[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16946]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING U.S. SENATOR HIRAM FONG

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, on August 18, 2006, I will have the honor 
and privilege to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the admission of 
Hawaii to the United States by dedicating the building housing the 
Kapalama Post Office in honor of the late U.S. Senator Hiram L. Fong. 
It is fitting that on Admissions Day, the State of Hawaii commemorates 
the life of one of its strongest advocates for statehood--Senator 
Fong--by dedicating the postal facility at 1271 North King Street in 
Honolulu, which stands near Senator Fong's boyhood home in Kalihi.
  Like so many of us with immigrant parents, Senator Fong will be 
remembered not only for his many accomplishments but also for his 
humble beginnings. As one of 11 children born to parents from China, he 
graduated with honors from the University of Hawaii in 1930, and 
continued his education at Harvard University where he received a law 
degree 5 years later. In 1959, when Hawaii achieved statehood, he was 
elected to fill one of two seats in the U.S. Senate where he served 
from 1959 until January 2, 1977.
  Senator Fong was this Nation's first U.S. Senator of Asian ancestry. 
He served as the ranking Republican on what was then the Senate Post 
Office and Civil Service Committee, which is why I am so glad we are 
marking his life's work by dedicating this post office in his memory. I 
knew Hiram Fong, and I found him to be a man of great integrity. He was 
a compassionate advocate for civil rights and workers' rights, and 
throughout his 20 years of service in Congress, Senator Fong 
personified the spirit of bipartisan cooperation. He was instrumental 
in enacting landmark civil rights legislation; reforming U.S. 
immigration laws to end discrimination against Asian immigrants; 
improving job training programs for workers; and fighting for equal pay 
for women. The people of Hawaii were truly fortunate to have been 
represented by Hiram Fong.
  This son of Hawaii passed away on August 18, 2004, at the age of 97, 
followed by his wife Ellyn on March 25 of this year. Hiram and Ellyn 
are survived by 4 children, Hiram, Jr., Rodney, Marvin, and Mari-Ellen; 
10 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren. As we remember our good 
friend, Hiram Fong, on this Admissions Day, I ask my Senate colleagues 
and the people of Hawaii to pause for a moment to remember all he did 
on behalf of the Nation and his beloved Aloha State.
  Mr. President, as the former chairman of the Senate Postal 
Subcommittee, I was proud to introduce the legislation designating the 
Kapalama Post Office in memory of my friend, Senator Hiram Fong. The 
Senate passed my bill, S. 2089, by unanimous consent on March 3 of this 
year; the House of Representatives took action on March 7; and on March 
20, the President signed the bill, which is now Public Law 109-203.

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