[Senate Document 112-11]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Daniel K. Inouye
LATE A SENATOR FROM
HAWAII
a
MEMORIAL ADDRESSES
AND OTHER TRIBUTES
hon. daniel k. inouye
a
z
1924-2012
hon. daniel k. inouye
a
z
1924-2012
Daniel K. Inouye
Memorial Addresses and
Other Tributes
HELD IN THE SENATE
AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE UNITED STATES
TOGETHER WITH MEMORIAL SERVICES
IN HONOR OF
DANIEL K. INOUYE
Late a Senator from Hawaii
One Hundred Twelfth Congress
Second Session
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
8, 102
Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
31
Baucus, Max, of Montana........................
76
Begich, Mark, of Alaska........................
33
Blumenthal, Richard, of Connecticut............
23
Blunt, Roy, of Missouri........................
85
Boxer, Barbara, of California..................
21
Cantwell, Maria, of Washington.................
89
Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland...............
45
Casey, Robert P., Jr., of Pennsylvania.........
112
Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
63
Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
96
Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
110
Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware.............
100
Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois
...............................................
...
18, 109
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
97
Feinstein, Dianne, of California...............
93
Grassley, Chuck, of Iowa.......................
56
Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
46
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
26
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
43
Inhofe, James M., of Oklahoma..................
80
Isakson, Johnny, of Georgia....................
37
Johnson, Tim, of South Dakota..................
94
Kerry, John F., of Massachusetts...............
57
Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota...................
94
Lautenberg, Frank R., of New Jersey............
111
Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
24
Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
81
Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
22
McCain, John, of Arizona.......................
5, 107
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky
..............................................
4, 11, 53
Menendez, Robert, of New Jersey................
41, 73
Merkley, Jeff, of Oregon.......................
51, 85
Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland
......................................
28, 80, 87
Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
73
Murray, Patty, of Washington...................
35
Nelson, Ben, of Nebraska.......................
62, 85
Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
52
Pryor, Mark L., of Arkansas....................
67
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
49
Reid, Harry, of Nevada
...............................................
..
3, 4, 11, 73, 83
Roberts, Pat, of Kansas........................
38
Rockefeller, John D., IV, of West Virginia.....
105
Schumer, Charles E., of New York...............
104
Sessions, Jeff, of Alabama.....................
25
Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama.................
87
Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
107
Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan..................
64
Tester, Jon, of Montana........................
65
Warner, Mark R., of Virginia...................
86
Whitehouse, Sheldon, of Rhode Island...........
84
Proceedings in the House of Representatives:
Tributes by Representatives:
Burton, Dan, of Indiana........................
136
Chu, Judy, of California.......................
128
Faleomavaega, Eni F.H., of American Samoa......
133
Garamendi, John, of California
..............................................
118, 120
Hanabusa, Colleen W., of Hawaii
..........................................
118, 129
Hirono, Mazie K., of Hawaii
...................................
115, 117, 122, 133
Honda, Michael M., of California...............
131
Jackson Lee, Sheila, of Texas
...............................................
..
134, 137
Matsui, Doris O., of California................
126
Pelosi, Nancy, of California...................
115
Richardson, Laura, of California...............
120
Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho, of Northern
Mariana Islands...............................
124
Sessions, Pete, of Texas.......................
137
Young, Don, of Alaska..........................
125
Memorial Services.....................................
139
Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium......................
184
Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.........
143
Harris United Methodist Church.....................
183
Hawaii State Capitol...............................
173
Kaua`i War Memorial Convention Center..............
185
Maui Arts and Cultural Center Castle Theater.......
186
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific..........
174
United States Capitol..............................
139
BIOGRAPHY
Daniel K. Inouye, the most senior Member of the U.S.
Senate and the President pro tempore, was known for his
distinguished record as a legislative leader, and as a
World War II combat veteran with the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team, who earned the Nation's highest award for
military valor, the Medal of Honor.
Although he was thrust into the limelight in the 1970s
as a member of the Watergate Committee and in 1987 as
chairman of the Iran-Contra Committee, he has also made
his mark as a respected legislator able to work in a
bipartisan fashion to enact meaningful legislation.
As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and
of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator
Inouye focused on defense matters that strengthened
national security and enhanced the quality of life for
military personnel and their families.
This reflected his hope for a more secure world and his
desire to provide the best possible assistance to the men
and women who put their lives at risk to protect the
United States.
In addition, he was the ranking Democrat on the
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the
Indian Affairs Committee and sat on the Rules Committee.
He helped establish the Inter-parliamentary Exchange
Program between the U.S. Senate and Japan's legislature,
and in 2000 the Government of Japan presented him with the
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
On June 18, 2011, the Government of Japan made Senator
Inouye the seventh American and the first of Japanese
descent to receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the
Paulownia Flowers, the highest award in the Order of the
Rising Sun.
Early in his tenure in the Senate, Senator Inouye
delivered the keynote address at the 1968 Democratic
National Convention and was under consideration to become
Hubert Humphrey's Vice Presidential running mate that same
year.
He became the first chairman of the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence in 1976 and served as the third
ranking leader among Senate Democrats as secretary of the
Democratic Conference from January 1979 through 1988.
He chaired the Senate Democratic Central America Study
Group to assess U.S. policy and served as senior counselor
to the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America
(also known as the Kissinger Commission).
Senator Inouye championed the interest of Hawaii's
people throughout his career. With his support, Hawaii's
infrastructure has been strengthened, its economy
diversified, and its natural resources protected and
restored. For local residents, particularly Native
Hawaiians, whose history and welcoming culture give the
State its defining characteristics, Senator Inouye has
increased job training and employment opportunities,
provided more community health care, and provided support
services and research to help small businesses and diverse
sectors, from agriculture to high technology.
His imprint is seen on all of the State's islands
through initiatives such as Honolulu and Neighbor Island
bus service, steady construction jobs in support of
military infrastructure, the diversification of
agriculture, the birth of the Kauai High Technology Center
and the rise of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, the
launch of the Maui supercomputer, the expansion of
national parks and wildlife refuges in Hawaii, and the
protection of Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, the alala
(Hawaiian crow), the nene goose, and coral reefs.
Senator Inouye got his start in politics in 1954 when he
was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives;
soon after his election, his Democratic colleagues, well
aware of Senator Inouye's leadership abilities, selected
him as their majority leader. In 1958 he was elected to
the Territorial Senate. When Hawaii became a State in
1959, he was elected the first Congressman from the new
State and was reelected to a full term in 1960. He was
first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962 and served until
his death.
On May 24, 2008, Senator Inouye married Irene Hirano,
who is president of the U.S.-Japan Council. He was married
for nearly 57 years to Margaret Awamura Inouye, a former
instructor at the University of Hawaii, who passed away on
March 13, 2006.
He is survived by a son, Ken, who is married to Jessica
Carroll from Rochester, New York, a granddaughter, Mary
Margaret ``Maggie'' Inouye, and stepdaughter Jennifer
Hirano.
MEMORIAL ADDRESSES
AND
OTHER TRIBUTES
FOR
DANIEL K. INOUYE
Proceedings in the Senate
Monday, December 17, 2012
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise with a heavy heart. Our
friend, Dan Inouye, just died.
I have never known anyone like Dan Inouye. No one else
has. The kindness he has shown me during my time here in
the Senate is something I will cherish always. He was a
man who has lived and breathed the Senate. If there were
ever a patriot, Dan Inouye was that patriot.
A week ago last Friday he and I spent some time together
in his office, just the two of us alone. We spent an hour
together, and we ended the meeting with both of us saying,
``You know, we need to do this again.'' Well, I won't be
able to do that again.
He was a wonderful Senator, brave soldier, a recipient
of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross,
the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He lost an arm in
Italy. He said to me at that last meeting together, when I
asked him, ``Dan, did anything else happen to you, other
than your arm?'' He said, ``Yeah, I got shot in the
gut''--that is what he said--``and the leg a couple of
times.''
We will all miss him, and that is a gross
understatement. I wish I were capable of saying more, but
that is all I can say. I have talked to his wife Irene.
She is there, with his son. We have known for a few hours
this wasn't working out well for Senator Inouye. But he
was certainly one of the giants of the Senate.
I remember what he said when his son asked why he fought
the way he did after having been declared an enemy alien.
He said he did it for the children. That was Senator
Inouye. His commitment to our Nation will never be
surpassed. His service in the Senate will be with the
greats of this body.
Now I should ask my friend if he wishes to speak upon
this issue. It would be my hope the two votes that are
scheduled could both be done--for these judges--by voice
vote. I don't think it is appropriate to record a vote at
this time.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the two
judges be approved by voice vote.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I think we all, at a subsequent
time--I just talked to his wife and walked out here--will
have some more formal remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I too am going to address
the remarkable life of Senator Inouye at a later time, but
I did want to make some observations here for a few
moments at the time of his passing.
Senator Inouye was a man who, as we all know, rarely
called attention to himself but who lived a remarkable
American life filled with the dignity and grace of the
true hero he was.
He was only 17 when he heard the sirens over Honolulu
and saw the great planes flying overhead. At the time he
dreamed of being a surgeon. A few years later a medic
would be taking care of him after his heroic action in the
Italian mountains, for which he would one day receive our
Nation's most prestigious award for military valor.
Dan Inouye's dream of being a surgeon was not realized
but there were other things in store. Instead, he became a
member of one of the most decorated U.S. military units in
American history and one of our Nation's longest serving
and finest Senators.
An iconic political figure of his beloved Hawaii, and
the only original member of the congressional delegation
still serving in Congress, he was a man who had every
reason to call attention to himself but who never did.
He was the kind of man, in short, that America has
always been grateful to have, especially in our darkest
hours--men who lead by example and who expect nothing in
return.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I didn't mention, and I should
have, but I really have been waiting the last hour or so
to make sure it was okay with his wife that I come and say
something, so I haven't had time to do much other than
feel sadness about the loss of Senator Inouye.
As I indicated, I talked to Irene. I wasn't able to talk
to Ken, but I did talk to Irene. I want to make sure
everyone understands the depth of my feelings--and I know
I am speaking for the entire Senate. Dan Inouye believed
in me, even more than I believed in myself. Many years
ago--a couple of decades ago--he said, ``You know, you're
going to do great things in the Senate,'' and he always
talked about my leading the Senate. He always came and
said, ``You did the right thing.'' He would always tell
you that you would do the right thing.
The chapter of Dan Inouye in the Senate is something
that is remarkable, not only his military record but what
he did with the defense aspects of our country, the
security aspects of our country. And there was no one more
bipartisan than Senator Inouye.
He has a brother who lives in Las Vegas, and a wonderful
person he is, but he was as close to Ted Stevens as he was
to any person could be to a brother. They were brothers.
They called themselves brothers. So he set an example
always about bipartisanship, about working with others. As
far as being a good member of our caucus, no one was
better than he was.
No one has been a better American than Senator Inouye.
When we talk about people in Hawaii and who they revere,
it is Senator Inouye. The State of Hawaii is going through
a great deal at this time. Senator Akaka has announced his
retirement, and now the death of Senator Inouye.
On behalf of all Senators, I express my appreciation for
his service and his friendship.
Mr. McCAIN. I thank the majority leader. Today, the
Senate, America, and especially his beloved citizens of
Hawaii, lost a unique, brave, and wonderful legislator, a
man who brought the most unique credentials to this
institution of probably anyone who has ever served in this
diverse body.
Dan Inouye was born of Japanese parents who came to
Hawaii, as many Japanese did in that period of time at the
turn of the century, to work in the pineapple fields and
agriculture, which was a fundamental of the economy for
the State of Hawaii. Their conditions were not good. They
worked hard. But they raised their families with pride,
with dignity and honor, and were proud to call themselves
Americans.
Dan Inouye was as proud as any. As we know, one of the
most shameful chapters of American history took place
during World War II when an incredible act of injustice
took place. The United States of America decided to intern
Japanese Americans who lived in California. They were put
into internment camps because they happened to be Japanese
Americans, not because they had done anything wrong, not
that they did not love America, but because they happened
to be Japanese Americans. By the way, some of those
internment camps were in my home State of Arizona.
Conditions were not terrible, but they were not good.
People were incarcerated because they happened to be
ethnic Japanese.
In Hawaii, there was a group of young Japanese Americans
who decided they wanted to serve their country and they
wanted to serve in uniform. One of the most well-known,
famous, and most highly decorated units of World War II
was the battalion in which Dan Inouye served. They were in
many of the most gruesome and difficult bloodlettings of
the entire conflict as the American forces fought their
way up through Italy against a very well-trained, very
well-equipped, professional German opposition. Dan Inouye
was a proud member of this battalion. In fierce combat,
Dan Inouye was gravely wounded on the battlefield. He was
brought home. He, as we all know, lost his arm as a result
of one of the wounds he sustained.
Interestingly and coincidentally, he went to a veterans
hospital in Michigan where a person in the same ward was
an American Army second lieutenant who had also been
wounded seriously in Italy, one Bob Dole--2LT Bob Dole of
Kansas. There began a friendship that lasted to this day,
both gravely wounded, both dedicated more than ever to
serve their country. Both served with distinction. The
friendship and the bonds of friendship that were forged in
that hospital between Bob Dole and Dan Inouye were unique
and enduring.
So Dan Inouye returned to his beloved Hawaii. The story
goes--and I do not know if it is true or not--the story
goes that Dan Inouye went down to join the veterans
organization, and when he applied for membership, he was
told that the only members they took in that organization
were Caucasian.
Dan Inouye decided that he wanted to continue to serve
his country and the State of Hawaii. He was the first
Senator from the State of Hawaii and has served longer
than any Senator in this institution. He was loved by all
of us. I did not always agree with Dan. Occasionally, we
had differences about how we use appropriations bills. No
one--no one ever accused Dan Inouye of partisanship or
unfairness.
He loved Native Americans, and he loved his Hawaiians.
One of the more rewarding periods of my time here in the
Senate was being on the Indian Affairs Committee under his
chairmanship. Very important pieces of legislation came
out of that committee. It was a great honor for me to have
the privilege to serve with Dan Inouye. He loved Native
Americans. He knew that Native Americans had been wronged
in our history. He knew that solemn treaties must be
honored by our Government even if those treaties sometimes
meant that there would be significant expenditures of
America's tax dollars.
Have no doubt that our treatment of Native Americans and
the treatment of Native Hawaiians is not the most glorious
chapter in American history when we look back at what
happened to the proud Native Americans and the Native
Hawaiians as their civilizations collided with the
civilization that came to the United States of America
from around the world.
Dan Inouye fought for the things he believed in and the
principles that he held dear. He held nothing more dear
than the glory of being able to serve people who needed to
be served.
Dan Inouye will be missed. There will not be another
like him. There will not be another Senator literally
deprived of his rights. There will not be another Senator
who will serve in length and with the dedication that Dan
Inouye served this Senate and his beloved Hawaii. So we
will all miss Dan Inouye. I hope from time to time, with
the bitter partisanship that exists here sometimes in the
Senate, maybe we could use Dan Inouye's record as an
example of bipartisan friendship, and a willingness to
reach across the aisle and work with the other side; it
characterized Dan Inouye's record here in the Senate.
For some reason, when I heard and thought about Dan's
passing today, I was reminded of another person who died
and is buried on the island of Samoa, and his poem is
inscribed on his gravestone as an epitaph. I think it
applies to our dear and beloved friend who passed today.
It was by Robert Lewis Stevenson. I quote:
Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you 'grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.
I see my dear and beloved friend, the other Senator from
Hawaii, Dan Akaka, on the floor.
I thank you, Danny, and God bless.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, it is very difficult for me
to rise today--with a heavy heart--to bid aloha to my good
friend, colleague, and brother, Dan Inouye. It is hard for
me to believe that the terrible news I just received is
true. Senator Inouye was a true patriot and an American
hero in every sense, and he is at this time in Hawaii the
greatest leader.
He served his country as a soldier, receiving the
highest honor our Nation can bestow. When we think of how
he began to serve his Nation, it is difficult to believe
the difficulty we had in Hawaii as Japanese Americans. To
be a part of our Nation's military--we were denied. We
were considered aliens of this country. But he was one of
those who wanted to serve his country, and they went to
the highest level to receive that dignity, and eventually
they were given the honor to serve our country. As we now
know, it became the greatest unit in military history,
with the most decorations of any unit and also with the
highest levels of decoration, of the Medal of Honor.
He served as a leader, the second longest serving Member
of the U.S. Senate in our Nation's history. He served as a
defender of the people of this country, championing
historic charges for civil rights, including the equal
rights of women, Asian Americans, African Americans, and
Native Hawaiians. It is an incredible understatement to
call him an institution. This Chamber will never be the
same without him.
I remember, in our childhood in Hawaii, that Hawaii was
a diversified place. Where I lived in Pauoa Valley, there
were many Japanese families who lived around us. There
were many nights that I spent sleeping in the homes of our
Japanese families, ate their food, slept on the tatami on
the floor, and I really was brought up with the Japanese
families. So when the war broke out, I couldn't understand
what was happening because there were families who were
removed from the community, and, of course, at that time
the Japanese American boys weren't allowed to be in the
military, but they pursued it because they wanted to serve
this country as well. This is why, in my time in Congress,
I focused on trying to help the Japanese Americans in this
country and the Asians in this country as well, and to
help them achieve what they really earned.
I remember seeking the Medal of Honor for the unit and
for those who fought in World War II, and I provided the
Pentagon with 100 names from these units. I was really
surprised that there were finally 21 of them who were
selected for the Medal of Honor, and Senator Inouye was
one of them. That showed that they were willing to give
their lives for this country, and they did. Since then, he
continued to serve his country.
We all used the GI bill to be educated in Hawaii. We
went to the University of Hawaii, graduated from there,
and went on to further degrees. They came back, in a
sense, those who could help the communities, and became
leaders.
In the case of Danny Inouye, he was one of the ones who
turned the tide in Hawaii politically since 1954, and by
1959 we became a State. Senator Inouye ran for office and
was our first Member of the House. After one term, he
moved to the Senate because Senator Long decided to
retire. As a result, Senator Matsunaga was elected to the
House and served the House and also the Senate as well,
and he also was a member of the 100th Infantry during
World War II. The Japanese Americans really served our
country, and Danny Inouye is one of those great leaders in
the history of this country.
Through my career in Congress, I have been proud to be
on Dan's team. We have worked on everything from
appropriations to Native Hawaiian rights, to veterans and
to defense. All of us in Hawaii looked up to him, and we
are so sad to see him go.
Danny Inouye leaves behind him a list of accomplishments
unlikely ever to be paralleled. His lifelong dedication
and hard work in the name of his beloved country, the
United States of America, influenced every part of his
life and set him apart, even in the Senate. He was a
fierce advocate as a senior member of several committees,
and the way he conducted himself commanded respect from
all with whom he worked.
His legacy is not only the loving family he leaves
behind, it can be seen in every mile of every road in
Hawaii, in every nature preserve and every facility that
makes Hawaii a safer place. He fulfilled his dream of
creating a better Hawaii. He gave us access to resources
and facilities that the mainland States, I would say, took
for granted.
Tomorrow will be the first day since Hawaii became a
State in 1959 that Danny Inouye will not be representing
us in Congress. Every child born in Hawaii will learn of
Danny Inouye, a man who changed the islands forever.
I join all of the people of Hawaii tonight in praying
for his wife Irene, his son Ken, and his daughter-in-law
Jessica; his stepdaughter Jennifer, and his granddaughter
Maggie, who really tickled his life. Whenever I had a
chance to chat with him, we talked about Maggie. His
family brought him so much joy in his life and will carry
his legacy forward.
I am going to miss Dan, and so will all of us here in
the Senate, and this great country will also. He
represented a true American, and for us in Hawaii, he
represented a true Hawaiian in Hawaii. He served Hawaii
and this country well.
Dan and I have worked so well together all these years.
When I was in the House and on the Appropriations
Committee there, we worked very well between the House and
the Senate. Many of the renovations that have come about
in Hawaii were because of Danny, and he really helped to
shape Hawaii and this great country. He brought here on
Earth a kind of life that people of our country and this
world can follow to be great citizens of the world.
Dan, my dear friend and colleague, you will be missed in
Washington as much as you will be missed in Hawaii. Rest
in peace. God bless you and your spirit.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following
prayer:
Let us pray.
O God, whose days are without end and whose mercies
cannot be numbered, keep us aware of life's brevity and
uncertainty. As we bid aloha to the second longest serving
Senator in U.S. history, Daniel Ken Inouye, we praise You
for the beauty of his well-lived life. Thank You, Lord,
for the years we shared with him, the good we saw in him,
and the friendship we received from him. We are grateful
for the dignity of his quiet strength that blazed a trail
of significant service sufficient for two lifetimes. May
the memories of his bipartisan spirit challenge us to work
more harmoniously with each other. Bless Irene, Kenny, and
the rest of his loved ones. Surround them with Your love.
Now give us strength to leave our beloved President pro
tempore in Your care, for he is a sheep of Your own fold,
a lamb of Your own flock, and a servant of Your own
redeeming. Give him the blessed rest of everlasting peace.
We pray in the Redeemer's Name. Amen.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is tradition in this body to
have flowers on the desk of the departed. We have flying
in from Hawaii now a lei that will be more Hawaiian than
these roses.
I ask unanimous consent that we now have a moment of
silence in honor of our departed friend, Dan Inouye.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senate will
observe a moment of silence.
(Moment of silence)
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I thank my friend, the
majority leader.
Today is indeed a day to celebrate the life and
extraordinary service to our country of our friend,
Senator Dan Inouye. I will have more to say about that
later, but what a remarkable individual he was. It has
been our privilege to have the opportunity to get to know
him and observe his great work for a very long time.
I thank my friend, the majority leader.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I came to the floor yesterday
minutes after Irene--Senator Inouye's wife--confirmed the
death of her husband, my friend, a friend of all of us
here.
I was, frankly, very emotional and announced to the
Senate and the country the death of one of the Senate's
alltime greats. So today, upon contemplation and
reflection, I am going to say a little bit more about
Senator Inouye.
His personal friendship I valued so very, very much. He
was a colleague but really a friend. He helped me so many
times. He helped me to do my best here. My best has been
with the help of him.
