[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15988]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               CELEBRATING SENATOR AKAKA'S 91ST BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK TAKAI

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 2015

  Mr. TAKAI. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to address the House to say 
Happy Birthday to a selfless public servant, Senator Daniel K. Akaka. 
As we celebrate his 91st birthday, let us look back on a few of his 
numerous accomplishments as a soldier, teacher, and as a Member of 
Congress.
  Born on September 11, 1924, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Senator Akaka has 
worked ever since as a dedicated civil servant to Hawaii and the United 
States. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers. After his military service, he earned his bachelor's degree 
in education at the University of Hawaii.
  As a school teacher and principal, he encouraged the use of the 
Native Hawaiian language and culture in schools and worked tirelessly 
to create some of the first Head Start programs in the State. The 
education of children, especially the Native Hawaiian children, was 
extremely important to him because he knew that increasing access to 
opportunity would improve educational outcomes among children.
  First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, he served 
there for 14 years until he was elected to the Senate, where he served 
until he retired in January 2013. Senator Akaka fought endlessly to 
advocate on behalf of Hawaii, particularly Native Hawaiians, and his 
work on the Veteran's Affairs Committee combating PTSD and unemployment 
among Soldiers has had a profound impact on our country.
  His commitment to a lifetime of public service in the military, as a 
teacher and as a United States Senator should be an inspiration and 
motivation to us all.
  We wish Senator Akaka the best for the coming year. Happy Birthday 
(Hau`oli la hanau), Senator Akaka.

                          ____________________