[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17287]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE DANIEL K. INOUYE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. HIRONO. I stand here today to give tribute to my friend, Hawaii's 
senior Senator--our country's senior Senator--Daniel K. Inouye. With 
your passing, my friend, I want to tell you that no one can fill your 
shoes.
  In Hawaii, we jokingly say that there are three economic drivers in 
our State: tourism, defense, and Senator Inouye. And it's true. His 
work and his unselfishness in serving his State and country are 
unparalleled.
  He served our country during war at a time when people who looked 
like him were not considered American citizens. He did it and served 
our country honorably and with respect and with incredible strength and 
character. He did it because he believed in what our country should and 
could be. Our country--great; our country--about service; our country--
about our children and our future; our country--honorable. His personal 
legacy in my home State of Hawaii could and will never be matched. 
Never.
  Hawaii, we will never be able to thank Senator Inouye for his service 
and what he has done for us. It is too great to put into words, and it 
cannot be done in a 5-minute tribute.
  But what I want to give my aloha and thanks to Senator Inouye for, is 
bigger than all of us: for his commitment to serve and protect our 
brave men and women who fight for our country, for his dedication and 
willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion, for standing up for the 
ideals of freedom and justice that our country is founded upon, for 
always standing up for our proud heritage in Hawaii.
  Senator Inouye was, as so many have recognized, a genuine patriot, a 
uniquely proud American, and a man and a leader always true to his 
word. But Senator Inouye was also an architect and a builder. Half a 
century ago, he had an architect's vision of the Hawaii we inherit from 
him today. Over his many decades of service, he displayed a builder's 
skill--pouring the foundation of the modern and vibrant Hawaii that we 
inherit from him today. That is his legacy.
  So the greatest tribute we can pay Senator Inouye is to acquire his 
vision, to apply his skills and build on the remarkable foundation he 
laid for us.
  I know this is the tribute that I will pay to my friend. I know this 
is the tribute that the people of Hawaii will pay to Senator Inouye. 
Hawaii drew incredible strength from the life and service of Dan 
Inouye, and it is that very strength--strength of purpose and strength 
of character--that will keep Hawaii and our country strong for years to 
come.
  The Senator Inouye I knew and loved, and that we all loved and 
respected, would expect this of Hawaii and us, and we will not let him 
down.

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