[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 312]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING DANIEL K. INOUYE

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I deeply miss my friend Danny Inouye.
  Danny Inouye's passing leaves a huge void in the Senate and for me 
personally, as I have lost a dear friend, and now being the sole U.S. 
Senator to have served in World War II is a lonesome post--especially 
after losing the presence of a Medal of Honor winner.
  Danny was not only a great Senator for his constituents, but also the 
most popular among his Senate colleagues. He exemplified what it means 
to serve and represented the very best qualities of our country. 
Whether in the Army or as Hawaii's representative in Washington since 
the State's birth, he worked tirelessly to do right by every Hawaiian 
and every American.
  Danny volunteered to serve in the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat 
Team, which was almost entirely made up of Nisei, or people of Japanese 
descent born in the United States. Although its members faced 
discrimination at home and many of their families were in internment 
camps, the 442nd is widely acknowledged as the most decorated infantry 
unit in the history of the U.S. Army. All of us who served admired the 
courage and heroism Danny displayed on the battlefield especially in 
San Terenzo, Italy when 4 days before the war's end, he lost his arm in 
battle, earning a Purple Heart.
  When Danny first joined the Senate in 1962, World War II veterans 
were common in our chamber and, over the past five decades, the 
Senators who served in World War II have shared a bond that overcame 
partisan politics. But I am now the last of that group and I will 
continue to look to Danny's example to bring colleagues together to do 
what is right for all Americans.
  Danny and I partnered together time and time again on the 
Appropriations Committee to write legislation that has made America 
safer and healthier for our families. I will always be especially 
thankful for his help in crafting relief bills for New Jersey in our 
times of need after Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. In fact, his 
last piece of legislation in the Senate was one to provide relief to 
those affected by Sandy.
  But perhaps Danny's defining quality was this--in a time and 
profession that increasingly rewards grandstanding and grasping for the 
spotlight, Danny served with intelligence, grace and humility. And 
while he was always a humble and quiet leader, when Danny spoke other 
Senators listened closely and took his words to heart. His voice never 
wavered when it came to advocating for an America that leaves no one 
behind.
  He was a giant in the Senate, and we will never forget the legacy he 
leaves behind. As the last World War II veteran in the Senate, I 
promise to always do whatever I can to uphold his commitment to service 
and love of country.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I am proud to join my colleagues in 
remembering our friend and colleague Senator Daniel Inouye. Dan Inouye 
dedicated his life to Hawaii and represented Hawaii from when it 
achieved statehood until his death.
  Senator Inouye was respected and loved by members of both parties and 
both chambers. He was the last Senator to serve with both Everett 
Dirksen and Richard Russell. Senator Inouye learned early the 
importance of doing something for the good of the Nation and the good 
of the Senate, as well as the importance of personal relationships and 
trust among colleagues. For Dan Inouye, his word was his bond and that 
applied to Democrats and Republicans alike. He became the chairman of 
the Appropriations Committee, the Senate President Pro-Tempore, was the 
second longest serving Senator in history and served on special 
committees investigating the Watergate and Iran Contra scandals. At the 
time of his death, he had long become a Senate giant in his own right.
  Long before reaching the Senate, Dan Inouye was an American hero. 
Enlisting in the Army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he served in 
Europe earning a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Distinguished Service 
Cross for helping his fellow soldiers while suffering terrible 
injuries. Later in life, President Clinton would confer upon him the 
Medal of Honor.
  His moral character and life experiences made Senator Inouye a leader 
on many of the pressing issues of the day from civil rights to veterans 
benefits and from health care to helping people with disabilities. 
Through his position on the Appropriations Committee, Senator Inouye 
was able to direct funding to important projects and research that 
helped bring about important advancements as well as simply help 
people.
  Dan Inouye was also a strong supporter of Israel and the Jewish 
community. From his advocacy on behalf of Holocaust survivors, to his 
efforts to help free Jews from the former Soviet Union to his 
influential role in securing funding for Israel, Senator Inouye was a 
tireless friend and advocate. He was given the nickname ``Trumpeldor'' 
after a Zionist hero, Joseph Trumpeldor.
  In closing, I am reminded of a quote used to eulogize Daniel Webster 
that President Nixon used when eulogizing Everett Dirksen, ``Our great 
men are the common property of the country.'' Senator Inouye was indeed 
a great man and our country is better off today for his commitment, his 
conscience and his years of dedicated service.

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