As I mentioned briefly yesterday, he always had so much
confidence in me. Years ago, when I was a Senator
struggling, as all Senators here, he told me two decades
ago I would be running the Senate someday. I never even
contemplated, thought about, or desired that. Things
worked out that he was right.
Senator Inouye, one of the finest men I have ever known,
was a real American hero. My friend who is on the Senate
floor, the assistant leader, has heard me talk about my
mentor, Michael Callahan, who taught me in high school,
helped me with money as I was going to law school, and he
was on a pension. He was a disabled veteran. He was such a
good friend of mine. He and Senator Inouye were friends.
They talked about what it is like to not have a limb.
While Callahan's was a leg, Inouye's was an arm. They
talked and they were friends, and Michael Callahan worked
back here as an aide to Senators Cannon and Bible in the
summers and got to know Senator Inouye.
My thoughts are, of course, with his family, including
his wife Irene, his son Ken, their daughter-in-law
Jessica. He has a stepdaughter Jennifer, and a
granddaughter Maggie, named after, of course, his first
wife. Their loss is the Nation's loss.
Last night we lost a noble soul. Dan Inouye lived a long
productive life. Still, I speak for Dan's Senate family
when I say we are devastated by his passing. While we will
all miss him, his legacy will live in the Halls of the
Senate and the State of Hawaii as long as history is
written. His place in the history books will not fade.
As the second longest serving Senator in our history,
Senator Inouye's career in Congress spanned the life of
Hawaii's statehood. Elected to the Senate in 1962, only
Robert Byrd served longer. But Senator Inouye's tradition
of service began long before he came to the U.S. Senate.
He was working as a medical volunteer when Japanese
warplanes attacked Pearl Harbor. He was just a boy, a
teenager. From the time he was just a kid, he wanted to be
a medical doctor. But a different fate awaited Dan Inouye.
After the attack, as we all know too well, Japanese
Americans were deemed enemy aliens and were therefore not
subject to the draft. More than 110,000 people of Japanese
ancestry were imprisoned in American internment camps. We
have seen the pictures. We have heard the stories. They
were in prison. Yet Dan Inouye and other Japanese
Americans, in spite of the unfair designation of being an
enemy alien, volunteered to fight for this Nation's
freedom overseas, although many of their own families were
denied freedom at home while they were overseas.
Senator Inouye fought courageously with the famous 442nd
Regimental Combat Team in World War II and was grievously
wounded in battle in Italy.
A paragraph or two is written about why a Medal of Honor
recipient was given this award:
On April 21, 1945, Inouye was grievously wounded while
leading an assault on a heavily-defended ridge near San
Terenzo in Tuscany, Italy, called Colle Musatello. The
ridge served as a strong-point along the strip of German
fortifications known as the Gothic Line, which represented
the last and most dogged line of German defensive works in
Italy. As he led his platoon in a flanking maneuver, three
German machine guns opened fire from covered positions
just 40 yards away, pinning his men to the ground. Inouye
stood up to attack and was shot in the stomach; ignoring
his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first
machine gun nest with hand grenade and fire from his
Thompson submachine gun. After being informed of the
severity of his wound by his platoon sergeant, he refused
treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second
machine gun position, which he also successfully destroyed
before collapsing from blood loss.
As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye
crawled toward the final bunker, eventually drawing within
10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to
throw his last grenade into the fighting position, a
German inside fired a rifle grenade that struck him on the
right elbow, severing most of his arm and leaving his own
primed grenade reflexively ``clenched in a fist that
suddenly didn't belong to me anymore.'' Inouye's horrified
soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep
back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily
relax and drop the grenade. As the German inside the
bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye pried the live grenade
from his useless right hand and transferred it to his
left. As the German aimed his rifle to finish him off,
Inouye tossed the grenade off-hand into the bunker and
destroyed it. He stumbled to his feet and continued
forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-
handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the
leg [and] tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge.
When he awoke to see his concerned men of his platoon
hovering over him, his only comment before being carried
away was to gruffly order them to return to their
positions, since, as he pointed out, ``nobody called off
the war!''
That is the citation on his Medal of Honor.
His arm was later amputated in a field hospital, and he
was sent back to the United States to recover. But it took
years for him to do so.
I remember in the LBJ Room over here, after Patty Murray
and others talked about what a difficult time returning
veterans were having from Iraq, him talking about some of
his experiences. They trained him to drive vehicles. He
took driver's license tests in more than one State. He
became very personal and talked about some of the things
they taught him--missing an arm--that he had to do. It was
a remarkable presentation that he made.
Senator Inouye did not talk very much. He was a silent
man--did not talk very much at all. He had a dynamic
voice. We have not felt that voice in the last few years
because he has not been as powerful as he was as he has
aged, but what a beautiful voice he had. In that hospital
they took him to in Michigan, Senator Inouye made two
lifelong friends: one, Senator Bob Dole who, as we know,
became majority leader in the Senate and Republican
nominee for President of the United States; his other
lifetime friend the late Senator Phil Hart, who was known
as the conscience of the Senate. The Hart Building, the
massive Senate Office Building, is named after him.
Asked by his son why, after being classified as an enemy
alien, he and the members of the famed 442nd fought so
heroically, Senator Inouye said, in his usual calm manner,
``for the children.'' And for the children there could be
no finer role model than Senator Dan Inouye. He was a
recipient of the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Gold
Medal, the highest honor the Congress can bestow. He
received the Distinguished Service Cross, a Bronze Star
for valor and, of course, a Purple Heart. Dan Inouye
showed the same dedication in Congress that he displayed
on the battlefield.
I want to take a little bit here and talk about a
meeting I had--I mentioned it very briefly last night, but
it was 10 days ago. I knew Senator Inouye was not feeling
well so I went down to his office. He has a remarkable
office. It is a beautiful office. But there is not one
single thing on the walls depicting what a great man he
is. There are no awards, there are no commemorative
statues. All he has in his office are pictures of
Washington and Hawaii. That is the humility he showed his
entire life.
There was no staff there, just the two of us. We talked
for an hour. I would have always remembered it, but his
having passed away yesterday, it will be embedded in my
mind. As we left, we both lamented the fact that we had
not been able to sit down and talk like that enough. He
professed at that time--these were his words--how
``lucky'' he had been his whole life. He said, ``I've got
a little emphysema now.''
I said, ``It is not from smoking. I have never seen you
smoke.''
He said, ``No, I learned to smoke in the war as a boy, a
teenager.'' He smoked from 1944 to 1967, when they told
him he had lung cancer. They were wrong, but in the
process they took part of his lung out, half of his lung.
He talked about how lucky he had been, surviving what he
thought was lung cancer, but also how lucky he had been
his whole life. For example, the war. I am sure that most
people would not reflect on such massive injuries as being
lucky, but he considered it lucky that he lived.
There were other examples he gave. He had been called
upon, with three other soldiers, to cross a river in the
dark of night to find out what was going on on the other
side of the river. He and his companions, in the dark of
the night didn't have fancy gear to see in the dark; they
did their best--they crossed that cold river. It took many
hours. They came back, did their report, and he laid down
on his bunk. He had an ingrown toenail that hurt every
step he took. So he is lying on his bed and he said,
``Here is why I am so lucky. A medic came by, looked at
me, looked at my foot, and he said you have gangrene
poisoning; we have to get you out of here.''
They took him out and he said, ``How lucky I was I was
not in battle that day''--when half of his companions were
killed.
He also talked about preparing for another battle. He
was getting ready to do this. He was a private; he may
have been a corporal, I don't really remember. He said a
sergeant came to him and said: ``Inouye, report to the
colonel.'' He didn't know what was wrong. He reported to
the colonel. The colonel said very curtly, ``You have to
meet with the General today.'' He said the only reason he
would know of to meet with the General was a court
martial, because that is what everybody thought. So he
went to headquarters. He saw the General. The General told
Senator Inouye, ``I am promoting you to be a lieutenant.''
It was a battlefield promotion. But he said, ``I was
lucky. I was lucky I became an officer but,'' he said, ``I
was lucky I was not in the fight that day because we also
had huge losses.''
When he was scheduled to come back to America--another
one of his lucky experiences--they had a transport plane
to take him back. His arm was gone by then. He was told we
don't have room for another litter, for another patient on
the airplane. You can't go. He of course was disappointed.
Then the plane crashed and everybody on the plane was
killed.
So Dan Inouye was a person who considered himself lucky.
Those of us who knew Senator Inouye consider ourselves
lucky, just being able to know the man.
After Hawaii received its statehood in 1959, Dan Inouye
served as its first Congressman. Three years later he was
elected to the Senate, and he was a soft but powerful
voice for the people of Hawaii ever since.
There are many personal courtesies he extended to me
that I will never forget. It may not seem like much, but I
was scheduled to be in Florida and I promoted this--I was
a new Senator--and the great Senator Inouye was going to
be there. I got a call from Henry Giugni. Most of us who
served here knew him. He used to be Sergeant at Arms. For
a long time he was Senator Inouye's chief of staff. He
said, ``I checked his schedule and it's his wife's
birthday and he is not going to be able to go.'' I said I
understand that.
Within an hour I got a call from Senator Inouye. He said
Millie understands that totally. He said we will celebrate
the birthday the day after tomorrow, when I come back. He
was someone who was so self-sacrificing for other
Senators.
As Senator Inouye's colleague from Hawaii, Senator
Akaka, said last night:
His legacy ... can be seen in every mile of every road
in Hawaii, in every nature preserve and every facility
that makes Hawaii a safer place. He fulfilled his dream of
creating a better Hawaii.
He was a strong supporter of the University of Hawaii, a
strong supporter of George Washington University Law
School. He got his bachelor's degree in Hawaii, his law
degree at George Washington. He was a determined
representative of this Nation's fighting men and women, a
longtime leader of the Defense Appropriations
Subcommittee.
As I mentioned briefly last night--I have been here as
long as my friend the assistant leader here who is seated
next to me today; we have been here 30 years--there has
been no one I have ever known in my 30 years who did more
and fought more for the fighting men of this country. He
believed that the Nation's commitment to the members of
the Armed Forces did not end with their service.
For fear it would be lost, and it should not be lost, I
want to enter on the Record what this good man did at a
Prayer Breakfast a couple of months ago. I can't remember
if the Presiding Officer was at the Prayer Breakfast, but
I know my friend the assistant leader was there. Senator
Inouye had never, ever in his 50-plus years in Congress
spoken at a Prayer Breakfast, but he decided to come. He
had great vigor until just recently. He campaigned in this
last cycle. He traveled to Alaska to help Senator Begich a
few months ago. He campaigned in Nevada, in Arizona, all
over the country. He had great vigor. But he came to the
breakfast and talked to us about his experiences.
When he was a boy, he never had a gun. That was not
anything people did in Hawaii. So he was surprised after
he got in the Army that he was such a great shot. He was
the best--the best. As a result of that he became a sniper
in the European theater. With great humility he explained
he could remember killing his first person. He could
remember they were trying to take a farmhouse and they
shot a bazooka into it and he rushed in and there was a
man there. The man reached in his pocket. Of course
Senator Inouye thought he was reaching for a weapon, and
the man was killed. And Daniel Inouye saw that he was
reaching for a picture of his family. He said he came to
the realization at that time that he was not killing enemy
soldiers, he was killing other human beings.
Although he had to continue doing what he did, he ended
his presentation by saying, ``I know exactly how many
people I killed.'' He said, ``A lot of people go to bed at
night counting sheep. Even though I am an old man, I go to
bed at night many times counting people.''
He was somebody who, as a result of his experiences,
voted against war from then on. He did not support the
Vietnam war, Iraq war 1 and 2, Afghanistan--even though he
made sure that our military force had all the supplies it
needed. It is the greatest fighting force in the world. A
lot of that is directly attributable to Senator Inouye.
Talking about bipartisanship, he lived that. He was a
fine Democrat. He was a progressive Democrat and was proud
of that. But he never hesitated to cross over and work
with other Senators. The best example of that was Senator
Stevens, who was killed in an airplane crash fairly
recently in Alaska. Hawaii and Alaska--these two fine men
representing the two newest States in the Union, became
like brothers. That is the truth.
It is really a shame that Dan is not with us anymore. He
was never afraid to speak out against discrimination and
was an important advocate for Native Hawaiians and Asian
Pacific Islanders. He was the chair of the Indian Affairs
Committee. Prior to that time, with all due respect to all
the other chairs, it was not a committee people knew much
about. Senator Inouye made that committee a powerful
committee. He traveled the country receiving all the
accolades from the tribes that had never been recognized,
that had never had someone who became their advocate--and
he was. He put the Indian Affairs Committee on the map.
He served as chairman of the Commerce Committee, the
Appropriations Committee, the President pro tempore of the
Senate, the first chair of the Committee on Intelligence.
He served as a member of the Watergate Committee and was
chairman of the Special Committee Investigating the Iran-
Contra Affair. I repeat, this man has been one of the
greatest Senators in the history of this great country.
He had a deserved reputation as a bipartisan bridge
builder. He always put his country first and his party
second. In 1968 Senator Inouye gave a memorable keynote
speech at the Democratic National Convention. He spoke
eloquently of the country's struggles with racism at a
time of deep division. He also spoke from the heart. This
is part of what he said:
I wish to share with you the most sacred word of Hawaii.
It is aloha. To some of you who visited us it may have
meant hello. To others aloha may have meant goodbye. But
to those of us who have been privileged to live in Hawaii,
aloha means I love you. So to all of you, my fellow
Americans, aloha.
That is what he said those many years ago. So today it
is with a heavy heart that those of us who loved Senator
Inouye say ``aloha'' to a great man, a legend of the
Senate. His final, dying word was ``aloha.'' He did not
mean goodbye. He meant ``I love you.''
Senator Inouye, I love you.
Mr. DURBIN. ... I come to the floor this morning for a
few moments to pay tribute to one of my great friends and
one of my great colleagues, Danny Inouye, who passed away
yesterday. The majority leader has done such an
extraordinary job recounting his life, and I think back to
what it must have meant to him as he witnessed Pearl
Harbor at the age of 17. He said that he realized at the
time that the pilots in those planes that were bombing his
family and others in Hawaii were people of the same
ancestry as his father, and it hurt him. It hurt him as
well to be branded as suspect because of his Japanese
origin and to see literally tens of thousands of Japanese
Americans interned in camps because their loyalty was
questioned.
He took the opportunity to volunteer and serve our
Nation to prove his loyalty and that he was willing to
risk his life for America. He served in one of the most
highly decorated units in all of World War II, the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team, which was comprised of Japanese
Americans who fought in the European theater. They
recently came to Washington to be honored. Senator Inouye
was there, and it was a great moment to see these men of
the Greatest Generation who have proven to America their
love for this country, and none more so than Danny Inouye.
Senator Reid has recounted in detail the incredible
story of his bravery that earned him the Congressional
Medal of Honor, but he was such a humble man. When we look
back on his life, there were so many aspects of it that
were historic in nature, and one would never know it in
conversations with him or working with him.
Senator Reid had the same experience I did. I visited
Senator Inouye's office, and it was unusual by Senate
standards. I looked across the office, and there were no
pictures of Danny Inouye on the walls, and there were no
awards for this man who served more than half a century in
Congress.
I said to him, ``It is interesting that your office has
a lot of artwork and photos but nothing about Danny
Inouye.''
He said, ``No, I didn't want to put those things up. I
wanted everyone to feel at ease coming in here. I didn't
want to talk about my party affiliation or what I had
done. I want them to feel comfortable and to know this is
a welcoming office.''
That is the kind of person he was. Time and again, he
proved it.
He started off in the Territorial House of
Representatives in Hawaii. When Hawaii became a State, he
served in the Congress and later in the U.S. Senate. He
was there from the beginning, and what a dynamic leader he
was for his State of Hawaii. He did so many great things
over the years.
I was at the same Prayer Breakfast Senator Reid
recounted. There was one other story he told, which I will
only refer to in the most abbreviated form. He talked
about his experience as a sniper and how he still had in
his mind the images of those enemy soldiers he shot down.
After 50, 60 years, he could not get those images out of
his mind.
He talked about befriending one of his fellow veterans
in the Michigan veterans hospital. He told me this great
story he shared at the Prayer Breakfast. He said that when
he was an officer, he would spend his weekends in the
great city of Chicago at the Knickerbocker Hotel. He said
that was the hotel for officers.
He said, ``I would come into Chicago and have a great
time on the weekends and head back to the veterans
hospital.''
Well, he finally talked one of his fellow Hawaiians--a
man whose face had been literally burned off--into joining
him on one of his trips to Chicago. The man was
embarrassed by his appearance and didn't think anybody
would want to be around him or talk to him. Danny Inouye
prepared all of these different places where they would
stop in during their visit, and every one of them greeted
Senator Inouye and his friend in a warm fashion.
The story goes on from there, and I won't go into the
details, but he was a man who always looked to help
someone else. He talked about how this man who had been so
brutally injured in the war returned to Hawaii, raised a
family, and was Danny Inouye's friend for life, as so many
of us were.
I think back as well to Senator Robert C. Byrd's funeral
in West Virginia. It was one of the hottest days I can
remember. We were up there baking in the sun at this
memorial service for Robert C. Byrd. I intentionally
picked a seat next to Danny Inouye. I had to take off my
jacket. I was mopping the perspiration off, and I looked
at him in his dark suit without a bead of sweat.
I said, ``How do you do that?''
He said, ``Well, you know, the Asian religions are very
important in my life, and they believe mind over matter
can achieve great things. I can visualize myself sitting
in a deep freeze now, and I am not hot at all.''
I thought, this man is amazing in so many different
ways. When he is done with his life, those stories--some
serious, some lighthearted--will reflect so well on this
man and what he meant.
One of the most important things I have on my agenda is
the passage of the DREAM Act. I have worked on it for 11
years, and there was a time on the floor of the Senate--
September 21, 2010--when I could not break the Republican
filibuster on the DREAM Act, and I was pretty despondent
over it. Senator Reid came to the floor and said a few
kind words about my efforts, but then out of nowhere
Senator Inouye sought recognition. He knew that I was
trying to get for millions of these young people living in
America a chance to serve their Nation, prove their love,
and become legal citizens in America. I will read what he
said because it touched me. He said:
Madam President, I wish to step back in history, if I
may. On December 7, 1941, something terrible happened in
Hawaii--Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese. Three
weeks later, the Government of the United States declared
that all Japanese Americans, citizens born in the United
States or of Japanese ancestry, were considered to be
enemy aliens. As a result, like these undocumented people,
they could not put on the uniform of this land.
Senator Inouye went on to say:
Well, I was 17 at the time, and naturally I resented
this because I loved my country and I wanted to put on a
uniform to show where my heart stood. But we were denied.
So we petitioned the government, and a year later they
said, ``Okay, if you wish to volunteer, go ahead.''
Senator Inouye said, ``Well, to make a long story short,
the regiment I served in, made up of Japanese Americans,
had the highest casualties in Europe but the most
decorated in the history of the United States.''
He turned and said, ``I think the beneficiaries of the
Senator from Illinois,'' and the DREAM Act, ``will do the
same.''
It was the type of short statement that in a few words
captured his life, his sacrifice, and what he had proven
by risking his life for this country. There is a reason we
honor him this morning.
I close by saying two things. First, Senator Akaka came
to the floor last night--his colleague of so many years--
and put in a few words. He said on the floor last night,
``Tomorrow will be the first day since Hawaii became a
State in 1959 that Dan Inouye will not be representing us.
He really worked to shape Hawaii and this great country.''
He went on to say, ``You will be missed in Washington as
much as you will be missed in Hawaii. Rest in peace
[Senator Inouye].''
That was Danny Akaka's farewell tribute, and it
summarizes how much he meant to Hawaii and how much he
meant to America. His last word: ``aloha.'' As Senator
Reid said, it is so appropriate that this kind and gentle
American hero would leave the message of love for everyone
else. That was his life.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from
California.
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to associate myself
with the eloquent remarks made by my colleague Senator
Durbin, Senator Reid, and all those who have come to
praise a one-of-a-kind Senator and extraordinary human
being, my friend Dan Inouye.
I was telling Senator Lieberman that when the Senate put
on a little retirement dinner for our retiring Senators--
including Senator Lieberman--there was Senator Inouye.
When we look back, it was only 2 weeks ago. We know he
could not have been strong, he was not well, but he came
to that dinner and sat at that table because of the love
and respect for the individual Senators and for this
institution.
As for me, I will miss Danny's sonorous voice, his big
heart, his self-effacing manner, his integrity, and his
patriotism.
Over the years, so many of us have worked together on so
many issues with Dan. I worked on bringing a state-of-the-
art, first-ever comprehensive casualty care center to my
State to take care of the wounded vets who were coming
home without their limbs, with post-traumatic stress, and
with all the problems they had. There was no such place on
the west coast, and with Dan's help--and we worked with
Senator Stevens--we got it done. Now that facility really
stands as a tribute to Dan Inouye.
In 2010 I had a very difficult campaign, as most of us
did at that time, and Dan said, ``I am going to come out
there and help you.'' I was under fierce attack, and we
had an event for veterans. Dan was a speaker, and I was a
speaker. As I was speaking, we heard these voices of
screaming demonstrators yelling things that were not
complimentary toward me, let's put it that way. It was
very loud, and I was so humiliated and embarrassed. Here
was this amazing patriot, and they would keep screaming
when Danny was speaking about my work and his work for
veterans. Sure enough, the demonstrators kept it up, and I
was very upset.
I went up to him and I put my arm around him when he was
finished and said, ``Dan, I am so embarrassed. I am so
sorry.''
He said, ``Barbara, they are not going to beat you by
screaming. Don't worry about it.''
He went on to a couple of other events, and he took his
wife to them. He was extraordinary.
I loved Danny with all of my heart. Every time I looked
at him, I smiled because he was so good. He was such a
good person, and I pay tribute to him today. I don't think
we will ever replace him. We will never replace this
remarkable American. He personified the meaning of love
and the meaning of country.
I send my love to his family.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from
Connecticut.
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I thank the Chair. ... I
note with extraordinary respect and a sense of loss the
death of our truly beloved colleague, Senator Dan Inouye
of Hawaii. America, as Senator Reid and Senator Durbin
made so clear, has lost a true hero, a patriot. This
Senate has lost a great leader whose accomplishments have
been literally historic. I think all of us have lost a
friend.
