[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17207-17208]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SENATOR DANIEL INOUYE

  (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague in speaking about how 
sad we are in the passing of Senator Daniel Inouye. His passing marks 
the end of an era but the beginning of a great future built on the 
legacy he brought to the Congress.
  For the people of Hawaii and the country, he was a public servant 
from start to finish. He was a war hero, earning a Medal of Honor for 
his actions on the battlefields of World War II before his State was 
even admitted to the Union. And imagine, of Japanese American heritage; 
at a time when Japanese Americans were in camps, he was fighting for 
the freedom that they were not enjoying. He is a true patriot.
  He was Hawaii's first Representative in the House, a source of great 
pride for all Members past and present that we could call him 
colleague.
  Senator Inouye was a patriarch of Hawaii, and all Hawaiians will long 
remember his unyielding devotion to the economic vitality, progress, 
and success of his beloved home State.
  Senator Inouye led a life of principle, passion, service, and 
sacrifice. He was the highest ranking Asian American in our country, 
and he was for a long time. His story--as an Asian American who lived 
the American Dream, a soldier who served with bravery and courage, an 
elected Representative who

[[Page 17208]]

served with dignity--reflects the best of America. We only hope it is a 
comfort to his wife, Irene; his son, Ken, and the entire Inouye family; 
and his many, many friends that so many share in their grief at this 
sad time.
  I want to praise him personally but also bring words of comfort to 
his family from my constituents in California who considered him a 
very, very special leader in our country.


        Pelosi Statement on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye

       Washington, D.C.--Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released 
     the following statement tonight on the passing of longtime 
     Hawaii Senator and the Senate's President Pro-Tempore Daniel 
     Inouye:
       ``Senator Daniel Inouye's passing marks the end of an era--
     for the people of Hawaii, the country, and the United States 
     Senate. He was a public servant from start to finish. He was 
     a war hero--earning a Medal of Honor for his actions on the 
     battlefields of World War II before his state was even 
     admitted to the union. He was Hawaii's first Representative 
     in the House, a source of great pride to all Members, past 
     and present.
       ``Senator Inouye was a patriarch of Hawaii, and all 
     Hawaiians will long remember his unyielding devotion to the 
     economic vitality, progress, and success of his beloved home 
     state. He was the second-longest serving Senator in American 
     history, and his fellow Americans will long remember his 
     leadership in protecting our men and women in uniform, 
     strengthening our national security, reaching across the 
     aisle, and investing in a future of prosperity for all. By 
     his actions, he stood firm for the independence of the 
     Congress, the strength of our democracy, and the values of 
     the American people.
       ``Senator Inouye led a life of principle, passion, service, 
     and sacrifice. He was the highest ranking Asian American in 
     our country. His story--as an Asian American who lived the 
     American Dream, a soldier who served with bravery and 
     courage, an elected representative who served with dignity--
     reflects the best of America. We only hope it is a comfort to 
     his wife Irene, his son Ken, and the entire Inouye family 
     that so many share in their grief at this sad time.''

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