[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 159 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ON THE INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO NAME A POST OFFICE AFTER SENATOR HIRAM 
                                  FONG

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2005

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, Senator Hiram L. Fong gave over 30 
years of outstanding public service to the people of Hawaii. He began 
his career of public service at the age of 31, by serving from 1938 to 
1954 in Hawaii's territorial House of Representatives.
  Early on, Senator Fong showed his ability to work well with both 
Democrats and Republicans as he forged a coalition of independents from 
both parties and was elected Speaker of the House during his first 
term.
  Senator Fong went on to serve 17 years in the United States Senate, 
where he was the first Asian-American U.S. Senator. After leaving 
politics, he focused on building a financial empire based on real 
estate, insurance and financing.
  Born on October 15, 1906, in Kalihi, Senator Fong was the seventh of 
11 children in an immigrant family. He worked his way through the 
University of Hawaii and graduated from Harvard Law School.
  His public service was distinguished by his ability to bridge party 
and ethnic lines. He did so by championing civil rights, labor rights 
and immigration reform. At the same time, he was a firm believer in the 
free market and the need to stand on one's own feet.
  The Senator's electoral victories owe greatly to the support of the 
labor unions, particularly the International Longshore and Warehouse 
Union, ILWU. In its testimony in support of the establishment of the 
Senator Hiram L. Fong Commission by the Hawaii State Legislature, the 
ILWU stated,

       The Senator was a successful businessman and a Republican, 
     but he never forgot his humble beginnings. He was a strong 
     supporter of civil rights and often ``crossed the aisle'' to 
     cooperate on issues important to Hawaii's unions and workers.
       This was recognized by the ILWU Local 142 who endorsed his 
     candidacy and campaigned for his re-election.
       It would be appropriate to recognize and honor Senator 
     Hiram L. Fong, who we believe, in his heart and soul, 
     understood what it meant to represent the people of Hawaii 
     without ideological politicized division.

  Senator Fong's legislative accomplishments owe greatly to the 
collaboration and cooperation of Democratic colleagues, particularly 
the other Senator from Hawaii, Oren E. Long, and Senate Majority 
Leader, Senator Lyndon Johnson.
  Upon the Senator's death in 2004, Frank Damon, administrative 
assistant to Senator Fong in 1959-61, wrote in a letter to a local 
newspaper, the Honolulu Advertiser:

       A major accomplishment of Senator Hiram L. Fong during the 
     early days of Hawaii's statehood was the passage of Senate 
     Bill 3395 (introduced by his colleague Senator Oren E. Long) 
     which established the East-West Center. The ultimate success 
     of this bill, incorporated into the Mutual Security Act of 
     1959, could not have occurred without the leadership and 
     political acumen of Hawaii's two new senators, Sen. Fong and 
     Sen. Oren E. Long, a former Governor of Hawaii.
       Senator Fong, a Republican, met often and successfully with 
     members of the Eisenhower Administration; and Sen. Long, a 
     Democrat, won the advocacy of Lyndon Johnson, President of 
     the Senate. Our Hawai'i senators persuaded many of their 
     senatorial colleagues to join them, bringing the total 
     sponsors to 49, a number unheard of at that time and perhaps 
     even today. Prominent scholars such as Everett Dirksen, Mike 
     Mansfield, Hubert Humphrey and Robert Byrd joined as 
     cosponsors.''

  The establishment of the East-West Center was a tribute to Senators 
Fong and Long. In the early days of statehood the two colleagues 
collaborated on much important legislation, particularly the omnibus 
bill, which made Hawaii a full and sovereign Federal State along with 
the other 49. Other important legislation included the Interstate 
Highway system, the National Parks, full inclusion in the land grant 
university system, the new Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, etc.
  Senator Fong died on August 18, 2004, at the age of 97.
  After Senator Fong's passing, the Hawaii State Legislature 
established the Senator Hiram L. Fong Commission in order to honor and 
recognize the distinguished political, business and community leader. 
The Commission consisted of eleven members selected from the Fong 
family, the Chinese-American community, the business community, the 
labor unions and the University of Hawaii.
  After extensive deliberations, the Commission made seven 
recommendations on how the State of Hawaii should honor Senator Fong. 
One of the recommendations is to designate a post office after the 
distinguished Senator.
  That is why I am introducing this bill today, to designate the post 
office located at 1271 North King Street in Honolulu as the Hiram L. 
Fong Post Office Building. I hope my colleagues will join me in this 
worthy endeavor.

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