Last evening, Senator Akaka spoke about how Dan Inouye's
legacy--I am paraphrasing--was all around Hawaii and all
he had done for the State. The truth is I think most every
State in the country is full of legacies of the service of
Dan Inouye. I know it is true of Connecticut.
It was truly my honor to serve for 24 years with Dan
Inouye. He was exactly the opposite of all the caricature
pictures people have of Congress today and particularly
about the rabid partisanship and personal incivility. Dan
was a great gentleman and the most civil of people, the
kindest and most decent of people. As Senator Reid said,
he was a proud Democrat, a faithful Democrat, but not at
all partisan. The relationship he had with the late Ted
Stevens on the Appropriations Committee was historic and
actually inspirational. They were so different ostensibly
in their background and in their temperament,
particularly. Ted Stevens, bless his memory, was my
neighbor and my dear friend. Let's say he had a--how do I
describe it? He was a very emotional person. Danny Inouye
was more calm. But they formed this remarkable friendship
based on shared history, going back to World War II, and
probably some sense of shared destiny in the sense they
were both from the two last States to join the Union, not
part of the continental United States, and came as the
first Senators and were here so long. But truly what
united them was an enormous dedication to America and
patriotism.
I said Dan Inouye's legacy is in Connecticut and
probably most every other State. I could go around the
State, and I am thinking of the years and years that Danny
was the chairman of the Appropriations Committee and the
Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. There wasn't anything
we were able to do for Connecticut in that time that he
didn't support, including protecting Long Island Sound,
the Connecticut River, improving our transportation
systems, making grants to our schools, colleges, and
universities, and support of the defense industries in
Connecticut which have meant so much to the defense of our
country but also to the economy of our State.
I salute his memory. All of us should honor it, and all
of us should try in our own way to emulate this great man.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from
Connecticut.
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. ... I want to join my colleagues who
have expressed their admiration for Senator Inouye and our
sense of loss at his passing. I admired him deeply as a
patriot, a war fighter, a public servant, who was
unstinting and unwavering in his commitment to our
Constitution, the principles of equality and justice, and
our national defense.
His loss is a loss for the country, but, particularly,
personally, for all of us who serve in this body. I knew
him less well than colleagues who have spoken eloquently,
such as Senators Reid and Durbin and Boxer and Lieberman,
and one of my regrets, as I stand here, is that I did not
have the time to know him better because he was such an
extraordinary human being.
Perhaps one of the lessons for me personally is that
time is short, as we all know, and we should make a
greater effort in this body and among us in this
profession to know our colleagues and to treasure their
friendship. ...
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today is the first day since
Hawaii became a State that it is not represented by Dan
Inouye, either as a House Member or as a Senator.
As I look at my dear friend's desk with the traditional
white flowers, I can't tell you how much it pains me. He
was one of the greatest Members of this body ever to have
served and a dear friend to so many of us. He was perhaps
the best role model for public service any American could
ask for. Senator Inouye's story is one of great passion
for his people, commitment to his calling of public
service, and dedication to finding a better way forward
for all Americans, a true patriot.
A soldier in World War II, a veteran of the Armed
Forces, he fought for the freedom of the Nation he so
loved and believed in. The Nation finally recognized that,
making him a recipient of our Congressional Medal of
Honor.
As a representative of Hawaii, he dedicated his career
to establishing and solidifying a place for his State in
Washington so generations of Hawaiians to come might know
the benefits of what he did not have, Federal support for
important causes such as higher education, transportation,
health care, and security. His advocacy was never in vain,
and the people of Hawaii benefited immensely from his
service.
I think his efforts to bring people together is
unmatched. The grace with which he conducted his work
should inspire all of us, as it does me. He was the man
who could reach out to both sides of the aisle, make
friends and make peace. He poured his heart and soul into
the Senate. He was first and foremost a person of the
Senate, and we all felt his passion and concern for the
work of this body. There is no doubt he is going to be
greatly missed in these Halls. He was a mentor. He was a
friend. We traveled together. Our wives were friends.
The reason I didn't speak last night, I opened my desk
and looked again--the desk I have now, this seat, I
inherited from Dan Inouye--and his name is inscribed in
it. As the distinguished Acting President pro tempore
knows, we inscribe our names in our desks, and Dan
Inouye's is there. When I looked at that last night I was
overcome with emotion and so I did not speak then.
I realize I am delaying things a couple of minutes here,
but when I think of my friend and I think of his name, I
remember he said he wanted to be remembered as having
represented his people and all Americans honestly and to
the best of his ability. He filled that. We all know he
gave his everything to the Senate, and his legacy is for
us to continue the work he has done.
Marcelle and I give our condolences to his wife Irene,
his son Ken, his daughter-in-law Jessica, and his adored
granddaughter, Maggie. Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I wish to express my
sadness over the passing of Senator Dan Inouye.
Dan Inouye came to this Government, started his
government service, at least 60 years ago in the
Territorial Legislature of Hawaii. He came to Congress
when Hawaii became a State in 1959, to the Senate in 1963,
and was second only, I guess, in service to Robert Byrd.
He was a serious man, a solid man, a patriot, and one who
always had a good spirit about how he conducted his
affairs and how he related to other Members of the Senate,
to his constituents, and to the American people.
Dan had served in the most violent combat and was
grievously wounded himself. He was part of the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team, a 4,000-man unit that served in
brutal combat. They were replaced 3\1/2\ times in
personnel to maintain their strength, with 14,000 having
served in that combat team during the brutal combat in
Italy. There were 9,500 who received Purple Hearts and 21
Medal of Honors, including Senator Inouye's Medal of
Honor.
It was a remarkable time and a remarkable commitment Dan
Inouye demonstrated to the country he loved.
I know we will talk about his record, and I may do that
later myself, but I want to say what I think about Dan
Inouye at his core. He shared with us a few weeks ago at
the Prayer Breakfast--and we don't quote what people say
at that meeting--his feelings about war and his
participation in it. It was one of the most moving
presentations I think any of us had heard, and it was so
well received by the people there. The truth is, Senator
Inouye did not like war. He hated war. He knew the
destructive power of war and how people suffered as a
result of it, and he voted against a number of resolutions
that would commit the United States to military action.
But at the same time, there was no doubt, based on his
ranking and chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Defense of
the Appropriations Committee over a period of years--
decades--he was the person who always, at bottom, could be
counted on to ensure this Nation was well defended; that
we did not make mistakes.
He and Senator Ted Stevens had a unique relationship.
When something developed that was important for the
Defense Department, and it involved a danger to our
Government or could do damage to the Department or they
seriously needed something--and oftentimes in this
Government, we can't respond and we don't respond
effectively--Dan Inouye and Ted Stevens would go in and it
would be fixed. They understood that peace through
strength was the best way to avoid war, and they felt a
sense of great responsibility to ensure the Defense
Department was not damaged on their watch. Their
experience and their judgment was such they could tell the
difference between whines and complaints and real danger
to America's defense capability.
I would say that Dan Inouye has established a record
that places him among the finest Senators ever to serve
here, one of the finest human beings to serve here, and I
want to say, as a member of the Armed Services Committee,
how much I appreciated his particular commitment to
ensuring that America's defense capability remains second
to none and his willingness to take the steps necessary to
maintain our defense at the level we would want it to be.
Mr. President, I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to pay
tribute to a person I loved, appreciated, and worked with
for all these years--all of my 36 years in the Senate--and
to bid a fond farewell to our dearly departed friend, the
senior Senator from Hawaii, Dan Inouye.
In addition to being a distinguished U.S. Senator,
Senator Inouye was many things: a Pearl Harbor survivor, a
Medal of Honor recipient, a father, a grandfather, and a
loving husband to his wife Irene.
As a volunteer with the Red Cross, young Daniel Inouye
tended to the wounded in the aftermath of the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
During World War II, when the Federal Government was
placing thousands of his fellow Japanese Americans in
internment camps, Senator Inouye was one of many Asian
Americans who petitioned the Government for the right to
serve their country in the military. His petition was
successful, and he served heroically. In fact, the story
of Senator Inouye's military service has become the stuff
of legend here in the Senate and throughout the country.
In 2000, Senator Inouye, along with 21 of his fellow
Japanese American World War II veterans, was awarded the
Medal of Honor, our Nation's highest honor for valor.
In 1959, when Hawaii achieved statehood, he was elected
the State's first full Member of the House of
Representatives. Three years later, in 1962, he was
elected to the U.S. Senate, where he would serve for five
decades, the second longest tenure in this Chamber's
history. I am honored to have served with Senator Inouye
throughout my entire Senate service.
While he and I often found ourselves on different sides
when it came to issues, I always knew him to be a man of
principle and decency, and I never doubted his commitment
to the people of his State and to doing what he believed
was right.
One of the few times we found ourselves on the same side
came when our mutual friend, the late Senator Ted Stevens,
asked us both for help when his character was called into
question. Politically speaking, participating in Senator
Stevens' trial held no benefit for Senator Inouye. It
would have been easy for Senator Inouye to deny his
friend's request, and few would have blamed him for it.
But that wasn't how Senator Inouye operated. Rather than
letting a friend fend for himself, Senator Inouye showed
great loyalty and characteristic integrity in his
willingness to testify to his friend's good character, and
put his own reputation on the line in service of a friend.
I had a similar privilege.
Both Senator Inouye and I were mystified by what
happened in that trial, and we were justified in our
mystification when, finally, they had to admit it was a
trial that should never have been brought. All I can say
is I remember him testifying and I testified after he did,
and I would mention that Colin Powell also testified as to
Ted Stevens' character. All three of us felt this was a
besmirchment of a truly honorable and decent man.
Once again, I am proud to have been Senator Inouye's
colleague, but I am more proud and more pleased to have
been his friend over all these years. He actually showed
me a great deal of concern, showed me a great deal of
friendship, and spent time with me when I needed
particular help, and was there in many ways for not just
me but for others as well, one of the kindest, most
decent, and honorable people I have ever met. I express my
deepest sympathies to his wife and family and their many
friends.
Daniel Inouye left an indelible mark on the Nation he
loved so much and he will surely be missed. Aloha, my
friend.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I too rise to pay tribute
to the great Senator Daniel Inouye.
First, I want to express my deep and most heartfelt
condolences to Senator Inouye's family, his wife Irene,
his daughter Jennifer, his son Ken, Ken's wife Jessica,
and their lovely little daughter Maggie. I also send our
condolences to the people of Hawaii, because he loved them
dearly, and they reciprocated by sending him time and time
again back to the Senate. I also want to express
condolences to his very able and capable staff, the other
Inouye family, many of whom were among the longest serving
staff in the Senate, who were devoted to helping him help
the people of Hawaii and helping the people of America.
Hawaii and the Nation have lost a great hero and a true
patriot, and I have lost a good friend.
Senator Inouye was one of the great men of the Senate
who welcomed me and helped me get started when I first
came to the Senate. It is well known that I was the first
Democratic woman elected in her own right. When I came to
the Senate there was only one other woman, Senator Nancy
Kassebaum of Kansas. But I said this, and I say today,
though I was the only Democratic woman, though I was all
by myself: I was never alone because I had great men in
the U.S. Senate who helped me get started and mentored me
and taught me how to be an effective Senator.
Senator Inouye was in a group of those men who in the
warmest, most generous, most helpful way welcomed me to
the U.S. Senate. He helped me get on the powerful
Appropriations Committee. He was my teacher. He was my
mentor.
He also had a wonderful way of communicating with all of
us. And as each new class of Senators--and each new class
of women Senators arrived--he welcomed each and every one
of us with the same warmth and generosity he showed to me.
We have a saying among us, the women of the Senate,
which is that men of quality always stand up for us women
fighting for equality. And Dan Inouye was there every step
of the way. When we wanted equal pay for equal work, he
was there. When we wanted to be included in the protocols
at NIH and establish an Office of Women's Health, he was
there, issue after issue.
Last year, I had the wonderful honor of traveling to the
Middle East with Senator Inouye, and he admired the pin
that I have on today. It is an eagle that many of the
women in the Senate wear. There are those of various
styles, of which we have a little collection. This one is
from the Smithsonian. He said, ``I love it. It is so
pretty. I want to get one for my wife.''
Well, I don't know if Senator Inouye ever got it for his
wife Irene, but I say to my colleagues today, at an
appropriate time, on behalf of the women of the U.S.
Senate, I will present this pin to Mrs. Inouye in honor of
her husband, our gift to her, because he gave so many
gifts to us.
He was a lion in the Senate, a real American hero.
Although gentle in style, he was a fierce warrior when it
came to fighting for his Nation or standing up for Hawaii.
When he received his Medal of Honor, he was rising to
the call of the sirens of Pearl Harbor, volunteering to
serve his country, putting aside his own dreams to be a
physician. But he went on to be a healer of many wounds.
He was decorated in World War II for saving his fellow
soldiers.
My experience with Senator Inouye as a friend was that
he was a devoted, dedicated public servant. He was
Hawaii's first representative of the Nation's newest
State. He was the first person of Japanese heritage ever
to be elected to the Senate. Imagine, he himself knew what
it was like to break barriers and to break boundaries.
When he came to the Senate, he cherished his love for
Hawaii and its people. He fought tirelessly to improve
their lives.
His style was one of absolute civility. He was the one
who believed that the decorum of the Senate enabled the
Senate to do the people's business. He was the essence of
civility, and he showed that often good manners was good
politics. He did not argue the loudest; instead, he worked
diligently. He marshaled his arguments and with quiet
determination won the day.
As a fellow appropriator, I saw that he liked earmarks.
And what did he do with those earmarks? I can tell you. He
made sure that we looked out for Indian tribes. He made
sure we looked out for the poorest of the poor in Hawaii.
He cleaned up a superfund site that had been left by an
old agricultural legacy. And he made sure that children
who needed help were able to get the education they needed
in a small community setting where they might not have
been able to do it.
Yes, he was the old school. And it was the old school
that should teach us a lesson or two.
As a member of the Appropriations Committee for 41
years, he led us by example. He came in 1971 and became
the chairman in 2009. Leading by example, he showed how we
can accomplish great things by working together. He saw we
could have a stronger country, a stronger economy, and yet
have a sense of frugality. He treated the minority party
with great respect.
All have spoken about his legendary friendship with
Senator Ted Stevens, another World War II hero. But now,
as Senator Cochran, serving as the ranking member--he
called him his vice chairman--and I know he was ready to
reach out to Senator Shelby who assumed the role. He knew
we needed the input of all Senators to not only enact our
bills but to craft our bills.
He also served as chairman of the Senate Commerce
Committee, the Indian Affairs Committee; he was the very
first chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence.
There will be those who will read his resume. But when
the history of Hawaii and this man is written, I hope they
say he didn't come here to gain fame, he didn't come here
to do press releases or to be on talk shows. He came here
to govern. He came here to the U.S. Senate, having fought
for his country in World War II while even members of his
own family had been held in an internment camp because of
their Japanese heritage. He was loyal and faithful from
the day he took his oath to defend the Constitution as a
young private all the way to the day here now. He was a
fierce defender of our military. For him, it was always
about the troops. And he never forgot what it was like to
be fighting in a foreign land. That is why he was devoted
to our veterans and to our health care. And we are devoted
to the memory of Senator Inouye.
So to an old-school war hero, let us give our final
salute and a fond aloha. Let's take the lessons learned
from his great life and incorporate them in our very day
here today.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, Senator Inouye told me a
story which I wish to repeat for our colleagues.
In 1973, George Gallup, the pollster, asked to come see
him. This was at the height of the Watergate hearings.
Back then, these investigations into President Nixon's
Watergate break-in were consuming the country. Then there
were only three major television networks, plus the Public
Broadcasting System, and the Watergate hearings were
televised from the Senate every single day, for several
hours a day, on all four of those networks. So, almost
everyone in the country watched the Watergate hearings for
weeks. They got to know Sam Ervin, the chairman. They got
to know Howard Baker, the ranking Republican. But George
Gallup came to see Senator Inouye. And Senator Inouye
said, ``I am glad to see you, but why do you come to see
me?''
He said, ``Senator, who would you say is the most
recognized person in the United States today?'' Senator
Inouye said, ``Well, I am sure President Nixon is.'' And
Gallup said, ``That is right. But the second most
recognized person is Senator Dan Inouye.''
Senator Inouye said, ``Well, how could that be?'' George
Gallup said, ``Well, Senator, I suspect so many Americans
have never seen a U.S. Senator of Japanese ancestry with
one arm and a distinguished voice and presence, and you
have made an indelible impression on the American
people.''
That was 1973. That was a long time ago. Since then, Dan
Inouye made an indelible impression on a great many people
around the world, and especially on the 100 of us who
serve here. He commanded our respect in a remarkable way,
in part because of his service in the war.
He and Bob Dole, our former colleague, were wounded at
about the same time in Europe and were in the same
hospital recovering from tremendously serious wounds. Of
course, Senator Inouye was later awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor for his contribution to the war.
Senator Pryor told the story that when Senator Inouye
was finally elected to Congress, he wrote Senator Dole a
note and said, ``I am here, where are you?'' Because both
of them, when they were recovering from their war wounds,
had determined that one day they wanted to serve in the
U.S. Congress. Dan Inouye got here first.
A few years ago, Senator Inouye and Senator Ted Stevens
invited a number of us to go with them to China. It was
quite an experience. Senator Stevens--of course, another
World War II veteran--had flown the first cargo plane into
what was then Peking, in 1944. Of course, Senator Inouye
was well regarded in China for his service. So the group
of Senators--there must have been a dozen of us of both
parties--got more time with Mr. Hu and Mr. Wu, the No. 1
and 2 leaders of China, than the President of the United
States nearly did. We were accorded every courtesy
possible because of the presence of Senator Inouye and
Senator Stevens. They were like brothers. They called one
another brothers. They acted that way in private. They
served that way in the Senate, as chairman and vice
chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Over
a number of decades, they singlehandedly shaped our
American defense posture, and they did it with skill and
patriotism and knowledge of our structure that very few
could have.
Several Senators mentioned how bipartisan Dan Inouye
was. He was of the old school--not a bad school for today,
in my point of view. He treated each Senator with
courtesy, even the newer Senators. He treated each Senator
with a sense of equality, even those who were in the
minority and not on his side of the aisle. He was always
fair, he was always courteous, and he always tried to do
the right thing. He was a textbook U.S. Senator.
He announced for reelection after his last election. I
don't know his exact age at the time--maybe 85, 86. He
will not be able to run for that reelection now that he is
gone, but he will be well remembered.
Not long ago, he spoke at our Wednesday morning Prayer
Breakfast that we have here. Usually we have 20 or 30
Senators. On the day he spoke, we had maybe 60 or 70. We
had Senators sitting on the windowsills, standing around
the back, just to hear what he had to say. I won't repeat
what he had to say because we don't talk about what goes
on there in public except to say he talked about his war
experiences--and in a quiet way. He stood there for 10 or
15 minutes and explained those experiences to us, most of
whom had never had that sort of experience. It gave us a
new sense of him, and it increased our respect for him, if
that could have been possible.
I join with my colleagues to say Senator Dan Inouye was
a patriot. He set the standard, really, for a U.S.
Senator. He set the standard for a man or woman in our
military fighting to defend his or her country. And he set
the standard as an individual who showed courtesy to
everyone he met. We will miss him. We honor him. And we
give his family our expressions of grief, but, more
important, our great respect for our colleague who today
is gone.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask consent to speak until
my comments are completed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute
to a mentor of mine in the Senate, Senator Daniel Inouye.
The histories of my State and Senator Inouye's are closely
connected. We both entered the Union at the same time, in
1959. As a matter of fact, I know as a kid growing up I
was not sure if we had two Senators or three Senators
because Senator Inouye's name was so well known throughout
Alaska.
When our States were entered in 1959, there was
opposition to both of us becoming States, but we have
proven our opponents wrong. Thanks to Daniel Inouye,
Hawaii has become a modern, prosperous State. Many
Alaskans have a special fondness for the 50th State,
especially, I have to say, at this time of the year when
it is 40 degrees below in Fairbanks.
Daniel Inouye began his public career and service at the
age of 17 when he entered the Army after the attacks on
Pearl Harbor. He served with incredible distinction,
earning the Nation's highest medal for action in Italy. As
a Member of the Senate, Daniel Inouye continued his fierce
defense of his State and his partnership with Alaska.
My predecessor, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, knew Senator
Inouye as his brother. They worked together and produced
much good for both our States that will last for
generations.
When I was elected to this office, Senator Inouye was
one of the first Members to reach out to me to ask how he
could help. The unique thing about Senator Inouye was
always his quiet approach to all the issues. He provided
me quiet advice and helped me learn how this place works.
Many times I would be down in the well waiting for the
vote to be tallied and Members to vote, and Senator Inouye
would come in, stand at the edge there, and look up and
just say, ``How is it going, Alaska?'' We would have a
brief conversation. Usually his words would have
incredible insight. They may not even have been relevant
to the topic we were voting on, but he would say something
to me about something he knew I was working on and just
share a few words.
I know the first people of Alaska will especially
remember him for his dedication to their success. He met
with Alaskan Native peoples during their visits to
Washington as often--and I would say even more often--as
the Alaskan Members of the House and Senate. They made a
point to stop by his office on a regular occasion to talk
to him about what happened in the past and what was going
on today and what they looked for in the future.
Earlier this year, Senator Inouye was in Alaska at my
invitation--his last trip to Alaska. He told a memorable
story about his support of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline,
which was controversial when he supported it and its
construction. Senator Inouye has a unique style of how to
tell stories. You have to just pay attention and listen.
They are not wordy, just to the point. Senator Inouye told
this story, told by opponents of the pipeline, that it
would destroy the caribou that lived in Alaska's North
Slope. This is what he was told over and over.
On his last trip, he was in front of a group of people.
I was anxious as he started to talk. He said, ``I have
this story to tell you.'' He talked about this time of
controversy about the Alaska North Slope and the oil
pipeline, the caribou and what was happening, the
destruction that may occur based on what he was hearing.
