[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3420]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             MAGGIE INOUYE

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, we join our dear friend and colleague, 
Senator Inouye, in remembering his wonderful wife and life-long 
companion, Margaret Inouye.
  She faced her cancer as she lived her life--with dignity, grace, a 
ready smile, and a firm resolve.
  I read Dan Inouye's own words about her passing. He said,

       It was a most special blessing to have had Maggie in my 
     life for 58 years. She was my inspiration, and all that I 
     have accomplished could not have been done without her at my 
     side. We were a team.

  Senator Inouye and Maggie came to the Senate just months after I did. 
It has been one of my greatest pleasures to serve with Dan over these 
many years. He is our rock, our steady hand, our wise counselor. And we 
know that in no small measure, Maggie made that possible.
  Our thoughts and our prayers are with Dan and his son Kenny as they 
face this great loss. Dan, we love you, we care for you, and we look 
forward to your return as you continue to serve the people of the State 
you love.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. CHAFEE. I thank the Chair. I share Senator Kennedy's thoughts of 
prayer and peace for Senator Inouye. My thoughts are with the Inouye 
family.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I came to the floor today to talk about 
our budget deficit and a couple things we ought to be doing to turn it 
around to begin reducing it. Before I do that, I want to extend my 
sympathy and the sympathy of the people of Delaware to Senator Inouye 
and his family on the death of Maggie Inouye yesterday.
  For those who have lost loved ones recently, those who have lost 
parents, those who have lost spouses, they may have just the beginning 
of a feeling for the tough time that our colleague is going through. To 
those of us who were privileged to know his wife, she was a wonderful, 
vibrant, and valiant woman and a great partner for him right to the 
end.
  So to Dan Inouye, our deepest sympathy. It was a privilege to know 
your wife.

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