[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 4, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S6065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING PATRICK DeLEON

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize my chief of 
staff, Dr. Patrick DeLeon, who has helped me to serve the people of 
Hawaii and our Nation for 38 years. Dr. DeLeon is retiring, but he 
leaves behind a legacy of work that has greatly improved the lives of 
many of our citizens in Hawaii, particularly the native Hawaiians, 
while advancing the professional circumstances of doctors, nurses, and 
psychologists.
  After joining my staff in August of 1973, Pat, a psychologist and 
attorney, directed my efforts to create and refine health and education 
policy. In the later years he would also serve as chief of staff for my 
Washington, DC, office. Pat helped to shepherd legislation related to 
native Hawaiians, immigrant children, the people of the Pacific, and 
higher education. Under his service the importance of nurses, 
psychologists, and other health professionals have been properly 
recognized.
  He has been very active in helping our community college system in 
Hawaii become full-fledged 4-year colleges. For example, he played a 
major role in the establishment of a school of pharmacy and a school of 
nursing at the University of Hawaii's Hilo campus.
  Pat also serves as a teacher, a mentor, and psychologist to my staff, 
a role that will be difficult to replace.
  I thank Pat for his decades of hard work, his service to the people 
of Hawaii and this Nation, and, most importantly, for his friendship.

                          ____________________