But he was a strong supporter of the pipeline. In his
words, here is how he actually said it. In fact, he said,
``the warm oil going through the pipeline heats the
ground, so grass grows year round. The caribou come around
to eat the grass and,'' in his words, ```make love,' and
the caribou population has grown threefold.'' Who was I to
let facts spoil that wonderful story by Senator Inouye and
get in the way of its telling?
He has done enormous work for our Alaskan people and
Alaska in total, the work he did that he described to me
when he went out to rural Alaska many years ago and saw
the deplorable conditions of our water and sewer, saw an
important effort to preserve not only the languages of
Alaska but also Hawaii. Yes, like Hawaii, Alaskans loved
our earmarks and we still love them. He was an adamant
proponent of earmarks, making sure that, as mentioned by
Senator Mikulski, they went for the right reasons. As was
also mentioned, it was an incredible sight to watch him in
action--his defense of this country and his personal
heroic actions, his ongoing everyday work he did to shape
the national defense and really international defense.
I will always remember Daniel Inouye for his truly
hearty laugh, ready smile, his partnership with my State
of Alaska, and his dedication to his State--truly a silent
giant.
My condolences go to his wife Irene and the entire
Inouye family. We will miss him greatly. When we come down
to the Chamber every day, we get the calendar of business,
this one dated today. You look on the list of all the
committees, and you see the chairman and the members. But
today his name is not there after 41 years.
My heart goes out to him--truly the silent giant.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor to pay
tribute to an American hero, a great Senator, an amazing
man, and a dear friend, Senator Danny Inouye.
Senator Inouye dedicated his life to public service, and
through his hard and faithful work, he has left his Nation
and the State that he loved so dearly far better in so
many ways.
We will all hear a lot in the days ahead about the
barriers Danny broke down during the course of his life.
We will hear about his service in times of war and in
peace, about his heroism, about his love for his family
and State and country. We will hear about the admiration
and respect he earned from so many of us here in the
Senate, on both sides of the aisle, over the course of a
long and very historic career.
What I want to focus on for a minute today is the Danny
Inouye who has been there for me as friend and mentor for
the past 20 years, who has been a shining light in this
Chamber and has set an example for all of us who measure
our work not simply in words but in actions.
Senator Inouye was certainly not the loudest Member of
this Chamber. He was certainly not the most verbose. He
was not a Senator who spent his time making long-winded
speeches. But through his quiet resolve, his understated
strength, and his commitment to do the right thing no
matter what, he was able to accomplish so much.
Senator Inouye led the Appropriations Committee through
difficult times with grace and incredible effectiveness.
The partisan rancor that too often dominates this city was
unacceptable to him, and he made that clear to all of us.
Danny's focus was on people, on the infrastructure on
which they depended in their communities, on the most
vulnerable, on our military families, and on the State of
Hawaii, for if Danny Inouye was a giant here in the
Senate, he was a mountain back home. Hawaii would not be
Hawaii without Danny Inouye. He fought for his State. He
would not allow it to be ignored, and he made it a better
place to live and work for generations to come.
As the Senator of another State far from Washington, DC,
I learned a lot from Senator Inouye about how to advocate
for the people who elect you and how to make sure they
never get lost in the mix. Through his quiet and shining
example, we all learned a bit more about bipartisanship.
I so remember Danny huddling here on the floor, working
closely with his good friend Senator Stevens from Alaska.
We all learned a bit more about effectiveness. He knew how
to get things done, more than anyone I have seen before or
since. We all learned a bit more about humanity.
You would never hear Danny talk about himself. We all
learned a bit more about respect, about kindness toward
all, not just those who agree with you.
Danny helped us all remember every single day why he
came here in the first place. I cannot tell you how many
times Danny would stand his ground on issues that others
would have given up on, simply because he knew the impact
it would have on real people. He knew this was about so
much more than politics or legislative games; it was about
helping people and solving their problems and delivering
for our communities and our Nation.
Danny Inouye impressed me every day for 20 years, but
nothing impressed me more than his love and commitment to
his family. I just got off the phone a few minutes ago
with his wife Irene and expressed my condolences. She is
such a gracious lady.
Danny will be missed terribly, but he has left so much
for us to remember him by: his legislative achievements,
of course, the roads that would not have been built had he
not been here, the military bases that wouldn't have
existed had he not fought so hard for them, the ports and
bridges and trains that would have been less safe had he
not been there to move legislation that strengthened
them--so much more. But Danny will be remembered far
beyond his many tangible achievements. He will live on
through the values he embodied and spread; through the
principles he stood for and shared; through his family,
who loved him dearly; through the people who will never
forget his advocacy; through the country he sacrificed so
much for; and of course through all of us who are forever
better simply for having served with the greatest Senator
of all, Senator Dan Inouye.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, on behalf of the people of
Georgia, the United States of America, and the 99 Members
of the Senate, I want to pause to pay tribute to the
family of Dan Inouye. When a great football coach passes
away and players are interviewed and asked what kind of
coach he was, they will say he was a player's coach. When
great generals are lost and the people who go to the
funeral ask what kind of general he was, they say he was a
soldier's general.
I am here to pay tribute to a Senator's Senator. He was
a great role model for me. He came here when Hawaii first
became a State, and he was here ever since. He influenced
the lives of not a few but of many.
I got an email from Mike Mattingly, a U.S. Senator who
was elected in 1980. He said, ``Please remember when you
are on the floor of the U.S. Senate to express the love
and affection my wife Leslie and I have for a great
American, Dan Inouye.''
I share that same affection. I know I owe a lot of
whatever success I have had in the Senate to learning from
his patience, guidance, temperament, and also his
determination. Yesterday, I was told his last word was
aloha, but we have to remember that was always the first
word we heard from Dan Inouye as well because he meant it
in a welcoming, friendly way.
I want to follow up on what Senator Alexander said
earlier. I too was at the Prayer Breakfast when Dan Inouye
was there. It was the largest crowd we ever had, and it
was not because invitations went out but because Dan
Inouye was going to be there. Everybody there was
mesmerized by his candor, by his life, and by his
commitment. We don't discuss what goes on inside those
rooms, and I will not here, except to say that when Dan
Inouye opened his heart, it was as big and rich a heart as
the one we have all seen in the Senate.
To his loved ones, the State of Hawaii, and the people
of America, we have lost a great man. We have all been
better off for knowing him, loving him, and serving with
him. I pay tribute to the life and times of a great
American hero, Dan Inouye.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, let me associate myself with
the remarks of Senator Isakson. I thank him and all of my
colleagues who have come to the floor to eulogize Senator
Danny Inouye. The Senate and our Nation has lost an unsung
hero. He was heroic in military valor, receiving the
Nation's highest honor, the Medal of Honor. He was heroic
as the one chosen to lead with dignity in inquiries
seeking the truth during our most challenging times. He
was a tireless guardian of our national security and
champion to the men and women who put their lives at risk
to protect the United States and whose legislative
achievements have been simply remarkable. All this from a
man who always gave others credit and never sought the
spotlight.
Yesterday Senator John McCain from Arizona--a hero in
his own right--reflected on the passing of Senator Inouye.
``Today, the Senate, America, and especially his beloved
citizens of Hawaii, lost a unique, brave, and wonderful
legislator, a man who brought the most unique credentials
to this institution--I would argue--of probably anyone who
has ever served in this very diverse body.''
Senator McCain certainly hit the nail on the head.
He went on to say, ``In Hawaii, there was a group of
young Japanese Americans who decided they wanted to serve
their country ... in uniform. One of the most well-known,
famous, and most highly decorated units of World War II
was the battalion in which Dan Inouye served.''
Dan Inouye was a proud member of his battalion. In
fierce combat, he was gravely wounded on the battlefield
and was brought home. He, as we all know, lost his arm as
a result of one of the wounds he sustained.
Senator McCain went on to point out that he went to the
veterans hospital in Michigan where a person in the same
ward was an American Army second lieutenant who had also
been wounded seriously in combat in Italy, 2LT Bob Dole of
Kansas. Bob Dole is a man who still represents the very
best we have in Kansas, our country, and he did such a
great job as leader of this body. Their friendship has
lasted to this day.
Both men were gravely wounded, both were certainly
dedicated to serve their country, and both served with
distinction. The bonds of friendship that were forged in
that hospital between Bob and Dan were unique and also
enduring.
Yesterday, Senator Danny Akaka also pointed out that his
colleague from his native State was a true patriot and
American hero in every sense and at this time in Hawaii,
the greatest leader.
Then Danny Akaka said that it is an incredible
understatement to call him an institution. This Chamber
will never be the same without him. He also said Danny
Inouye leaves behind a list of accomplishments unlikely to
ever be paralleled. His lifelong dedication and hard work
in the name of his beloved country, the United States of
America, influenced every part of his life and set him
apart--even in the Senate.
Today will be the first day since Hawaii became a State
in 1959 that Danny Inouye will not be representing us in
the Congress. Every child born in Hawaii will learn of
Danny Inouye, a man who changed the islands forever.
Senator Akaka then went on to say he was praying for his
wife Irene, his son Ken, his daughter-in-law Jessica, his
stepdaughter Jennifer, and granddaughter Maggie, who was
the apple of his eye.
Like so many, with Danny's untimely passing, I have lost
a very dear friend. In truth, as an institution, every
Senator in the Senate lost a dear friend. We lost one of
the last institutional flames of the Senate.
Upon reflection, the occasions I have had the privilege
to be with Danny also represented my personal career
highlights. There were codels with Senator Ted Stevens,
affectionately called Uncle Ted. Danny always had T-shirts
that said ``I survived Codel Stevens.'' He took us to
Antarctica, North Korea, the Russian Far East and Wild
East, and any number of places of national interest that
nobody else would go. As the song says, ``through the
bushes and brambles where a rabbit wouldn't go.''
Danny was the personification of those who get things
done the effective way. He stayed in the background until
it was time to take charge and then gave others the
credit. I will always remember his sonorous, basso
profundo voice advising the North Koreans at one point
during a trip to make P'anmunjom and the 38th parallel a
tourist site--not a shooting gallery.
In the Russian Far East we traveled to Sakhalin Island,
with mountains and raw materials that rivaled Alaska and
where locals say there are still saber-toothed tigers
north of the island. Danny, while visiting with staff,
went into detail about his many travels, with a little
fact and fiction mixed in, all with a twinkle in his eye.
I also remember while in the city of Khabarovsk in the
Russian Far East--we were at a hotel. Of all the hotels in
the Russian Far East, this one had to be one of the last
on the list.
As we went into our rooms, I discovered that my bed was
a wooden frame with just straps--no mattress, one blanket,
and no pillow. I thought, being a junior member of this
codel, this was something they assigned to me. So I went
down the hall with my special key in hand and my special
ID that was required in that part of the world and knocked
on Danny's door. He said, ``How can I be of service to
you, dear friend?''
I said that I wanted to look at his accommodations,
thinking, of course, he would have a bed. There was a
wooden bed with the same kind of accommodations--no
mattress, straps, and just one blanket. He said, ``Why are
you interested in that bed?''
I said, ``Well, I thought being a junior Member that
things might be better in your quarters.''
He got a big kick out of that. He always reminded me of
that at various times when I would get a little upset
about anything.
At any rate, it is not an understatement with regard to
his leadership, bipartisanship, integrity, and
achievement. It would serve every Member of this Senate to
ask: What would Danny Inouye want us to do?
In today's Washington Post there was a reference to the
keynote speech that Senator Inouye gave in Chicago. It was
a period of unrest after the assassinations of Senator
Robert Kennedy and Rev. Martin Luther King--troubling
times, indeed. Speaking not as a Democrat but as a citizen
disturbed by unprecedented violence, Senator Inouye
described a ``troubling loss of faith among Americans.''
He went on to say, ``I do not mean a loss of religious
faith, I mean a loss of faith in our country, its
purposes, and its institutions. I mean a retreat from the
responsibilities of citizenship.''
Danny called for Americans to rebuild their trust in
government--an extraordinary statement from a man whose
people had suffered grave injustices at the hands of
government.
The article went on to say that Senator Inouye's remarks
were immediately overshadowed by events at that
convention, but his speech was truly remarkable. It was a
speech that drew little attention then and is even less
remembered now.
My colleagues, Danny's speech should be required reading
today given the recent tragedies. It was just last week
that I was asked to speak on Senator Inouye's behalf at an
event concerning the proposed Eisenhower Memorial. It is a
joint bipartisan effort that has taken far too long to
bring to fruition. In the Cloakroom the day before we had
one of our many discussions where he grabbed my hand and
looked me in the eye and said, ``You and I probably vote
differently 80 percent of the time, but in all of our
mutual efforts and all of our travels, I have considered
you a brother.''
I didn't know what to do. I responded with a tear in my
eye, and I said, ``I love you, Danny Inouye.''
And he said, ``I love you too.''
What a wonderful thing to hear from a true American hero
in every respect. It has been a privilege and an honor to
serve with such a remarkable and truly humble man.
I also want to thank his wonderful staff in working with
my staff on so many mutual projects.
Aloha, my dear friend. I will miss you every day.
I yield back the remainder of my time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to
speak for 5 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, there are few times in the
history of this institution when one Senator, a singularly
iconic leader, comes along and reminds us of what it means
to be a U.S. Senator and what it means to represent the
very best of what this Nation stands for and to do it, as
he always did, with the utmost dignity, honor, pride, and
integrity.
I am deeply saddened to have to speak to the passing of
a true American hero. He was someone who inspired so many
of us in the Senate. His ideals and sense of justice were
always on display.
The passing of Senator Inouye leaves a painful void in
the leadership of this body. In so many ways, the life and
sacrifice of Senator Inouye embodies the essence of the
Greatest Generation.
Even when faced with the suffering, indignity, and
humiliation of an internment camp, he did not allow his
heart to be turned or his love and commitment to his
country to be diminished. Justice was a constant theme in
his life. He represented the challenges faced by his
Hawaiian people since statehood, when he became its first
representative in the U.S. Congress.
We had a close bond when it came to our concern for
minorities in our country. Because of the struggles in his
life, he understood the struggles in both of our
communities. He felt a kinship to the Hispanic community
and shared the community's hopes and aspirations. In
recent conversations, I know from his comments that he
understood the growing importance of the Hispanic
community and the benefit of advancing their interests
within American society. He lived it, he understood it, he
knew.
We worked together on the recognition of Filipino
veterans--something he was very passionate about--and he
thanked me most graciously, as always, for my interest and
for my commitment to working with him on an issue so dear
to his heart.
These are just a few stories of a man who led a
quintessentially American life. I know there are thousands
more stories to be told, some of which have already been
told on the Senate floor, but the real story is that this
was a man who sacrificed for his country, met the
challenges it presented, but ultimately, because of a kind
heart and loyalty to the ideals we profess as Americans,
became one of the most important, yet most humble, leaders
in the U.S. Senate.
Senator Inouye and his life and deeds remind us what it
means to be an American hero, a war hero who carried the
burden of his service with him all of his life. His
courage, his patriotism, and his respect for the values he
fought for informed his views and his votes in this
Chamber.
The Senate is sadly diminished today with the passing of
one of our most respected and iconic leaders--a hero, a
powerful voice for reason, rationality, and common sense,
when reason, rationality, and common sense, are too often
in short supply. He will be missed not only by all of us
who had the privilege to serve with him but by a Nation
that needs more leaders like him.
We, all of us, remember his lasting influence, his way
of making us look into the heart of the matter without
prejudice or preconceived political impressions. He knew
how to get to the crux of an issue, and he led the way so
many times for the rest of us. We followed his lead, and
the Nation is better for it.
All of us who worked with him as chairman of the
Appropriations Committee respected his word and his
commitment to fairness. He was always willing to listen,
always willing to hear your side, always willing to reach
out across the aisle for what he believed was right.
Most recently, he was the voice of support and wisdom in
our efforts to secure disaster relief for my home State of
New Jersey. He empathized with the needs of New Jerseyans,
just as he addressed the needs of Hawaiians for decades.
There is no more gracious man than Dan Inouye, no one who
was as dignified and respectful than the senior Senator
from Hawaii.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and his
family and to the people of Hawaii today. We have lost an
incredibly great man.
Mahalo, my friend, until we meet again.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise this sad day to
comment on the passing of a great patriot, Senator Daniel
Inouye. He fought for his country as part of the Greatest
Generation and served his State with distinction for more
than 50 years.
We were all honored to know him and blessed by his
sacrifice in defense of American freedom. We served
together on the Armed Services Committee and later on the
Appropriations Committee as well. Danny's insight was
invaluable to our Nation's defense and military policy. He
did make America stronger.
I had the pleasure of working with him when we traveled
together to Bosnia to visit our troops in the very early
stages of that conflict. We later went to the Middle East
on a codel with Senator Stevens as well. One of the
pictures in my office is of Senator Stevens, Senator
Inouye, Senator Snowe, and myself in our helmets and flak
jackets the first time we flew into Sarajevo in the early
1990s, when the Serbs had still been shooting from the
hills into the airport.
In 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War
II, Senator Inouye and a number of other World War II
veterans gathered at the Smithsonian to reminisce about
their time in battle.
Senator Inouye recalled the morning of December 7 at
Pearl Harbor, when he recognized that the men in the
Japanese planes looked like him, and he said he knew then
his life would never be the same.
As soon as the Army permitted Japanese Americans to
volunteer, he signed up and ventured to the mainland of
the United States for the first time in his life. He and
his fellow Hawaiians of Japanese descent worried about how
they would be treated in the United States but, as he
recalled it, they encountered kindness and respect at
every stop their train made.
By the time he finished his training and prepared to
depart for Europe, he said he had learned this was truly a
country worth dying for and certainly one worth
sacrificing an arm in order to preserve our freedom and
our way of life. He did lose his arm, and it was during
this time that he also distinguished himself to earn the
Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest military award
in our country for valor.
There is often talk of partisan acrimony in Washington,
but we know strong friendships can form across party
lines. Senator Inouye and Senator Ted Stevens had such a
friendship. They were both war heroes from the last two
States to join the Union, and they both recognized and
guarded the congressional prerogatives under our
Constitution to play the primary role in determining
appropriations to fund the Government.
When they were the two senior Senators on the
Appropriations Committee and on the Commerce Committee,
they considered themselves as cochairs and officially
designated each other as that. When control of the Senate
changed hands, it was not unusual for one to retain key
members of the other's staff.
So today, I add mine to the many voices mourning his
passing and say to his family: You are in our thoughts and
prayers.
Danny Inouye was someone in our Senate whom I think we
should all strive to be; that is, he was a warrior, but he
was a gentleman. He was a man who was loyal to the core
for not only his beliefs but also his friends, and if he
gave his word, his word was good. He is someone whom every
one of us who knew him cared for and regarded as a giant
among us. In fact, I would say the Senate has lost a
gentle giant.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I join with Senator Hutchison
in paying tribute to Senator Daniel K. Inouye.
I rise to pay tribute to our dear colleague. Senator
Inouye was not one of the tallest Senators; in fact, he
had a slight build and a quiet demeanor. But he was a
giant. He will be missed by all in the Senate. The people
of his beloved Hawaii will miss him. All Americans will
miss him.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl
Harbor, Senator Inouye was declared an enemy alien because
of his Japanese ancestry. But in 1943, when the U.S. Army
dropped its enlistment ban on Japanese Americans, he
enlisted in the Army and volunteered to be part of the
442nd Regimental Combat Team.
The 442nd became the most highly decorated infantry
regiment in the history of the U.S. Army. The 442nd, known
by its motto, ``Go for Broke,'' was awarded 8 Presidential
Unit Citations and 21 of its members, including Senator
Inouye, were awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroism
during World War II.
Following World War II, Senator Inouye finished his
undergraduate studies at the University of Hawaii and then
earned a law degree from George Washington University. In
1953, he was elected to the Hawaii Territorial House of
Representatives and was immediately elected majority
leader. He served two terms there and was elected to the
Hawaii Territorial Senate in 1957. Midway through his
first term in the Territorial Senate, Hawaii achieved
statehood. He won a seat in the House of Representatives
as Hawaii's first full Member and took office on August
21, 1959, the same date Hawaii became a State, and he was
reelected in 1960.
Then, in 1962, he was elected to the Senate and was
reelected eight times, only once with less than 69 percent
of the vote. Senator Inouye had been in the Congress since
Hawaii became a State. He was the second longest serving
Senator in our Nation's history, and he served with
distinction, just as he served with distinction in the
U.S. Army.
Others on this floor have already detailed his bravery
in battle, his service on the Watergate and Iran-Contra
Committees and his accomplishments as the first chairman
of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and as
chairman of the Commerce and Appropriations Committees. I
would like to highlight his work on behalf of the victims
of racial and economic and social inequality and his
commitment to making the Senate operate as the Founding
Fathers envisioned.
A statement on Senator Inouye's Web site says: ``Dan
Inouye was always among the first to speak out against
injustice whether interned Japanese Americans, Filipino
World War II veterans, Native Americans and Native
Hawaiians.'' How true.
A few hundred yards from this Chamber is the
Smithsonian's magnificent National Museum of the American
Indian. Senator Inouye introduced the legislation to
create that museum and fought for Native American and
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander recognition and
rights and restitution as chairman of the Senate Committee
on Indian Affairs.
In the Senate, Senator Inouye treated all his colleagues
with respect and courtesy and always reached across the
aisle to forge bipartisan solutions to our Nation's
biggest challenges. His friendship with former Republican
leader Bob Dole, whom he met while the two of them were
recuperating from grievous combat injuries--along with, I
might say, another wounded veteran who became a giant in
the Senate, Senator Philip Hart of Michigan--serves as an
example we should strive to emulate. He was a member of
the so-called Gang of 14, again reaching across the aisle
at a time when partisan tempers were particularly high.
There are few--if any--Americans who have been more
heroic in battle, more accomplished as a public servant,
more dedicated to family and country and humanity than
Daniel K. Inouye. Yet he was also one of the most humble
and self-effacing people. What a tremendous example of a
life well lived he has left for all of us as we mourn his
death, celebrate his life, and give thanks for his service
to the people of Hawaii, the Senate, and the United States
of America.
To Senator Inouye we say aloha.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, the Senate--both as a
legislative body and as a family--is in mourning today
after the passing of its most senior and revered Member,
Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.
In his final days, Senator Inouye was asked how he
wanted to be remembered. He replied, with characteristic
modesty: ``I represented the people of Hawaii and this
Nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I
did okay.''
