

Senator Bob Kerrey; there are others. But today I speak of one such 
American hero, our esteemed colleague, Daniel Inouye.
  Like many others in this body, I have always thought of Senator 
Inouye as a national hero. I know of his wartime heroics in France and 
Italy during World War II. I know of how he fought to protect the 
troops with whom he served, without regard for his own life. Even 
though gravely wounded, Lieutenant Daniel Inouye continued to fight, 
advancing alone against a machine-gun nest that had his men pinned 
down. I know that, upon returning home, Dan Inouye spent twenty months 
in Army hospitals after losing his right arm. He came home as a 
Captain, with a Distinguished Service Cross, a Bronze Star, a Purple 
Heart with cluster, and twelve other medals and citations.
  After receiving his law degree at George Washington University Law 
School, Danny broke into politics in 1954 with his election to the 
Territorial House of Representatives. After Hawaii became a State on 
August 21, 1959, Danny Inouye won election to the United States House 
of Representatives as Hawaii's first Congressman, and was re-elected to 
a full term in 1960. In 1962, he was elected to represent Hawaii in the 
United States Senate.
  I am proud to say that I am one who voted for statehood on behalf of 
both Alaska and Hawaii. I believe that I am the only Senator still 
serving here today who voted for statehood for both of these states. I 
am very proud of having done that. I believe that I am also one of only 
three members of today's Senate who were here when Dan Inouye joined 
this body in 1963.

  I have had the pleasure of working with Danny Inouye on many, many 
occasions over the years. He is a man of utmost integrity, who works 
tirelessly on behalf of his constituents and on behalf of the Nation. 
He is one Senator who was extremely supportive of me during my service 
as Majority Leader, as Minority Leader, as Chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee, and now as the Committee's Ranking Member. He 
is a Senator on whom I have relied for truth, for integrity, for 
steadfastness, for forthrightness, and as one who is highly dedicated 
to his work here in the Senate.
  Danny Inouye is a man who is modest about his many accomplishments 
here in the Senate, as well as his wartime heroics. He is not one to 
talk much about those things. He is a quiet, self-effacing Senator. But 
we are all aware of his great service to this Country throughout his 
adult life.

  I am immensely proud of this outstanding American in our midst, and 
we are deeply moved that, this week, Danny Inouye was awarded the 
highest military honor that can be bestowed upon any American citizen--
the Congressional Medal of Honor. He has joined the ranks of the six 
other United States Senators who have received the Congressional Medal 
of Honor, namely, Senator Adelbert Ames of Mississippi, Senator Matthew 
S. Quay of Pennsylvania, Senator William J. Sewell of New Jersey, 
Senator Francis E. Warren of Wyoming, Senator Henry A. du Pont of 
Delaware, and Senator J. Robert Kerrey of Nebraska. Senator Inouye is 
the only United States Senator in history to receive the Medal of Honor 
for service in World War II.
  A bit of verse comes to mind.

       This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:
       There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;
       And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged
       A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords
       Shocked upon swords and shields.

       A prince's banner
       Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.
       A craven hung along the battle's edge
       And thought, ``Had I a sword of keener steel--
       That blue blade that the king's son bears--but this
       Blunt thing!'' He snapt and flung it from his hand,
       And lowering, crept away and left the field.

       Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bestead,
       And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,
       Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,
       And ran and snatched it; and with battle shout
       Lifted afresh, he hewed his enemy down,
       And saved a great cause that heroic day.

  Danny Inouye has this same bravery as described of the king's son in 
Edward Rowland Sill's poem. Danny Inouye is the kind of man who sees 
beyond the hilt-buried sword in the dry and trodden sand. He is a man 
who sees opportunity in the worst of situations, rather than despair. 
And, seizing every opportunity to advance a good cause, he acts swiftly 
and courageously to meet adversity head-on.
  I thank the Chair again, and express to Danny Inouye and his lovely 
wife, on behalf of my wife Erma and me, our congratulations, our best 
wishes, and our thankfulness to the Almighty for giving us two such 
wonderful friends--Senator and Mrs. Daniel Inouye.
  I thank the people of Hawaii for repeatedly sending Danny Inouye to 
the Senate.
  I express this hope, and I am sure Daniel Inouye would say the same 
if he were here:
  May God, the Almighty Creator, always watch over and keep the Senate 
of the United States, and may God always bless the United States of 
America.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. In my capacity as a Senator from Kansas, I ask 
unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with, and, without 
objection it is so ordered.

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