[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2284-2285]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMENDING SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, with great pleasure I extend my most 
heartfelt congratulations to our esteemed colleague, the senior Senator 
from Hawaii, Daniel K. Inouye, for casting his 15,000 vote in the 
Senate.
  Many times on this floor I have referred to Senator Inouye as my 
``No. 1 hero,'' and he is. Few have ever served our country more 
bravely and with more loyalty and determination than has Senator 
Inouye.
  Daniel Inouye was a member of the famed 442nd Infantry Regimental 
Combat Team of World War II, the most decorated Army unit in U.S. 
history.

[[Page 2285]]

During one bloody battle, Platoon Leader Inouye led an assault on a 
heavily defended Nazi position. Although gravely wounded, he still 
managed to destroy three Nazi machine gun nests. Anyone who is not 
familiar with the details of this amazing display of heroism should 
make it a point to become so.
  For his incredible heroism, Dan Inouye was awarded the Distinguished 
Service Cross, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Congressional 
Medal of Honor, making him one of only seven Senators to have achieved 
our Nation's highest military honor. Senator Inouye is the Senate's 
only Congressional Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.
  In 1963, he became the first Japanese American to serve in the U.S. 
Senate, where he continues to represent his State and our country with 
great distinction and dedication. This man of incredible integrity has 
worked tirelessly in the Senate on behalf of his constituents and our 
country. Senator Inouye served on the Select Committee on Presidential 
Campaign Activities--Watergate Committee--the Select Committee on 
Secret Military Assistance to Iran, and the Nicaraguan Opposition, 
Iran-Contra. He is the next in line on the Democratic side to chair the 
Senate Appropriations Committee and is currently the chairman of the 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. He also served as Secretary of 
the Democratic Conference from 1977 to 1989. I have always respected 
Danny's deep loyalty to the Senate. I will always appreciate his 
loyalty to me when I was the Senate Democratic leader and I relied on 
his sage advice.
  Senator Inouye is now the fourth longest serving U.S. Senator in 
history.
  With today's vote, he is now the fourth U.S. Senator in history to 
have cast 15,000 votes.
  Mr. President, I again congratulate my good friend, my outstanding 
colleague, and my ``No. 1 hero'' for another important milestone in his 
outstanding life:

     God, give us men!
     A time like this demands strong minds,
     Great hearts, true faith, and ready hands.
     Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
     Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
     Men who possess opinions and a will;
     Men who have honor; men who will not lie.

     Men who can stand before the demagogue
     And brave his treacherous flatteries without winking.
     Tall men, sun-crowned;
     Who live above the fog,
     In public duty and in private thinking.
     For while the rabble with its thumbworn creeds,
     Its large professions and its little deeds,
     Mingles in selfish strife,
     Lo! Freedom weeps!
     Wrong rules the land and waiting justice sleeps.
     God give us men!

     Men who serve not for selfish booty;
     But real men, courageous, who flinch not at duty.
     Men of dependable character;
     Men of sterling worth;
     Then wrongs will be redressed, and right will rule the earth.
     God Give us Men!

                          ____________________