With similar understatement, speaking about the
extraordinary act of heroism in combat for which he was
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, he explained
that it was ``a case of temporary insanity.''
Modesty and reserve were trademark qualities of our
beloved Danny Inouye. But we can speak more forthrightly
about this very extraordinary person.
Yes, Senator Inouye represented the people of Hawaii and
this Nation honestly and to best of his ability. But he
did not do just ``okay.'' Daniel Inouye was a truly great
American, a public servant of extraordinary
accomplishment. His qualities of character and conscience
and steadfastness have set the standard in the Senate for
over five decades.
Think about this. In 1973 and 1974, as a Senate select
committee investigated the crimes of Watergate, which
Senator did we count on to take charge with tough but fair
questioning of those involved?
In 1976, after revelations of abuse of power by the CIA
and the FBI, which Senator did we count on to oversee
reforms as first chairman of the Select Committee on
Intelligence? Of course, we counted on Senator Inouye.
In 1987, as the Iran-Contra scandal rocked the Reagan
administration, which Senator did we count on to lead a
tough but fair inquiry as chairman of the select committee
appointed to investigate the affair? Of course, we counted
on Senator Inouye.
Time and again, over seven decades, the United States of
America has counted on Daniel Inouye, and he always
delivered. He always responded to the call of duty with
courage, selflessness, and excellence.
As we all know, during the Second World War, Dan served
in the famed, all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
After losing his right arm and sustaining other grave
injuries in combat, he spent 2 years in Army hospitals. At
one of those hospitals he met two other wounded veterans:
a soldier from Kansas named Bob Dole and a Michigan boy
named Philip Hart. All three would go on to become giants
of Senate history.
It is difficult to imagine, but after returning from the
war, LT Daniel Inouye was wearing an empty right sleeve
pinned to his Army uniform and was denied service at a San
Francisco barber shop. The barber dismissed him with the
words, ``We don't serve Japs here.'' One of Daniel
Inouye's great legacies in his successful fight to defeat
that brand of racism and discrimination was his successful
fight against any form of discrimination against anyone,
especially people with disabilities. Throughout his
political career, he fought for civil rights and social
justice not only for Japanese Americans but for all
Americans.
Mr. President, I have lost not only a friend of nearly
four decades but also my chairman on the Committee on
Appropriations and its Subcommittee on Defense. Senator
Inouye was well known as a stalwart advocate for national
defense and for veterans. He also fought very passionately
to advance education, the National Institutes of Health,
and other programs in the jurisdiction of my
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education.
I will never forget what Senator Inouye said one time in
a meeting in which my bill on labor, health and human
services, education, NIH, the Centers for Disease
Control--all of the things that are in that bill came
forward. Remember, Senator Inouye was at that time the
chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and
he said something I will never forget.
He said, ``I chair the Defense Appropriations
Subcommittee. That is the subcommittee that defends
America.''
He said, ``Senator Harkin chairs the Subcommittee on
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. That is
the subcommittee that defines America.''
So Senator Inouye was not a one-dimensional person. He
was not just someone who fought for our veterans and
fought for the strong defense of our country. I also
remember him saying one time--repeating the famous words
of President Truman--that the strength of America comes
not just from the number of tanks, guns, and warplanes we
have but from the health, welfare, and education of our
people.
In tributes on the floor yesterday and today, colleagues
are remembering Dan Inouye as one of the greatest Senators
of our time, and indeed he was. But knowing Dan and the
values he held dear, he would want no greater tribute than
to be remembered as a loyal friend, a man of honor,
decency, and humility. Senator Inouye was that and much
more.
Senator Inouye was the finest of men. For half a
century, the Senate has been graced by his dignified and
noble presence. It will not be the same without him. We
will miss our friend Daniel Inouye very much.
Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the
absence of a quorum.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise, as so many of my
colleagues have, to mourn and pay tribute to Senator
Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.
He was a giant of the Senate. He was an individual whose
courage, whose compassion, and whose commitment to this
country has never been exceeded by anyone who served
here--indeed, by any American I can think of.
A few years ago, I was asked to introduce the Senator at
an event. I wrote down some points on a card that I kept
on my desk, and will forever keep on my desk: ``Second
Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye, E Company, 442nd Regimental
Combat Team, San Terenzo, Italy, April 21, 1945.''
That was the day he was wounded leading his platoon
against an enemy pillbox, the day for which he would be
ultimately awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for
his actions.
Then I have another date: May 8, 1945. That was VE Day,
the end of the war. Seventeen days before the end of the
war, when Berlin was encircled and collapsing, when
American forces were rushing and the end was clear, and
indeed every soldier recognized that the war was coming to
an end, Senator Inouye didn't stop serving, didn't stop
sacrificing, didn't stop giving his all to protect his
soldiers and accomplish his mission. Indeed, that spirit
of never giving up, of never failing to do his duty,
animated his service in the Senate, animated his service
to this country, and his service to the State of Hawaii.
At the time I gave these remarks, he was 1 of 90 living
holders of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Today we
mourn his passing, his contributions to Hawaii, his
contributions to this Senate which he held in the highest
esteem and which he personified so grandly.
I think one of the factors that led him to a career in
public service and led him to such distinguished service
was the recognition--not theoretically but practically--
that despite his great suffering and sacrifice, he was
lucky because there were many other young men and women
who perished in that war and in subsequent wars; that he
had sacrificed much but had not given his life, although
he very nearly gave his life.
At the outset of the war, the Librarian of Congress,
Archibald MacLeish, wrote:
They say, We were young. We have died. Remember us.
They say, We have done what we could but until it is
finished it is not done.
They say, We have given our lives but until it is
finished no one can know what our lives gave.
They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours: they
will mean what you make them.
They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace
and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you
who must say this.
In everything Dan Inouye did, he spoke for those
soldiers. He gave their lives meaning by his selfless
service and sacrifice to this Nation. He gave it every day
by making this place--this country--live up to its highest
ideals, a place of opportunity for all, a place of
fairness and decency. He did it as few did.
So those voices that were stilled in 1945, and in the
Korean war and in the war in Vietnam and subsequent wars,
always had a voice here; and it wasn't just words, it was
actions. His life gave meaning, and that might be one of
the highest achievements anyone can reach in this life.
We all know his extraordinary service in so many
different ways. We know also, in one of the great
coincidences, three young men were in an Army hospital in
Michigan: Dan Inouye, Phil Hart, and Bob Dole, American
heroes; and that later they would come to this Senate and
serve with distinction. I think it was particularly
meaningful that just a few days ago Senator Robert Dole--
another great American--was on the floor of this Senate,
still serving, still emblematic of the Greatest
Generation.
We will miss Senator Inouye. There are few words and not
enough eloquence to describe the loss. I, too,
particularly want to thank and extend my condolences to
his wife Irene, to his son Ken, to his daughter-in-law
Jessica, to his granddaughter Maggie, and to his
stepdaughter Jennifer Hirano. They have lost more than any
of us because they have lost a husband, a father, and a
grandfather.
Let me just conclude with the words uttered centuries
ago by Thucydides:
The bravest are surely those who have the clearest
vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and
yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.
Dan Inouye knew the dangers. Dan Inouye knew that the
glory was fleeting, and in fact combat wasn't particularly
glorious at all. But he knew it was honorable to serve. He
knew it was honorable to sacrifice for his soldiers and
for his comrades. He knew it was honorable and decent to
serve his State and his Nation, and he never failed to go
forth to meet the challenges of his time.
Now it is our time. Now we must give words and meaning
to the voices that have been stilled in the service to
this Nation. One of those giants and one of those powerful
voices was Senator Daniel Inouye. The test will be whether
we can measure up to what he did, and I hope for the sake
of this country we can.
Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I rise for a few moments to
share a few thoughts about our friend and colleague who
passed away yesterday, Senator Dan Inouye. It was a shock
to me here on the floor yesterday when his passing was
announced and it is still a shock today to see that it is
indeed real--the beautiful bowl of white roses on his
desk.
I want to share a remembrance or two. When I was 19 I
was struggling with what direction to take in life and
thought public policy might be something worth pursuing. I
asked my father. My father read the newspaper every day
and watched the evening news and would run a commentary on
the world. I asked him, if I were to try to get a summer
internship in Washington, DC, to see how government really
works, who should I apply to. Of course he noted I should
apply to my home State Senators, Senator Packwood and
Senator Hatfield. I asked him if there were any national
Senators who stood out. He said there are four I think you
should try to talk to: Senator Kennedy, Senator Humphrey,
Senator Church, and Senator Inouye.
I proceeded to write letters to see if I could get an
internship with any of my home State Senators or any of
those four. I did not succeed outside my State. I did get
an internship with Senator Hatfield, which changed the
course of my life. But when I was elected to the Senate,
Senator Hatfield asked me to bring greetings to his old
colleagues, those who served with him, particularly
Senator Inouye, because Senator Hatfield had chaired
Appropriations and Senator Inouye was chairing
Appropriations. That was a tremendous introduction because
it led to one of my first conversations with Senator Dan
Inouye when I came to the Senate. He showed me his
spectacular view down The Mall, looking toward the
Washington Monument, and said anytime you want to come and
use the balcony you should come and use it. It is one of
the best places in Washington.
We shared the joy he took in just the beauty of that
space. We shared stories about the old days, the days when
Senator Hatfield and Senator Inouye worked together on
appropriations. We also had a chance to talk about some of
the challenges that have occurred in the committee. In
recent times, we discussed how much harder it is to get
appropriations bills to the floor and have them considered
in a bipartisan nature.
I indicated to Senator Inouye at that time how
interested I was in serving on the Appropriations
Committee and how important it would be to Oregon. This
began a series of dialogs over the last 4 years. It was a
tremendous honor to have a chance to share these last 4
years with Senator Dan Inouye. I think all who have spoken
about him have recognized he did an extraordinary job of
commanding folks.
He took on the difficult tasks in World War II and
received the highest recognition for doing so. He did so
in a context that was extraordinary. Japanese Americans
had been relegated to a second-tier status during the war,
and he chose a path that led to first-tier recognition for
the leadership and bravery he exemplified.
He did no less of a spectacular job in the U.S. Senate,
just days away from completing 50 years of being on the
floor of the Senate, advocating for working people,
advocating for his home State, and working for a vision of
America where all families can prosper. His life was
extraordinarily well lived.
It has been an honor to know him, and we will miss him.
This Senate will not be the same without Senator Dan
Inouye.
Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I wish to speak
about our friend Danny Inouye. It has been a week of
emotion. When we look at that black-draped desk with the
white flowers, it is hard to believe that such a big part
of this institution is gone, not just a living, breathing
part of the institution is gone but a part of its history,
its memory, its institutions, and its values. Dan
epitomized all that.
He was a gentleman first. Actually, we would have to say
he was a patriot first. All we need do to see how much of
a patriot he was is consider the fact that he had one arm
missing because, as an Army lieutenant, he singlehandedly
charged a German machine gun nest. He took them out, lost
his arm, and ended up in the hospital for 20 months. Of
course, we all know he was deservedly recognized with the
Medal of Honor years later.
He was a patriot, not only because he served as a young
lieutenant but also by being a public servant for well
over a half century. He was elected as the first
Territorial Legislator of Hawaii in 1954 and then elected
as its first Congressman when it became a State in 1959.
Since 1962, he has been a public servant serving his
State.
He was the first Japanese American Senator. His name is
synonymous with Hawaii, and so it is fitting, as told by
his staff, that his last word was ``aloha.'' Patriot first
but second he was a gentleman. That is a value which all
of us in the Congress ought to remember.
This all emanates from some of the greatest moral
teachings on planet Earth. It is what those of us refer to
in the New Testament as the Golden Rule: Treat others as
you want to be treated. To say it in Old English, do unto
others as you would have them do unto you. That is a moral
principle which runs throughout every major faith on the
face of the planet.
Danny Inouye exemplified that uniquely American value,
and somewhere along the way we seem to have gone astray.
We go astray from what we have learned in Newtown, CT, and
we go astray when we see how some of us treat each other
in this Chamber. The old adage is not just to go along but
to get along. We would get along a lot better if we get
along or to say it in the context of old country boy
wisdom: ``We can attract a lot more flies with honey than
we can with vinegar.'' That is the life our colleague led.
Some people call it a throwback to the gentlemanly days
of the Senate, when there was courtliness and deference. I
hope it is not a throwback. I hope we are not throwing
back anything.
I hope we will remember the life of Danny Inouye. He
felt so strongly about this that when he was the chairman
of a committee, he didn't refer to the ranking Republican
as the ranking member, he called the ranking member the
vice chairman. Of course, that was uniquely Senator
Inouye, but it was also practical because he could get
more done if he was sitting there as chairman and his vice
chairman was sitting right next to him.
We have a lot to learn from these emotional times of
losing a valued friend and colleague, but his life
exemplified the best part of the Senate. We can sure get a
lot more done if we start coming together just like Danny
Inouye taught us.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the U.S. Senate has been
conducting its business here in Washington for just over
200 years, and for more than a fifth of that time, Senator
Dan Inouye of Hawaii stood in its ranks. It was just one
of the many astonishing feats for a man who so rarely
called attention to himself but who had every reason in
the world to do so. In a life of honors he was never drawn
to fanfare, and that always made him a different kind of
Senator. So today we mourn not only a friend and a
colleague but also everything he represented to a nation
that will always need courageous and principled men such
as Dan Inouye if it is to flourish and succeed.
The people who worked with Dan Inouye might have known
he served in World War II, but they could have gone years
without knowing he was one of the most decorated soldiers
of his time. To Dan, his achievements were simply part of
the job--and they were many. They start with his military
heroism, of course, and they continue throughout his long
career of public service. He was the iconic political
figure of the 50th State.
Until his death, he was the only original member of a
congressional delegation still serving in Congress, and
there is scarcely an acre of Hawaii or a person in the
State that Dan hasn't affected or influenced.
Over many years of diligent committee work, he helped
ensure an entire generation of uniformed military went
into battle well prepared and that they were well cared
for when they returned. Yet despite all this, Dan's quiet
demeanor and strict adherence to an older code of honor
and professionalism made him a stranger to controversy
throughout his many decades in public office. He was the
kind of man and the kind of public servant, in other
words, that America has always been grateful to have,
especially in her darkest hours--men who lead by example
and expect nothing in return.
One of my favorite Dan Inouye stories took place right
here in the Capitol back in 1959. The memory of a hard-
fought war against the Japanese was fresh in many minds as
the Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn, prepared to
administer the oath to a young war hero who was not only
the first Member from Hawaii but the first American of
Japanese descent ever elected to Congress.
``Raise your right hand and repeat after me ...,''
Rayburn said.
Here is how another Congressman would later record what
followed:
The hush deepened as the young Congressman raised not
his right hand but his left and repeated the oath of
office. There was no right hand. It had been lost in
combat by that young American soldier in World War II. And
who can deny that at that moment, a ton of prejudice
slipped quietly to the floor of the House of
Representatives.
It is a perfect image of how Dan led by example
throughout his long career--with quiet dignity and
unquestioned integrity.
It started early for Dan. As a young boy growing up in
Hawaii, he and his friends always thought of themselves as
Americans. Yet after Pearl Harbor they suddenly found
themselves lumped in with the enemy. It was one of the
reasons so many of them felt such an intense desire to
serve. Their loyalty and patriotism had been questioned,
and they were determined to prove their allegiance beyond
any doubt.
When the Army lifted its ban on Japanese Americans, Dan
and his friends jumped at the chance to serve. An
astonishing 80 percent of military-age men of Japanese
descent who lived in Hawaii volunteered--80 percent. Mr.
President, 2,686 of them were accepted, including Dan, who
was an 18-year-old student at the University of Hawaii.
Together, they formed what would become the most
decorated military unit in American history, the famed
442nd Regimental Combat Team. As platoon leader, Dan spent
3 bloody months in the Rome Arno campaign and 2 brutal
weeks rescuing a Texas battalion that was surrounded by
German forces, an operation military historians often
describe as one of the most significant battles of the
20th century.
After the rescue, Dan was sent back to Italy, where on
April 21, 1945, in a ridge near San Terenzo, he displayed
the extraordinary bravery for which he would later receive
the Medal of Honor. Dan then spent nearly 2 years in a
Michigan Army hospital where he also met Bob Dole and
Philip Hart.
Dan had always wanted to be a surgeon, but that dream
faded away on that ridge in Italy. Instead, he became a
very fine Senator and one of the most impressive and
effective public servants of our time.
Dan never let narrow party interests stand in the way of
friendship or cooperation on matters of real national
importance. His friendship with former Republican Senator
Ted Stevens was one of the most storied in all of Senate
history. I know I never hesitated to call on Dan when I
thought something truly important was at stake. As Dan
always said: ``To have friends, you've got to be a
friend.''
It is a good principle. It is one he always lived up to.
And it is one that is needed now more than ever.
Elaine and I extend to Irene and the entire Inouye
family our deepest sympathy on their loss, which is also
the Nation's loss. It was a privilege to have worked
alongside this good man and to call him a friend. We will
miss him. Yet we are consoled by the thought that he has
now finally heard those words he longed to hear: ``Well
done, good and faithful servant ... enter into your
Master's joy.''
I yield the floor.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I would like to speak, as
many of my colleagues have, about Senator Inouye.
When I was a new Senator, the first encounter I had with
Senator Inouye was when he invited me to go with him to
the University of Hawaii to debate some issue--and I don't
remember exactly what the issue was. Obviously, I didn't
know what I was getting into because he had been in the
Senate by then a quarter of a century, I believe, and I
was new. But I was glad to be invited and felt honored to
be invited. So I suppose every Senator here is going to be
able to have a lot of memories of Senator Inouye.
I come to the floor to pay tribute, as we ought to, to
our friend. I have heard the tributes paid to Senator
Inouye by his fellow Senators, and that has gone on over
the past several hours since his passing. It is a strong
testament to the character of Senator Inouye that his loss
as a friend and colleague is so deeply felt. Senator
Inouye impressed many of us with his quiet determination,
his dedication to right over wrong, and his sheer decency.
He was a gentle force in the Senate, with emphasis upon
``force,'' but that adjective ``gentle'' is very
legitimate. He had a strong work ethic and was very
productive on behalf of the entire United States. Also, of
course, as all of us do, we have to look out for the
people in our States, so he looked out for his beloved
State of Hawaii as well.
Because he was restrained in his demeanor, when he spoke
he commanded real attention. He was well respected in the
Senate for his lifelong statesmanship and for his early
displays of courage and sacrifice for our country.
Barely out of his teens, Senator Inouye confronted more
tests of his bravery than the vast majority of us will
face in a lifetime. He passed those tests with flying
colors, and his representation of American interests in
the heavy combat theaters of World War II was something he
had to pursue. For him, it was not a perfunctory act. Even
though he was an eyewitness to the Japanese warplanes
flying overhead in their assault on Hawaii, he could not
enlist in the U.S. military at the time because he was
Japanese American. He and others petitioned our
Government, and when they were allowed to enlist, he
certainly did.
He and his fellow Americans of Japanese descent went on
to serve with tremendous skill and heroism. I encourage
everyone to read about Senator Inouye's wartime
experience, the medals he won and the bravery he
established to win the Medal of Honor.
He teaches all of us about answering the call to duty
with determination and without hesitation, just as he did.
His example of selflessness and his elevation of common
cause over individual interest are especially relevant in
these trying times.
In Congress, if we all sacrifice more and worry about
self-preservation less, we can accomplish a lot for the
country Senator Inouye fought to save and to serve his
people afterward in the Senate. I am glad to have served
with and learned from Senator Inouye.
Mr. KERRY. ... Madam President, I think all of us are
aware that too often in public life words like ``good
friend'' or ``remarkable colleague'' are used so often
they lose a little bit of their impact. But I think we all
share powerfully--ever since the majority leader announced
the sad news last evening, and we have seen so many come
to the floor to talk about Senator Inouye--in the
knowledge that Senator Danny Inouye really was all those
things and so much more.
He was a quiet man, a humble man, a soft-spoken public
servant, but those of us who were privileged to serve for
so long with Dan Inouye know we truly got to know him. I
had the privilege of sitting beside him and listening to
some of the stories talking about things that were
happening in the Senate, and we truly did get to love him
and revere him.
It was more than his uniquely American journey--from the
trenches of World War II to the Halls of Congress--more
than his leadership and moral authority on everything from
civil rights to the Watergate and Iran-Contra hearings. It
was more than the Dan Inouye we could read about on paper.
It was the man himself, in the flesh, who was bigger than
the legend. That is why the Senate is going to feel his
loss for a long time.
We often hear the words ``Greatest Generation.'' Before
Tom Brokaw coined the phrase, we knew what it referred to,
particularly in the Senate where some of us were
privileged to serve with people such as Bob Dole, John
Glenn, Fritz Hollings, and so many others.
Danny was a bridge to that generation--a generation that
I revered growing up in the shadows of World War II. I
remember talking with my dad and hearing how he had
volunteered for the Army Air Corps as war loomed over
Europe. He was a pilot flying DC-3s, paratroopers,
preparing to go over for the invasion, and he shared with
me his regret that he came down with tuberculosis and he
was released from active duty and, in his perception,
never got his chance to defend his country.
I think about just how much more complicated the
prospect of going to war must have been for a young Danny
Inouye--just 17 years old with dreams of becoming a
surgeon, dreams interrupted by Pearl Harbor. Here he was,
the son of immigrants who came to work in Hawaii's
pineapple fields, his entire life he had thought of
himself as a patriotic American. Then, suddenly, at a time
when across the country young men were heeding the call to
duty, Dan Inouye's own Nation declared him and his family
alien enemies. Dan Inouye's response was not to pull
inward or to leave or forsake his country. His response
was to sign up and fight for the country he loved so
deeply, even at a time when his Government's vision was
clouded by the horror of Pearl Harbor.
Fight for his country he did. He put on the uniform and
showed us what both he and our country are all about. We
know Dan was a hero. We know he lost his arm on the
battlefield in Italy. But I never once heard Dan talk
about the details of that action that would ultimately
result in him being awarded the Medal of Honor. He was a
quiet man who never bragged and rarely spoke of himself.
