[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 159 (Tuesday, December 11, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7711-S7712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTES TO DEPARTING SENATORS


                                Jim Webb

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I would note the Acting President pro 
tempore today. I had the good fortune of being able to come to the 
floor last week to talk about the Acting President pro tempore's tenure 
in the Senate--some 6 years--and I talked about some of the many 
accomplishments he had in that relatively short period of time, as we 
call Senate time.
  But I am reminded again of the Senator from Virginia, having spent an 
hour on Friday with Bob Kerrey. Bob Kerrey and I reflected back on his 
experience here in the Senate, and one memorable meeting he and I had. 
The purpose of that meeting was for Bob Kerrey to introduce me to 
Senator Webb. It was a wonderful meeting because when the meeting 
finished--and I won't go into the details of everything I said, but the 
Senator from Virginia knows--I came out of that meeting recognizing 
what kindred spirits these two gallant warriors were and are, both 
having been highly decorated, one in the Navy, the other a marine; one 
with a Medal of Honor, the other--the Acting President pro tempore--the 
Navy Cross, Silver Star, more than one Bronze Star for Valor, and a 
number of Purple Hearts.
  So I say again, but I can't say it too much, what an honor and 
pleasure it has been to serve in this body with the Senator from 
Virginia, Jim Webb. I have learned so much about what a difference a 
positive attitude will make. And there is no better example of that 
than the new GI bill of rights. To think a new Senator--a brand new 
Senator--would have the idea, the confidence that he could do this; not 
only the confidence that this bill is important, but he wrote it 
himself. The Acting President pro tempore wrote that bill himself. He 
didn't go to bill drafters, as most of us do, he wrote it himself and 
proceeded to get it passed. So this is a man I will miss a whole lot.


                              Daniel Akaka

  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

[[Page S7712]]

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 disagree. 
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 Iraqi 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 descendent 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. Anyone coming 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. A boy named Anthony from 
Chicago, as I indicated, came to visit Dan's brother and he never left. 
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. 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.

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