But the citation speaks volumes about him and who he
became on that bleak April day when 2LT Inouye and his
platoon mounted a defense of a ridge guarding a critical
road junction in San Terenzo, Italy. The citation says,
very simply:
With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second
Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to
within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled
two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy
could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second
machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper's bullet,
he continued to engage other hostile positions at close
range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm.
Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and
continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was
broken and his men were again deployed in defensive
positions.
That was Dan Inouye. He was a hero whose entire life's
lesson was a victory over discrimination and anger.
Despite the sting of bigotry at home--he lost his arm for
his country and almost his life--rather than being
consumed by rancor, he became a voice for reconciliation.
Because of what he had experienced growing up as a
Japanese American in what was still a heavily segregated
country, Dan always fought to make sure that no Americans
ever felt unsafe or unwelcomed. ``This is our country,''
he famously said in his keynote address at the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago in 1968.
I still remember that speech. I was riveted watching it
on television. I was in the Navy, serving then. I was
training before departing for Vietnam. It was strange, the
juxtaposition of Dan Inouye's words and the hope and what
he represented to the carnage in the streets, watching
what seemed to be a country coming apart at the seams. But
there was this young Senator, this decorated World War II
veteran who spoke words that were as chilling as they were
prescient. He said:
The true dimension of the challenge facing us is a loss
of faith. I do not mean simply a loss of religious faith
... I mean a loss of faith in our country, in its purposes
and its institutions. I mean a retreat from the
responsibilities of citizenship.
He went on to say famously:
This is our country. Its future is what we, its
citizens, will make it. ... Putting aside hatred on the
one hand and timidity on the other, let us grow fresh
faith in our purpose and new vigor in our citizenship.
Those words would serve us well as we think about the
challenges we face right now in the Senate. That is the
kind of citizenship and patriotism that Dan Inouye stood
for, not just in 1968 but every day we were tested.
After 9/11, Danny was as determined as anyone to bring
to justice the terrorists who attacked us on that fateful
day. The media said it was our Pearl Harbor. Dan Inouye
remembered better than anybody the first Pearl Harbor. He
was there. He lived through it. But he also had deep
convictions about the historic lessons learned the hard
way after the first Pearl Harbor--mistakes he refused to
see repeated 60 years later. In the aftermath of September
11, Dan Inouye sounded a warning. He said:
I hope that the mistakes and suffering imposed upon
Japanese Americans nearly 60 years ago will not be
repeated again against Arab Americans whose loyalties are
now being called into question.
It was a forceful defense. I think it was heard across
the Nation. Dan understood our values aren't just talk.
They are about the choices we make, the causes we
champion, and the people we fight for. As Dan reminded us
in Chicago in 1968, this is our country, and its future is
what we, its citizens, make of it.
He was an incredible person. During his long painful
recovery at Percy Jones Army Hospital in Michigan, Dan was
down to 93 pounds and exhausted. He knew he would never be
a surgeon as he once dreamed. He struggled then even to
light a cigarette and he wanted to curse at his nurse.
Unbowed, she taught him how to light a cigarette with one
hand and said simply: ``From now on, you're going to be
learning.'' Dan Inouye did learn. Happily, we can say he
also taught. He taught all of us with the power of his
example.
During his convalescence at Percy Jones Army Hospital,
he met another young lieutenant, a man by the name of Bob
Dole. They became fast friends and nursed themselves back
to health.
About 2 short weeks ago, two Greatest Generation
brothers, ailing and approaching their 90th birthdays, Dan
Inouye and Bob Dole were still here teaching us, teaching
us what is worth fighting for. I will never forget seeing
Danny with his oxygen tube walking up to Bob Dole before
casting his vote in the hopes of helping disabled veterans
when they travel overseas. Here were these two older
citizens telling the Senate, through actions and not
words, that we have to be better than this place has
sometimes been in recent days.
Bob Dole said something about Danny that has deeper
meaning now that he has left us. Bob said, over there in
that corner near the door, looking at Danny:
He was wounded a week from the day I was and a mile from
the place I was wounded, and we ended up in the same
hospital. He's a Democrat and I'm a Republican, but
parties didn't make any difference.
Those are bonds we ought to learn something from. Those
are bonds we ought to do a better job of honoring today in
this institution Dan Inouye loved so deeply.
Dan Inouye was a special kind of public servant. He
walked his own path. He got out of that hospital bed,
returned to college under the GI bill, and went on to
George Washington University for his law degree. He got
himself elected to the Hawaii Territorial Legislature at
the ripe old age of 30 and then on to the House of
Representatives as Hawaii's first full Member after it won
statehood in 1959. Just 3 years later, Danny Inouye was a
Senator, and eventually he would rise to become the
highest ranking public official of Asian descent in U.S.
history.
I will never forget the critical role he played on the
special committees that investigated Watergate in the
1970s and Iran-Contra in the 1980s. I was here during
Iran-Contra, a freshman who approached those
investigations with a certain zeal. I was in a hurry to
find out the truth. But I learned from Dan Inouye that a
good Senator can navigate the path to truth while taking
extraordinary care to protect and nurture the national
interests. So when Dan famously warned at the Iran-Contra
hearings that there exists a ``shadowy government'' that
can ``pursue its own ideas of the national interests, free
from all checks and balances and free from the law
itself,'' we all understood the gravity and truth behind
those words because we respected the integrity of the
statesman who spoke them.
Dan had a special sense of his own responsibilities as
the first Member of Congress from Hawaii. He believed in
the Federal Government's ability to make a difference in
people's lives. He was chairman of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, as we all know. For all the talk
in the media about earmarks and porkbarrel spending, we
saw in Dan how one Senator could actually advance the
interests of their State and articulate a vision for that
State which didn't violate anybody's sensibilities about
how we ought to be spending a Federal tax dollar. He used
his position unapologetically to bring home investments in
Hawaii to build roads and bridges and classrooms, all of
which changed people's lives on an island that most of us
only thought of in the context of a vacation destination.
To Dan, it wasn't a resort. It was home. It was people. As
the son of a Japanese immigrant who came to work in those
pineapple fields, Dan needed to make no apologies about
using the Federal Government to make life better for the
people he represented.
It was a perspective that endeared him to his colleagues
on both sides of the aisle--and no one more so than
Republican Senator Ted Stevens. They became like brothers.
Theirs was a friendship that stood the test of time. I
often heard the stories from Dan or from Ted--whom I got
to know well--about how they would travel to various parts
of the world to see how America was investing its funds
and how their friendship simply grew during the course of
those journeys together. Theirs was a friendship that
stood the test of time. This place would be a lot better
off if we could forge bonds the way Dan and Ted did since
the 1960s. They didn't capitulate. They didn't lose their
values. They compromised, and they always put what was
best--in the case of Dan, Hawaii, and in the case of Ted,
Alaska, and in both their cases, the country--ahead of any
kind of partisan squabbling.
Danny Inouye lived a full and remarkable life, and we
will miss him dearly. He was proud of his Japanese
heritage, proud of his roots, and proud of his service as
a champion of veterans and veterans' rights. He loved our
troops. It is fitting that a building at the Walter Reed
Army Institute of Research now bears his name.
I often marveled at how hard he fought to regain his
health in the face of mounting odds.
He died with no regrets. ``Aloha'' was his last word.
Hawaii misses Daniel Inouye, America misses him, and our
thoughts are with his wife Irene and his son Daniel Ken,
Jr., who is a great friend of my stepson Johnny Heinz, and
also the rest of his family at this difficult time.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Casey). The Republican
leader.
Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to
recognize the great Senator Daniel Inouye. Senator Inouye
was a fine colleague and a good personal friend of mine.
While Congress occasionally drifts without direction,
Senator Inouye was a steady rudder in the Senate. He was
the consistent source of quiet, but purposeful and
effective leadership.
In an age where the loud crowd often demands center
stage, Senator Inouye was a reminder that the truth is
generally seen, rarely heard. He was a man who
communicated concisely and precisely just exactly what he
intended. Through his actions, Senator Inouye demonstrated
time and time again that he would lead legislative
efforts, pool necessary support, and do what needed to be
done to best represent Hawaii and advance all Americans.
While he chaired the Select Committee on Intelligence
and the Commerce Committee, I worked with Senator Inouye
most during his time as chairman of the Senate
Appropriations Committee. I can attest that during most of
our hearings, his very presence drove much of our
activity. Through thick and thin, he reliably led many an
effort.
Senator Inouye's addition to the bipartisan group that
later became known as the Gang of 14 helped others start
to view us as a body with legitimacy and true purpose.
Daniel Inouye carried the Senate's respect and attention
toward us, for which I remain incredibly grateful.
Years back, I was fortunate to travel with Senator
Inouye to Italy as part of a congressional delegation
trip. It was during our time together there that I had one
of the strongest emotional responses of my life. In
Tuscany near the location where Senator Inouye was
wounded, he visited the gravesites of many of those who
served alongside him. Seeing Senator Inouye mourn and pay
tribute to those who had fallen beside him in battle
taught me something I could never learn from a book or a
classroom. Without saying a word, Senator Inouye gave me a
heightened respect for the shared purpose and camaraderie
among those who serve in America's Armed Forces.
Yet while Senator Inouye had the utmost appreciation for
what happened in the past, he did not allow it to stop him
from thoroughly enjoying the present. It was on that same
trip that the Senator also taught me an appreciation for a
solidly-built, handsome pair of shoes. He advised me on
the purchase of a pair of oxfords that are as comfortable
today as the day I bought them.
Senator Inouye was a source of personal, policy, and
even fashion advice for me, and I cherish the time I spent
with him.
America is stronger today because of Daniel Inouye. He
will be sorely missed by all.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senate and our Nation
have lost one of our finest leaders, Daniel Inouye of
Hawaii. He was an outstanding Senator, a true statesman, a
patriot, and a gentleman.
It has been an honor and pleasure to be able to work
closely in the Senate with Dan Inouye as a member of the
Senate Appropriations Committee. His service as chairman
of the committee--and especially the Subcommittee on
Defense--has been marked with consistently strong and
thoughtful leadership. He was appreciated for his
courtesies to other Members and his seriousness of purpose
as he carried out his important responsibilities.
He has also earned the high praise he received from the
men and women of the Armed Forces, who are the best
equipped and trained military force in the world thanks to
his diligent efforts on their behalf.
Senator Inouye was friendly and kind to all, but he was
also a man of resolute courage and strength. He was very
successful as an advocate for his State of Hawaii and our
Nation. All Americans should be grateful for his service
in the Senate.
I yield the floor.
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today, as so many
colleagues have done throughout the day, to pay tribute to
a tremendous colleague whom we lost yesterday, a friend to
all of us, someone from whom we have all learned a
tremendous amount, on both sides of the aisle, about how
to work together, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. He was an
outstanding Senator, a cherished colleague, and a dear
friend.
We all know he dedicated his life to serving our
country, first as a soldier in World War II where he put
his life on the line for our freedoms, for our country,
and then as a Member of Congress for 52 years. Senator
Inouye was Hawaii's first Congressman. Think about that,
the first Congressman. Today marks the first day in the
history of our country that the State of Hawaii has not
been represented in Congress by Danny Inouye.
He also had a special connection to my home State of
Michigan, and Senator Levin and I have both been very
proud of that fact. He was a patient at a hospital in
Battle Creek during World War II where he met Philip Hart
and Bob Dole. Can you imagine those three great men coming
together serving our country, wounded, doing
rehabilitation at a hospital together in Michigan and all
going on to be involved in public service as Senators?
That building is still standing. It is no longer a
hospital; it is another Federal building. It is our great
honor in Michigan to have that building named the Hart-
Dole-Inouye Federal Center, honoring all three of these
outstanding leaders.
Senator Inouye was a great mentor for me as well as so
many of us in the Senate. Coming to the Senate, he always
encouraged me during the elections. He always told me to
hang in there, that things would go well and it would be
great. He was always a person with a smile on his face,
encouraging each and every one of us. He was there
encouraging me when we were fighting for our economic
lives in Michigan with the automobile industry, saying it
was going to be okay, that we would be able to get through
it, and that things would be better on the other side. He
was right, with the help of so many people here and the
President.
He also has consistently said to me, ``I want to help
your city of Detroit. I want to make sure I do everything
I can to support that great city.'' He has been a
wonderful friend and supporter on that front as well.
He also received a distinguished honor given by the Arab
American community in Michigan after he helped us
establish the first National Arab American Museum. After
9/11 when there were stories of young Arab American
children and girls who were being harassed or attacked
while wearing their traditional garb in school, he called
up leaders in Michigan to tell them they had his support
as a Japanese American, knowing what he had gone through
in a very difficult time in our country's history. He
showed incredible support to a great part of our Michigan
community.
He is beloved by so many around Michigan, but no more
than those who are in the Arab American community who are
business leaders, community leaders, who found themselves,
just because of their heritage, in very difficult
circumstances. He has shown great support to them and was
a great role model to them. I was proud to be a part of
honoring him a few years ago in Michigan with the highest
award coming from that community.
He touched lives everywhere he went. He served with
quiet dignity. He had a strong, firm conscience. He has
set an example for each one of us. He was a true patriot
and a true American hero in every sense of the word. The
Senate and the American people will miss him greatly. My
thoughts and prayers are with his family this evening.
Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to offer ... my
condolences to the family of Daniel K. Inouye, the Senator
from Hawaii. ...
Earlier today, I had the opportunity to sit in the
Presiding Officer's chair, and I heard many Members of
this body speak of Senator Inouye. Some spoke of him as a
distinguished voice, a Senator's Senator, a great hero, a
true patriot, a singularly iconic leader, an incredibly
great man, a giant of the Senate, a mountain of Hawaii,
and the list goes on.
They say the hardest thing to get in life is a friend,
and the easiest thing to lose in life is a friend. Danny
Inouye was a friend.
I will never forget when one of my neighbors came out to
visit me. Dan's office is right next door to mine in the
Hart Building. Now, make no mistake about it, before I
came to this body I knew of Dan Inouye's past as a war
hero, as a part of the Watergate investigative committee.
He truly was somebody I knew before I got here through the
media.
Well, so did my neighbor. After I had been here for a
while I started to take Dan for granted. He was just one
of us. So my neighbor was here, and we were standing in
the anteroom of my office and Dan Inouye came walking out
of his office. My neighbor's eyes almost rolled out of his
head and fell on the floor. He wanted to meet Dan. Why?
Because he was a great American and he knew it. He knew
this was an opportunity he shouldn't pass up.
I stopped into Dan Inouye's office today and passed
along my condolences to the staff and had the opportunity
to walk back into Dan's office. One of the things that was
pointed out to me was a sugar contract that set right
above his chair, right in front of him. It was what he
looked at every day when he sat at that desk--a sugar
contract his parents had. Why? So he didn't forget where
he came from. And all the time Dan Inouye served in this
body he was probably as grounded as anybody ever could be
because he never forgot where he came from.
When I first got here, I was trying to get on the
Appropriations Committee. I went to visit Senator Inouye,
and he said he would help, and he did.
Dan Inouye was going to Cody, WY, and he flew into
Billings, MT, and drove down to Cody for a veterans event.
In doing so, he drove through forests that were brown and
dead, and he came back and asked me, ``What is going on
with the forests in Montana?''
I said, ``Dan, I have a bill called a forest jobs and
recreation act that will help remedy that problem.'' Dan's
response was: ``Sign me up as a cosponsor.'' He was always
there to help.
I remember one time in the Cloakroom he was telling a
war story about after he had gotten his arm blown off.
They were laying on stretchers--this was in the 1940s, and
medicine has come a long way since then, remember. But
they were laying on stretchers, and there were many folks
there, many with limbs missing, and he said there was a
man of the cloth giving last rights. They came to Dan and
Dan said, ``No, I am not going anywhere.'' And he stayed
with us, thank goodness, and came to the Congress and then
to the Senate. What a man. What an incredible man he was.
He always sat at our table at the caucus lunch, and when
he came in he referred to me as ``Big One,'' and then
proceeded to lecture me as to why I needed to lose weight
if I was going to stick around here for a while. I always
appreciated that.
Another time we were in his office visiting about some
legislation, and out of the blue he asked me how many men
I had on staff. I was going down the list counting them
when he said, ``You know how many I got?''
I said, ``No.''
He said, ``I got two because women are better.''
That was Dan Inouye. He also had a connection to
probably every State in the Union, and Montana was no
exception. He always spoke of Mike Mansfield with great
passion.
When I was in his office earlier today I noticed on the
wall he had a picture of Ted Stevens, LBJ, Warren Rudman,
and, of course, Mike Mansfield. On that picture, Mike
Mansfield, then-majority leader, had written to my friend
Senator Dan Inouye: ``With admiration, respect, and
affection.''
I can't say it any better.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I understand we are in a
period of morning business. I wish to offer a few
reflections and reminiscence about our dearly departed
Senator Dan Inouye.
Yesterday afternoon I came into the Chamber expecting to
vote on a matter or two. I was stunned and devastated to
hear the news, as were the rest of my colleagues, that we
had lost Senator Inouye. When I think of what a Senator is
and should be, I think of Dan Inouye.
When I came to the Senate, 10 years ago now, I would say
that there were three undisputed giants in this hall.
There may have been more, but there were three undisputed
giants I think everybody recognized as giants in the
Senate. One would be Ted Stevens, one would be Ted
Kennedy, and the other would be Dan Inouye. There is
something about those three men, those three Senators,
that put them in a class by themselves.
Some of it is the force of their personalities, some of
it is their legislative accomplishments, some of it is
just their ability to get it done; when the chips are down
to have the integrity, to understand the vital role that
the Senate plays in our Federal system. I think Dan Inouye
had all of those traits and he also had character.
Character is something that is hard to describe, it is
hard to quantify, hard to define sometimes, but there is
no doubt Senator Inouye had character.
Yesterday morning I got off the plane. Like many of us I
raced into the office. I noticed I had a big bundle of
papers waiting for me to look at. I did not have a chance
to look at those, I just grabbed those and plopped them on
my desk and I thought I would go deal with those later,
and later turned out to be the next morning, which is this
morning.
I have been thinking about losing our friend Dan Inouye
over the last 12 or 14 hours or so, and I was sitting in
my office starting to go through this stack of papers and
there at the bottom of the stack I saw a Christmas card
that had come from Senator Inouye and his wife. I thought
this Christmas card summed up one of the traits that made
Senator Inouye so special. It is from Dan and Irene--
certainly we offer our prayers and our support for Irene
right now--but the photo was taken at the Maui Arts and
Cultural Center, ``a performing arts facility, providing
music, dance and theatrical performances as well as art
exhibitions.'' It is about Hawaiian culture and education
and there he is on their Christmas card, promoting Hawaii
and never stopping in that quest to make us aware of the
special nature of that State and the importance of that
State and so many of the qualities of that State.
I looked at Senator Inouye's picture on the Christmas
card and what I saw is that very kind and very generous
but also, as our fellow Senators will testify and have
testified repeatedly today, that very encouraging face and
way of Dan Inouye.
Actually a year or so ago, on my own initiative, I
wanted to know a little bit more about him. It is rare to
have a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient in your
midst, much more rare to work with that person every day.
I had the great fortune and extreme pleasure of being on
two of Senator Inouye's committees he chaired. He chaired
the Commerce Committee for a while and he chaired the
Appropriations Committee. I served on both of those with
him as chair. In both of those, by the way, I saw the
great bipartisan working relationship he had. I want to
talk about that again in a moment.
About a year or two ago I thought: I want to know more
about Senator Inouye, so I started reading. Of course, you
can go to Wikipedia and whatnot, but there are several
books available, several resources available where they
talk about his life story. Of course, with Senator Akaka
and Senator Inouye, they were both born in the Territory
of Hawaii, not the State of Hawaii but the Territory of
Hawaii. When you start to read about Dan Inouye's young
life, you start to think this is an ordinary, average guy.
He is going to grow up and be pretty nondescript. Who
knows what he is going to do with the rest of his life?
But when he is a youngster he does things such as he parks
cars at ball games; he cuts his classmates' hair for
money--you know, these little things we all do. He saved
his money and bought and trained a flock of homing
pigeons. He had a postage stamp collection--all this
ordinary American stuff that boys do as they are growing
up.
But his life took a dramatic turn on December 7, 1941.
He was an eyewitness, like Senator Akaka--and Senator
Akaka often tells the story but Dan Inouye was an
eyewitness to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was too
young to join the military at that point, but he was not
too young to serve. The way he served was he worked as a
medic in the aftermath of that. I read a story about him
one time and the only comment he said was he saw ``a lot
of blood'' in those days when he worked around the clock
to help people.
When he finally came of age to be able to serve, which
was a few years later, he joined the Nisei 442nd
Regimental Combat Team. For a lot of people, a lot of
Americans, we may not appreciate exactly what or who the
442nd is, but it turns out it would become the most highly
decorated unit in the history of the U.S. Army. Of course,
Senator Inouye received the Medal of Honor for his service
in that unit.
There is one other distinction it has. Almost all the
members were of Japanese descent. So here is this 17-, 18-
year-old young man who had eyewitness accounts of very
harsh treatments by Americans of Japanese Americans.
One of the things Senator Inouye did not talk a lot
about is that he did some sort of goodwill tour back in
the 1940s to Japanese internment camps. He came to the two
in Arkansas. My understanding is maybe the members of the
442nd--I am not quite sure how it worked, but they were
doing some training or whatever, maybe down in Louisiana.
I am not quite sure. But nonetheless they went to the two
Japanese internment camps in Arkansas.
He goes on to serve in World War II with tremendous
distinction. In fact, there are a few video interviews I
would recommend to people that C-SPAN2 ran last night,
just unbelievable, some of the stories he told about
serving in the war and how it changed his life.
One of the things that I loved about him is how he
carried a burden. He carried a burden of those heroic war
years with him for the rest of his life. The fact that he
had been so effective in war haunted him. It stayed with
him, I am sure, until the day he died. I heard him talk
about it a few months ago.
He also struggled and suffered with his own type of
discrimination because he was a Japanese American. My
generation--and certainly people younger than me--take
that for granted. We don't discriminate against Japanese
Americans. However, during the time of World War II, when
a lot of people had never had much experience with Asians
and Asian Americans, all they knew was that they had
bombed Pearl Harbor, we were at war with them, so they
must all be bad.
I remember Senator Inouye told a story--in fact, it was
on PBS for the series called ``The War,'' a Ken Burns
movie, where he talked about how he lost his arm and had
done his rehab and was headed out to the west coast. It is
my understanding he was supposed to catch a ship and go
back to Hawaii after his long rehabilitation. Well, he
decided to stop in and get a haircut at a local barber
shop on the west coast. I believe the barber shop was in
Oakland, CA. Here was a highly decorated World War II
veteran who had literally almost given his life to this
country and would live the rest of his life without his
right arm. When he walked in the barber shop, the barber
told him bluntly, ``We don't cut Jap hair.'' ``We don't
cut Jap hair'' is the kind of thing that stays with you.
That is the kind of thing that made Senator Inouye so
unique.
I saw him meet with a young man just a few months ago
who had also lost his arm. This young man lost his arm to
cancer. He introduced himself to Senator Inouye and said,
``I have always admired you and respected you because of
your disability and what you have done for other people
with disabilities.'' Dan Inouye looked him square in the
eye and said, ``I don't consider it a disability.''
There again, we see his character and get a glimpse of
what he was all about.
He was also the first Japanese American to be elected to
Congress, the first Japanese American to be sworn in, and
the first Japanese American to serve in the Senate. In
fact, he was sworn into the House the very same day that
Hawaii became a State.
There is a story that has circulated in the House for a
decade about his swearing in. He came in at kind of a
different time because he won a special election. He was
in a class of one to be sworn in, and Sam Rayburn did the
normal swear-in thing. He said, without thinking, ``Raise
your right hand and repeat after me.'' Of course,
Congressman Inouye didn't have a right hand at that point;
he left it in Italy while fighting for his country.
He broke several barriers, large and small, throughout
his life. One of the things I loved about him was his
relationship with Ted Stevens. I still remember that their
desks were right across the aisle from one another. I
remember them working together on all kinds of
legislation. They were brothers. Their love and friendship
transcended partisan divide. They were totally for the
national interest. I think they set a great example for
all of us and how we can work together.
They didn't always agree. If we look at their voting
record, they voted opposite each other a lot of times, but
they worked together and had an exemplary relationship I
think we should all follow.
We had Senator Inouye come to the Senate Prayer
Breakfast a few months ago. For those who are watching at
home or don't know a whole lot about the Senate, every
Wednesday morning we are in session we have a Senate
Prayer Breakfast. It is for Senators and former Senators
only. When we come together, it is a very special time to
share each other's lives and tell stories.
It was a treat to have Dan Inouye. I believe he lived in
Rockville, so it was hard for him to get here so he didn't
make it that often, but he came when he could. I have been
here 10 years, and I have been going to the Prayer
Breakfast almost that long. He is the only speaker I have
seen in the Senate Prayer Breakfast who got a standing
ovation before he spoke and a standing ovation after he
spoke. That is the kind of Senator and man he was. He had
this spirit that oozed from him. No matter what situation
he was in, other people respected him so much.
This last story I will tell is one of my favorite
stories about him. When he won his reelection back in
2010--I didn't see it, but I heard this--at the podium
that night while accepting his election for his ninth
term, he announced that he was going to run for his tenth
term in 2016. That is part of that indomitable spirit that
we will all miss so much about Senator Inouye.
With that, I want to thank my colleagues for all the
wonderful things they have said about Senator Inouye. I
want to lift up his family in prayer. He has a fantastic,
wonderful staff, and I know everyone in Hawaii is mourning
the loss of this great man.
I yield the floor.
Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. Reid of Nevada, Mr.
McConnell, Mr. Alexander, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Barrasso, Mr.
Baucus, Mr. Begich, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Bingaman, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brown
of Massachusetts, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Burr, Ms.
Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr.
Chambliss, Mr. Coats, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cochran, Ms.
Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Coons, Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn,
Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Mrs.
Feinstein, Mr. Franken, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr.
Grassley, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Heller,
Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr.
Johanns, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. Johnson of South
Dakota, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Kohl, Mr.
Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Lee, Mr.
Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Manchin, Mr. McCain,
Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Mikulski,
Mr. Moran, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of
Nebraska, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Paul, Mr. Portman,
Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed of Rhode Island, Mr. Risch, Mr.
Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Schumer, Mr. Sessions, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Shelby, Ms.
Snowe, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Toomey,
Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr.
Vitter, Mr. Warner, Mr. Webb, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker,
and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which
was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 624
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye served the people of
the State of Hawaii for over 58 years in the Territorial
House of Representatives, the Territorial Senate, the
United States House of Representatives, and the United
States Senate;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye became the first
Japanese American to serve in both the United States House
of Representatives and the United States Senate;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye represented the State
of Hawaii in Congress from before the time that Hawaii
became a State in 1959 until 2012;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye served as the
President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate,
Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Chairman of
the Subcommittee on Defense, the first Chairman of the
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Chairman of the
Committee on Indian Affairs, Chairman of the Democratic
Steering Committee, Chairman of the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation, Chairman of the Rules
Committee, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on
Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan
Opposition, and Secretary of the Democratic Conference;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye delivered the keynote
address at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in
Chicago, Illinois, in which he expressed a vision for a
more inclusionary Nation and famously declared ``this is
our country'';
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye served as a medical
volunteer at the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941,
and volunteered to be part of the all Nisei 442nd
Regimental Combat Team during World War II at a time when
Japanese Americans were being systematically discriminated
against by the Nation he volunteered to defend;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye was wounded in battle
and honorably discharged as a Captain with a Distinguished
Service Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart with cluster, and
12 other medals and citations; and
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye was awarded the Medal
of Honor by President William J. Clinton in June 2000,
along with 21 other Asian-American veterans of World War
II for their actions during the war: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep
regret of the death of the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye,
Senator from the State of Hawaii;
(2) the Secretary of the Senate shall transmit this
resolution to the House of Representatives and transmit an
enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceased; and
(3) when the Senate adjourns today, it stand adjourned
as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased
Senator.
Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. McConnell) submitted the
following concurrent resolution; which was considered and
agreed to:
S. Con. Res. 64
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That in recognition of the long and
distinguished service rendered to the Nation by Daniel K.
Inouye, a Senator from the State of Hawaii and formerly a
Representative from that State, his remains be permitted
to lie in state in the rotunda of the Capitol on December
20, 2012, and the Architect of the Capitol, under the
direction of the Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President pro tempore of the Senate, shall take
all necessary steps for the accomplishment of that
purpose.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, if there is no further
business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous
consent that it adjourn under the provisions of S. Res.
624, as a further mark of respect to the late Senator
Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, following the remarks of
Senator Murkowski.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
The Senator from Alaska.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, it is only fitting that I
be allowed to speak for a few minutes recognizing that on
this floor we have just advanced these resolutions in
honor of our friend, our colleague, and truly an
incredible gentleman and statesman, Senator Daniel K.
Inouye.
In Alaska, we regarded former Senator Ted Stevens as
``Uncle Ted.'' What follows, then, is that the people of
Alaska would regard his brother, our beloved Daniel
Inouye, as our uncle as well.
Today, the people of Alaska are mourning the loss of
Senator Inouye in the same way we would mourn the loss of
one of our own; that is, because Senator Inouye is one of
our own. Regardless of whether he wanted that burden--I
know that perhaps at times he did not want that--we would
think of him as Alaska's third Senator. A great many
Alaskans came to know, to love, and to rely on Senator
Inouye to watch Alaska's back, and he never let us down.
Senator Inouye delivered a very touching, a very tender
eulogy at Ted Stevens' funeral in August 2010. In that
address, he mentioned that millions of words had been
written of Ted's accomplishments. Yet as I was thinking
about how I might frame my remarks about Senator Inouye's
life, it dawned on me that millions of words had also been
written already about Senator Inouye. That is because I
think so many of Ted's accomplishments came with Dan
Inouye at his side and, not coincidentally, many of Dan's
accomplishments occurred in the presence of Ted. So where
do we begin? There is so much that must be said and that
should be said.
I was present at the Anchorage Baptist Temple when
Senator Inouye delivered his eulogy, and I had the
opportunity last evening, after we learned word of Senator
Inouye's passing, to view that video clip again. As I
listened to that eulogy, it came to me that everything
Senator Inouye said about Ted told us as much about Dan as
it did about Ted. There was so much that these two men
shared.
Senator Inouye related that he knew from the very
beginning of the relationship that the two would have a
great deal in common. Both represented former Territories
at the very edge of our great Nation--Territories that at
times were treated as appendages to our Nation. He
characterized Alaska and Hawaii as the forgotten people.
In those early years, he reminded us it cost more to make
a telephone call from Honolulu to here in Washington, DC,
than it did from Honolulu to Tokyo. It was cheaper to call
Beijing from Washington than from Anchorage. Dan and Ted
set out to do something about that, and they did.
They traveled to each other's States. They came to
understand the unique challenges each faced.
Senator Inouye related on one trip to an Alaska Native
village that he met a nurse. It actually was not a nurse.
It was our community health aide, an individual from the
village who had been trained to provide basic medical
care. It occurred to both of them at that time that the
new technology could enable a doctor at a major hospital,
hundreds or perhaps even thousands of miles away, to
observe and diagnose a patient via a video link.
So was born the Alaska telemedicine network, one of the
first of its kind in the world and truly a remarkable
advancement and achievement in Alaska. It was born from
their very conversations on that codel. This is just one
small example of the many collaborations that improved
life for the Native peoples of Alaska and Hawaii. These
collaborations created models by which Senator Inouye
improved conditions for the Native peoples of the 48
States as well.
Another thing that Ted and Dan shared in common was, of
course, that they were both veterans. One of our
colleagues described them as World War II soulmates--men
who loved the military, absolutely loved the military,
with every ounce of their being. They traveled together
across the globe to zones of conflict to visit Americans
in uniform.
The tragedy of Vietnam veterans returning home
unappreciated was not lost on either of these veterans,
and they devoted their lives to ensuring that our veterans
would never again be disrespected.
Following Ted's death, Senator Inouye came to this
floor, and he said the following of his fallen brother:
``When it came to policy, we disagreed more often than we
agreed, but we were never disagreeable with one another.
We were always positive and forthright.''
This remark came as perhaps a little bit of a surprise
to me because on the important issues that faced this
country, they would most often arrive at significant
agreements that would allow the issues to advance in the
Senate. Not one of them viewed bipartisanship in a
negative context. It was not a dirty word. Senator Inouye
said of Ted: ``We made the word bipartisan become real--
real.''
It is no coincidence that each would be described in
these terms: ``His word is his bond ... Good as gold.''
Daniel Inouye brought depth to every debate and dignity
to every room in which he entered. He was a model Senator
and in these times of turbulence within the Senate I think
a role model for so many of us. There was an elegance in
this man that I think we should all strive to emulate. I
wonder often if those of us who did not come of age in
that Greatest Generation are up to this challenge. But we
should certainly strive to be.
On behalf of the people of Alaska, I express our deepest
appreciation and condolences to his wife Irene and to Ken
for sharing this extraordinary statesman with us and with
the Nation. For that, we owe them a very sincere and
genuine thank you--mahalo. Irene, of course, is doing
important work with the United States-Japan Council. I
look forward to working closely with her in that important
role.
When a significant figure in Alaska passes, we often
say: ``A big tree has fallen.'' In the islands, Daniel
Inouye was the biggest of the big trees. There is no way
to minimize the loss the people of Hawaii are feeling. We
could see it in the face of Governor Abercrombie
yesterday. He could barely control his tears as he
conducted a lengthy news conference following Senator
Inouye's passing. We saw our friend and colleague, Senator
Akaka, as he delivered very sad remarks as well. In
Hawaii, as in Alaska, these things are personal. Losing a
longtime Senator feels like losing a member of your own
family. The Senate ohana is less today because Senator
Inouye is no longer with us. Let me simply say the people
of Alaska and the people of this great Nation stand with
the people of Hawaii. I offer my personal commitment to
the people of Hawaii as the now senior-most Senator
representing the decades' old alliance of our former
Territories: Your needs will not be forgotten.
With that, I thank you for the few extra minutes this
evening to pay tribute to a good man, a good friend.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate stands adjourned until
9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 19, 2012, and does so
under the provisions of S. Res. 624 as a further mark of
respect to the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii.
Thereupon, the Senate, at 7:51 p.m., adjourned until
Wednesday, December 19, 2012, at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I would like to say a few
words about our close, beloved friend, and colleague,
Danny Inouye. I am hard pressed to think of anyone in this
body I respected and loved more than Danny Inouye. His
broad smile, his desire to work with you, help you, his
interest in finding common ground, his decency, his
honesty, his forthrightness, and his dedication to service
are unsurpassed.
Someone pointed out to me that when Dan was first
chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, he passed
all of the measures through his committee virtually
unanimously. We should stop and think about that for just
a second. This place is now so polarized, it is so
difficult to get measures passed. But Dan, as committee
chairman, worked with his members so virtually every bill
in his first year was passed unanimously. There was one
that was 29 to 1.
If only we would stop and reflect on that a bit, it
would help us to work better together. Dan also worked
very closely with Ted Stevens. One time Ted was chairman
of the Appropriations Committee, another time the ranking
member. The two of them worked very closely together to
get measures passed through the Appropriations Committee.
Other committees do the same; the chairman and the ranking
member work well together. Regrettably, those measures
then come out to the floor and become very polarized. That
toxic dynamic of this echo chamber, Washington, DC, takes
over once measures get on the floor.
Everyone will talk about Danny as a military hero. He
certainly was in so many respects. When Pearl Harbor was
bombed, he tried to sign up, and he was refused because he
was Japanese American. The Japanese were the enemy. But he
and others petitioned the President and he was able to
finally sign up.
Danny served his country, our country, fully, over in
Italy, losing an arm. He was such a hero, storming several
German machine-gunner nests. He was so brave because he
was American. He was fighting for his country.
Some may have mentioned, or some might in the future
mention, Danny's statement to many of us who went to a
Prayer Breakfast a few months ago. Dan did not ever go to
any Prayer Breakfasts, but he went to one. He wanted to
explain why he did something. It was one of the more
touching moments in my memory here. It is when Danny went
through a bit of his life, explaining how his mother--in
Hawaii, was in an orphanage, something similar to that,
and a bishop would come by monthly to each of the young
children, and say, ``What can I do for you, young lady?''
His mother right away said, ``I want a home.'' And Danny
explained how his mother then went to live with the bishop
and his family. That went a long way to help Danny
appreciate and understand decency, working together,
community. It meant a lot to him.
Later, at Pearl Harbor he wanted to sign up. He did and
served. But when he explained all of this to us, he then
mentioned how he stormed--he was a very good shot. He was
an excellent shot. He was a marksman. He was a
sharpshooter. He recounted the first German he shot and
killed in Italy.
At that moment he was pretty proud of himself, very
patriotic. I am a good shot. I am an American. I got that
German. They were engaged with the enemy frequently. He
shot a few more Germans. One time he stormed a tower.
There was a machine gunner up in the tower. Danny rushed
up. Prior to that time, one of the solders threw a grenade
or shot a bazooka. It blew up most of the Germans there in
that tower.
Danny stormed up the stairway, got up there and there
was one still alive. Danny's immediate reaction was to use
the butt of his gun to hit the soldier so the soldier
could not shoot him. Well, at that moment, the soldier
then reached into his pocket and pulled out photographs,
photographs of the soldier's family, the soldier's mother,
the soldier's brothers and sisters and children.
Danny, in that instant, it was like an epiphany. He then
realized he was not shooting the enemy, he was not
shooting soldiers, he was not racking up statistics, he
was killing people, a person, a real live person. It hit
him so hard he then decided he had to leave. He had to
stop this. He could not go on killing people.
He went to the chaplain and said, ``Chaplain, I have to
leave.''
The chaplain said, ``Well, I understand. That is your
right. But maybe it is best if you stay in the service.''
Danny stayed. Danny said a lot of people count sheep
going to sleep at night. Danny stayed awake at night. He
could not sleep. He was counting the soldiers he shot and
killed, and that had a huge, profound effect on him.
Years later, the Senate was debating the Iraq war
resolution. Senator Byrd walked up to Senator Inouye.
Senator Byrd, as we will recall, was very much opposed to
the United States entering the war in Iraq. He stood up on
the Senate floor and very eloquently explained why it was
the wrong thing to do--the United States should not send
troops over to Iraq.
Well, Senator Byrd walked over to Danny and said,
``Danny, I have to ask you if you can support this
resolution. I know you cannot because, my gosh, you are a
war hero and given your military service.''
Danny right away said, ``Oh, no, I will vote with you
because it is the right thing to do. It is wrong for the
United States to send troops over to Iraq.''
Danny said it was largely because of that experience,
when that soldier reached in his pocket and showed him
photographs of his family, that it just changed him. It
changed Danny and made Danny realize the importance of not
going to war unless it is absolutely, totally necessary,
and going to Iraq was not necessary.
I was so impressed with Danny in so many different ways.
When I was first here, Danny was assigned to defend
Harrison Williams who was charged with ABSCAM violations.
I remember, right over here on the side over here, Danny
set up; that was his responsibility as a lawyer on the
floor to defend Senator Williams. I was stunned at Danny's
presentation. It was so good. It was so thoughtful. He
spoke with such authority. Sure, he was a lawyer doing
what lawyers are supposed to do, but as I said, it was
stunning. He was an amazing man. It may be kind of a small
thing. It may not be something that is repeated terribly
often on the floor of the Senate, but I was stunned at how
good he was. Other things I have also dealt with him
personally on, matters dealing with the Appropriations
Committee and sometimes on matters dealing with Montana.
I was really honored; we have this tradition around here
called the Secret Santa where we give presents secretly to
one of our colleagues. I drew Danny Inouye's name. I was
Danny's Secret Santa. I thought: My gosh, what am I going
to do to sufficiently honor Danny?
I thought a little bit. Years ago there was something in
Montana called the Devil's Brigade. During World War II
the U.S. military joined with Canadians and set up secret
training for rugged men, mountaineers, miners, and
loggers, and so forth, to go over to Europe and help fight
the war.
It is interesting, this is a precursor to all of special
operations: Navy SEALs and Rangers and all of the special
operations sprung from this secret, joint U.S.-Canadian
effort in Montana. It was called the Devil's Brigade.
They went over in their first big operation to scale a
cliff that was outside Rome, a hill held by the Germans.
The Germans thought no way in the world would someone come
up the cliff, so we will not defend the cliff.
Sure enough, the Devil's Brigade climbed that cliff at
night. They beat the Germans up on the top. I thought this
was a great gift for Danny since World War II and Italy
meant so much for him.
But, regretfully, when I went to the little ceremony,
Danny was not there and I could not give him my Secret
Santa gift--but it is a small thing. As I walked over
here, the secretary in my office said, ``Senator, you
should see this. A letter came in today, just today, this
morning.'' It was from Danny, and it was wishing me happy
birthday. My birthday is 4 days after Pearl Harbor, and it
just poignantly hit me. This was something thoughtful
Danny did. He did it himself. It wasn't an office letter.
It was something he wrote himself.
I will just finish. There were a lot of things about
Danny, but the one thing I think that is so appropriate,
again, Dan was such a statesman. He was beloved, obviously
a hero, and all the things we like to talk about.
I would like to read a little excerpt from a book. Dan
wrote his own personal history. It is ``Journey to
Washington'' by Senator Danny Inouye.
There is a preface, written by Senator Mike Mansfield,
at the beginning of the book, and I would like to read
this preface. It summarizes Danny.
The life of Danny Inouye has carried him from the
streets of Honolulu into war, into law and political
leadership in Hawaii, and, now, into the Senate of the
United States as the first American Senator of Japanese
ancestry. Dan Inouye's life is a personal triumph, a
triumph of a man's courage and determination. But his
triumph is, in the end, the triumph of America. The
recognition which has come to Dan Inouye, like others
before him, reveals the resilient capacity of this nation
for replenishment, with energy and wisdom drawn from the
many wellsprings of the human race. The story of Daniel
Ken Inouye, an American, is, in truth, an enduring chapter
in the story of America.
So, Danny, aloha.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from
Maryland.
Ms. MIKULSKI. I would like to compliment the Senator
from Montana on his deeply moving and so personal
reminiscences. It was both touching and manly. Thank you
very much. It was inspirational. ...
Mr. INHOFE. ... Senator Inouye is different from most
other Senators. I remember when my daughter Katie was much
younger and she said, ``My two favorite U.S. Senators''--I
thought I was going to be one of them--``My two favorite
ones are Senator Inouye and Senator Jesse Helms. They are
such kind, older guys.'' She wanted to know if they ever
got angry at anything. No, they didn't. As a conservative
Republican I have gone to him many times for favors,
really, to ask if we could get something done, and he
never turned me down during that time. I had a long visit
yesterday with his son and told him what we feel about
Danny Inouye and how much we are going to miss him. So
that happened in 1959. That was when he was first elected
to the U.S. Senate. ...
Mr. LEVIN. When 17-year-old Danny Inouye saw the
Japanese planes over his Hawaii home on December 7, 1941,
his first impulse was to help. So he ran to help. He had
emergency medical training. He used that training to help
bind the wounds of the Americans injured in the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
His second impulse, just as strong, was to defend our
country. But the America of 1941 did not want his service.
In fact, it considered Danny and his fellow Japanese
Americans suspect and called them enemy aliens and
confined more than 100,000 of them to internment camps.
When Danny Inouye tried to enlist to defend his country,
his country told him: You are not welcome.
That Danny Inouye did not allow anger and resentment to
overcome his love of country says something remarkable
about him and about our country. When in 1943 President
Roosevelt allowed Japanese Americans to enlist in the
fight against Nazi Germany, Danny Inouye and thousands of
young men answered the call. He burned with desire to
defend the Nation that had told him and people of his
background: You may not serve; a Nation that still held
thousands of Japanese Americans behind barbed-wire fences.
When he left Hawaii for the Army, his father told him,
``This country has been good to us. Whatever you do, do
not dishonor this country.'' Danny, on more than one
occasion, told stories about his Army training in
Mississippi, about the racial segregation he saw. He told
the story of how after he returned from World War II he
stopped in California on the way home to Hawaii to get a
haircut and was told: ``We don't serve Japs here.''
He stood there in full dress uniform, his chest covered
in medals, a hook in place of the arm blown apart by a
German rifle grenade. Even then he had to confront hatred.
There is so much that is remarkable about the life of Dan
Inouye, the story of his service on the battlefields of
Italy is indeed remarkable. The physical courage he
displayed in winning the Medal of Honor is alone enough to
earn the title ``hero.''
But rising above his physical courage and the guts he
showed is the moral courage it took for Dan Inouye and his
fellow Japanese Americans to even set foot on that
battlefield. What is it that spurs some of our countrymen
to offer their lives in defense of a country that shuns
them? Where does that love of country come from? How can
we impart some of it to those who too often take this
country for granted?
It would be a wonderful tribute to Dan Inouye to seek
out ways to encourage such service by future generations.
Dan Inouye's work did not end when he took off his
soldier's uniform. In many ways, it was just beginning.
Forced by the loss of his arm to give up dreams of a
medical career, he entered politics. His was one of the
most remarkable careers in public service our country has
ever seen. We will miss Dan Inouye so much in the Senate,
his leadership, his legislative talent, yes, but also his
friendship, his humor, his humility, his steadfast belief
in the American people. He was the last remaining Senator
who voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In that vote
and so many others, he served the Nation and the Senate
with distinction that few have ever matched.
In Michigan we proudly claim an early connection to this
noble man. Much of his recovery from the wounds he
suffered in Italy took place at a veteran's hospital in
Battle Creek, Michigan. There he met two other young men,
a soldier from Kansas named Bob Dole and one from Michigan
named Phil Hart. They formed a lifelong bond, one that
endured all the way to the Senate.
In 2003, when we dedicated that former hospital in
Battle Creek, now a Federal office facility, as the Hart-
Dole-Inouye Federal Center, Senator Inouye told the
audience, ``All of us have chapters in our lives,
milestones. My most important chapter,'' he said, ``was a
Battle Creek chapter. This is where I learned what
democracy was all about, where I learned what America was
all about.''
To have imparted any lessons on America to Dan Inouye
would be a remarkable honor. What we may have taught him
pales in comparison to what he taught us.
A few years ago, in a speech honoring his fellow
Japanese American veterans, Danny told his audience that
our greatness as a nation lies in part in our willingness
to recognize the flaws in our past, including our
treatment of Japanese Americans and our determination in
whatever limited way we could to make amends. Dan Inouye
served his country because of his dream of what we could
be: a nation unbound by our all too human failings.
He believed to his core that we are able to shed old
prejudices. He believed that our Nation, despite its
flaws, shines with such bright promise that we could
inspire remarkable service and sacrifice, even in those
who suffer from our shortcomings, a Nation so great that
those we treat with disdain or even hatred can respond
with love that knows no limit. This love was as powerful
as the love that Dan Inouye showed for all Americans and
for the very idea of America.
I am so grateful for the lessons that Danny taught me,
so grateful for his friendship. Barb and I send our
deepest condolences to Irene and all of Danny's family, to
the people of Hawaii, and to all of those touched by this
remarkable man.
Mr. REID. Mr. President. Our former colleague, now
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has written a letter
in memory of our departed colleague Dan Inouye. I ask
unanimous consent that the letter be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
The Secretary of the Interior,
Washington, December 18, 2012.
Majority Leader Harry Reid,
Hart Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, DC.
Dear Majority Leader: Senator Danny Inouye was and will
continue to be one of my lifetime heroes. In December
2008, when the President, you and I, were in discussions
about my potential service as United States Secretary of
the Interior, Senator Inouye said the following to me:
``The Secretary of the Interior is the most important
position in the Cabinet because you are the Custodian of
America's Natural Resources and America's Heritage.''
Senator Inouye's description of the Department was a
major factor in my decision to accept the President's
offer to serve as Secretary of the Interior. I have
adopted his description of the job of Secretary as my
motto and as the best description of the Department of the
Interior.
Like you, I will forever miss Senator Inouye. He has
served and continues to serve as a mentor and inspiration
to me in all of my days in public service. I know his life
and his teachings will continue to live through each of us
as he continues to inspire our journey forward.
Respectfully,
Ken Salazar,
U.S. Secretary of the Interior,
former U.S. Senator.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I
suggest the absence of a quorum.
Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, today the State of
Hawaii, the Senate, and the United States mourn the loss
of Senator Daniel Inouye.
Observers of the Senate today know Chairman Inouye as a
poised, soft-spoken statesman: courteous and collegiate;
shunning of the spotlight; above the petty churn of the
partisan fray. But historians will remember him as a great
patriot, a fierce warrior, a brave pioneer, and a great
leader.
Chairman Inouye's unflinching commitment to his country
withstood both the moral threat of having his family
deemed enemy aliens and the direct physical threat of Nazi
firepower. His famed ``Go for Broke'' 442nd Regimental
Combat Team was made up of Japanese-American volunteers,
but even among this exceptionally decorated group of men,
2LT Inouye exemplified exceptional bravery and sacrifice
in what Winston Churchill described as ``the war to
confront not only military but moral aggression.''
The fight to see the American values of freedom,
justice, and equality fulfilled would continue beyond the
war years and throughout Chairman Inouye's lifetime of
service to his home State and his country. The new State
of Hawaii sent him to Washington as part of its very first
delegation. The first Japanese American elected to
Congress, he has been a champion of civil rights for
women, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and African
Americans. Indeed, Chairman Inouye was the last surviving
Member of the Senate to have voted for the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. He also ferreted out corruption at the
highest level of government, serving on the Senate's
select committee on the Watergate scandal, and chairing
the investigation of the Iran-Contra arms affair.
But Dan Inouye was first and foremost a servant of the
people of Hawaii. Ever grateful for the faith they
entrusted in him year after year, he worked to make sure
they had every opportunity to achieve the full potential
of the American dream. I was honored that he joined me as
an original member of the Senate Oceans Caucus, and as a
cosponsor of my bill to establish a National Endowment for
the Oceans to protect the environment and economies that
are so vital to both his home State and my own.
As his colleague and compatriot Senator Daniel Akaka
said on the Senate floor in those first hours after we
received the terrible news of Chairman Inouye's passing,
``He fulfilled his dream of creating a better Hawaii.''
His wife Irene, his son Ken, his daughter-in-law Jessica,
his stepdaughter Jennifer, and his granddaughter Maggie
can all be proud of that legacy. My thoughts are with them
in this, their time of loss.
As the old hymn tells us:
Now the laborer's task is o'er;
Now the battle day is past;
Now upon the farther shore
Lands the voyager at last.
Aloha, Dan Inouye.
Mr. MERKLEY. ... Senator Inouye will lie in state in the
Capitol rotunda tomorrow. Senators will gather in the
Senate Chamber at 9:35 a.m. tomorrow morning to proceed to
the viewing together.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. ... I would like to briefly note
how sorry I am at this moment--as I know we all are--about
the passing of our good friend, Senator Dan Inouye. I
would like to briefly reiterate the sentiments expressed
by a number of my colleagues.
Senator Inouye was a man of courage and wisdom. He
represented his State and country proudly. He will be
sincerely missed.
As everyone knows, today Senator Inouye lies in state
just a few steps away from this Chamber. It is an honor
the very few--only 31--have ever received. I feel
privileged to have had the opportunity to serve with the
Senator. I thank him for his friendship and guidance and
offer the most sincere condolences to his family. ...
Mr. BLUNT. Madam President, I wish to talk about the
disaster supplemental today, but before I do that, I would
like to spend a minute talking about the Senator from
Hawaii, Mr. Inouye. We were at the service this morning in
the rotunda of the Capitol, where only 31 Americans in the
history of the country have been honored by that
opportunity for Americans to think about them as they lie
in the center of the Capitol on the catafalque that was
used by Abraham Lincoln and others. I was able to place
the wreath in the Capitol when Rosa Parks was in that same
place.
I want to say how honored I was to get to serve in the
Senate with Mr. Inouye. He not only was a hero in so many
ways but I think connected all of us to the Greatest
Generation, as Tom Brokaw titled that generation, and
there was no better example of that quiet, purposeful,
heroic dedication to service than the Senator from Hawaii,
the President pro temp, the chairman of the Appropriations
Committee, but most of all just a great American.
Last year when school was out, my youngest son Charlie
was here for lunch. In the Senate Dining Room, he saw Mr.
Inouye, and he had seen Ken Burns' World War II
documentary in which the Senator was being recognized. He
said, ``I saw him in the documentary on World War II.'' I
asked Senator Inouye to come over to speak to Charlie and
his friends, and he did. They were so thrilled to meet
him.
Then, when that was over and the Senator walked away,
Charlie then told a story from the documentary, which he
had only seen once, and it had been about a month before,
and he was 7. But he said that during the war, he captured
a German soldier, and the German soldier reached in his
pocket, and he thought he was going for a weapon, so he
knocked him down, and as he fell down, the German
soldier's hand--a bunch of pictures fell out. And at that
time, young Daniel Inouye picked up the pictures, and they
were of the man's family. And Charlie repeated--he said
that he saw the pictures, and he said, ``He is a man just
like me.'' The greatness of that moment, his courageous
actions later in the war, his leadership have often
brought to mind--particularly as I sat in the
Appropriations Committee and would look down the table and
see him sitting there in the middle of the table--the
thought that when that man leaves, there won't be anyone
quite like him to take his place.
I would say, Madam President, to you and to my
colleagues how honored I was to serve with him and how
proud I am of the great and dedicated service he gave to
the country. I hope we can all learn from his example. ...
Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I rise to speak about a
subject which I know I and the Presiding Officer and a
number of our colleagues have spent an enormous amount of
time on; that is, the challenges of our fiscal
circumstances. Before I start, I wish to join with so many
of my other colleagues who have come to the floor in the
last few days to celebrate the legacy of our departed
colleague Senator Inouye. I didn't know him as long as
many of our colleagues did, but in the 4 years I have
served in this body, he was truly someone who was always a
gentleman and represented the best of what I think the
Senate is all about. ...
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I just wanted to come to
the floor--I know other Senators are speaking--to say to
the rest of my colleagues and to many people who have
expressed interest, the Democratic caucus has just
confirmed me to be the full chair of the U.S. Senate
Appropriations Committee.
I take the floor today to announce that with great
humility. I am filling the footsteps of Senator Danny
Inouye, who was indeed a giant among men, a war hero, and
an advocate for social justice, national security, and a
compassionate government. ...
It is going to be a new day in the Appropriations
Committee, but we are going to follow old-school values of
the men who went before us: Dan Inouye, Ted Stevens, men
who fought in World War II to defend America. They stood
on this Senate floor to defend the Constitution. They
spoke for their States. That is what we are going to do.
...
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, earlier today a lot of us,
Members of the Senate, joined the family and friends of
our great colleague who passed away earlier in the week,
as they brought his body into the U.S. Capitol. I rise
here this afternoon to extend some of the tributes that we
have made to the memory and to the life of Senator Inouye.
For the past 26 years I was privileged to serve
alongside Senator Inouye in this Chamber. I came to know
him as a wise counselor, a skilled legislator, a
formidable negotiator, and a trusted friend. His
unassailable reputation as an American hero, however, had
been forged long before any of us here ever met him.
Senator Inouye did not demand respect. He commanded it.
The reasons for this are many. In 1941, he witnessed first
hand the horror at Pearl Harbor. As a Red Cross volunteer,
he cared for his fellow citizens injured in the attack.
Not long thereafter, he joined the 442nd Regimental Combat
Team. He was determined to serve his country despite the
fact that he, like all Japanese Americans, had been deemed
an ``enemy alien'' when the United States declared war on
Japan.
As a young military officer in 1945, Daniel Inouye led
his unit in a successful attack against a Nazi
fortification in northern Italy. The valor, courage,
selflessness, and determination he displayed during the
battle are the stuff of legend, and would later earn him
the Medal of Honor. During this attack he sustained
serious permanent injuries that served as constant
reminders of his sacrifice for our country.
Senator Daniel Inouye began his political career as a
member of Hawaii's Territorial House of Representatives in
1954. Almost immediately, his colleagues tapped him as the
majority leader of that body. His tremendous leadership
ability was already apparent. He then ascended to the
Territorial Senate in 1958, and became Hawaii's first U.S.
Congressman upon the granting of statehood in 1959. Only 3
years later, Daniel Inouye became a U.S. Senator. He was
elected to a staggering nine consecutive terms, continuing
to serve until his passing. It is a testament to his
effectiveness as a Senator and his devotion to his State
that no challenger ever mounted a serious threat for his
seat.
Through his hard work in the U.S. Senate, Senator Inouye
helped to ensure that Hawaii's economy and people
prospered. As a member, and later chairman, of the
Appropriations Committee, Senator Inouye skillfully
secured myriad infrastructure, natural resource, cultural,
job training, and agriculture projects for his State. As a
member of the Appropriations Committee I learned valuable
lessons by observing Senator Inouye over the years. He
understood the art of the deal, always operating out of
mutual respect toward shared interests. I cannot recall a
time when he did not deliver for the people of Hawaii.
While he never lost focus on the interests of his State,
he also maintained eternal vigilance on matters of
national security. As a war hero, his attention to veteran
affairs and military needs was unsurpassed.
In addition, Senator Inouye served as the first chairman
of the Select Committee on Intelligence. As a former
chairman of this committee, I was honored to carry forward
the rigorous oversight example he set. By the time his
career ended, Senator Inouye had become the second longest
serving Senator in U.S. history.
His list of accomplishments and honors is seemingly
unending. In fact, it is among the most impressive
compiled by any who ever set foot in this Chamber.
Senator Inouye never talked about any of this. He was
not brash or boastful or domineering. Rather, he carried
himself with quiet reserve and firm resolve.
Senator Inouye's life story speaks for itself and
demonstrates a faith in and devotion to our country second
to none. He was one of the most decent and inspiring
people I have ever known. I am proud to have served with
this great man and to have called him a friend. I offer my
deepest condolences to his wife and family during this
difficult time.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise to salute my
colleague, Senator Dan Inouye, and remember him for his
great service to our country. Like so many of my
colleagues, I come down to the Senate floor with a great
deal of sadness but also admiration for the incredible
life that Danny Inouye led.
He certainly was a giant among Senators, and for the
work he did--everything from investigating Watergate to
fighting for Native Hawaiian rights, to everything he did
in the United States every day--he will be remembered as a
man who fought for justice. When I think about Danny
Inouye and the mentoring he has done for me and my
colleague Senator Murray and for the State of Washington,
I can tell you he will be sorely missed.
We know something about long-term Senators in the State
of Washington. Certainly, Danny Inouye and Scoop and
Maggie were all friends. He was also a friend to
Washington State. He forged a great relationship with
Scoop and Maggie. That started when Scoop Jackson actually
championed statehood for Hawaii starting as early as the
late 1940s. He played a key role in supporting it and
passing it into the Hawaii Statehood Act. That is
something Danny Inouye was so appreciative of. They forged
a great relationship.
Senator Inouye and Senator Maggie were great friends and
mentors. I had the opportunity many years ago to hear both
of them at Senator Magnuson's house in Seattle reminisce
about their days together. Some of those stories I could
share on the floor; some I could not. But they were
longtime friends.
The one story that is written about in Warren Magnuson's
biography by Shelby Scates is a story about how, when
Mount Saint Helens blew up, Senator Magnuson went to
Senator Inouye and said, ``We need about $1 billion to
help for the cleanup of Mount Saint Helens.''
You can imagine in 1980 what a tremendous amount of
money that would be. Senator Inouye said, ``Senator
Magnuson, we have volcanoes blowing up all the time in
Hawaii, and we never get a dime.''
Magnuson responded, ``Just wait, it will be your turn
soon.''
So these are two incredible individuals who forged a
relationship and, along with Jackson, were some of the big
giants of our day in the Senate. We in the State of
Washington certainly benefited greatly from Senator
Inouye's incredible help and support. I know he traveled
to our State many times at my request and participated in
many different events. Probably one of the most important
things he did for us in the State of Washington was the
Puyallup land claim settlement and how Senator Inouye led
the fight as the chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee
to make sure the right thing was done.
Together with Congressman Norm Dicks, we had a very
difficult situation. The Puyallup Tribe, the port and the
city of Tacoma, and others all had a difficult dispute
going on. The end result was the second largest Native
American land claim settlement in U.S. history. The deal
led to tremendous economic growth for the tribe, for the
port, and for the surrounding committees.
Senator Inouye, as I said, was the chairman of the
Select Committee on Indian Affairs in 1980 when the
Puyallup Tribe successfully sued to assert its claim for
land around its reservation. This land included the Port
of Tacoma, many parts of downtown Tacoma, and the towns of
Fife and Puyallup. Because of his strong commitment to
Native American rights, the Puyallup Tribe trusted Senator
Inouye to serve as an intermediary between the parties
involved in the negotiation to try to resolve this
dispute. He made around a dozen trips to Washington State
at key moments of this negotiation.
Can you imagine a Senator who has to represent his
State, be a leader on the Appropriations Committee, and
who would spend so much time on one particular dispute?
During one tense session at a Tacoma hotel, Senator
Inouye described his role as ``messenger boy,'' running
between tribal negotiators on the second floor and non-
Indian negotiators on the fifth floor. By his own
estimate, he shuttled between those 2 floors 21 times. His
tireless commitment and work helped keep the negotiations
moving along. Finally, in 1988, a deal was struck and the
settlement was passed into law in 1989.
The tribe relinquished claims to land it originally
held. In exchange, they received $162 million that
included 200 acres of disputed land. Of this total, $77
million were Federal funds, which Senator Inouye and
Congressman Dicks worked to obtain.
When Senator Inouye was asked about the Federal
Government's contribution toward the settlement, he
replied, ``I got my training from Magnuson.''
For the Puyallup Tribe, the results have been dramatic.
Today the tribe is one of the largest employers in Pierce
County, and it is moving forward with its port development
partnership. The Puyallups have become prominent leaders
for other tribes in important areas such as protecting
natural resources, providing law enforcement, and
improving health care.
As for the Port of Tacoma, the results have been
impressive as well. With the settlement, the port was able
to tear down the Blair Bridge and open the waterways to
the world's largest container ships. Removing the
uncertainty of land ownership and relocating Highway 509
also unlocked land in the upper Blair Waterway for
development, and a lot of new development occurred.
According to the port, these improvements provided
43,000 jobs in Pierce County. The volume of cargo at the
port has nearly doubled, growing from 782,000 containers
in 1988 to nearly 1.5 million containers in 2011. Now the
Port of Tacoma handles more containers than its friendly
rival to the north, the Port of Seattle, so it is
something they very much take with great pride.
Senator Inouye has stood with Washingtonians on an issue
that was so important to us and has led to so much growth
and economic development, and only his leadership provided
the necessary oversight to navigate this thorny issue. He
also has helped us on many other issues, protecting salmon
and our other fisheries, fighting for Native Americans and
supporting strong defense and veterans' issues.
He certainly will be remembered in the Northwest as a
true friend. Our Nation's veterans had no greater friend
than Senator Inouye. But when it came time to pass
national legislation recognizing the Japanese American
veterans' contributions to our country during World War
II, he let others take the lead, knowing he, himself,
would also be an honorary recipient of this award.
During a ceremony in November 2001, with the other Nisei
veterans at his side, Senator Inouye accepted the
Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the 100th Infantry
Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the
Military Intelligence Service.
In his remarks Senator Inouye said, ``Seventy years ago,
we were enemy aliens, but today, this great Nation honors
us in this special ceremony.'' I can tell you because
there were many Nisei veterans from the Pacific Northwest
who traveled to our Nation's Capital to participate in
that event. Their families were so honored to be there
with their parents and to honor them in this great
ceremony. It would not have happened if it had not been
for Senator Inouye's incredible leadership.
He also successfully fought to honor the veterans who
served in the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines on the
side of the United States during World War II. Because of
a law passed in 1946, their service was not recognized.
They were denied access to health care and given only half
the disability and death compensation of U.S. veterans.
Senator Inouye changed that. Over the years, he secured
nearly $200 million in compensation for Filipino veterans,
and he fought to grant Filipino veterans the same access
as U.S. veterans to VA hospitals.
Senator Inouye's strong sense of honor and justice drove
him to fight for the recognition of these veterans'
service. He was fond of saying, ``justice is a matter of
continuing education.''
For that reason, he also made sure injustices endured by
U.S. citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry
during World War II will never be forgotten. He led the
passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which
acknowledged their forced internment and provided
compensation for those surviving detainees. Senator Inouye
also understood that recognizing and honoring the service
of these veterans meant helping them prosper as they were
entering civilian life.
I was proud to work with Senator Inouye and my colleague
Senator Murray on the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.
Because of the act, businesses that hire qualified
veterans can get tax credits up to $9,600. Back in April
of this year, Senator Inouye and I visited a company in
Seattle, VECA, which hires primarily veterans, and I can
tell you they were so happy to meet him. They were so
excited to see one of our Nation's true heroes and to
honor him by talking about the service they were trying to
give back to our country.
From the battlefields of World War II to the Halls of
Congress, Senator Inouye brought grace, charm, and an
unbelievable sense of duty to our country. He truly was a
giant of a statesman, not just in Hawaii but in the State
of Washington.
A few years ago, Senator Inouye was visiting some
underprivileged children in Hawaii to see the digital
media center he helped support. One of the students he met
said, ``I feel like I met one of the most important people
in the world.''
I couldn't agree more. Senator Inouye's legacy and
impact cannot be overstated. He was an old-school Senator
who was always courteous, respectful to his colleagues no
matter what the circumstances, and he will not be
forgotten.
I join our Nation in praying for his wife Irene, his son
Ken, and daughter-in-law Jessica, his stepdaughter
Jennifer, and his granddaughter Maggie. I hope they
understand how much we appreciate them sharing him with us
and all he did.
His service to our country will not be forgotten, and it
certainly will be impossible to match.
I yield the floor.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, it is with great sadness
that I come here today to talk about my friend: Senator
Danny Inouye. Danny was a friend of mine since I came to
the Senate 20 years ago. He had a unique ability to
connect with people, to befriend them. I know. He always
helped me. He was smart, able, and someone who in more
than 20 years I grew to love.
He was a war hero who fought bravely in World War II,
even at a time when many in this country actively
discriminated against Japanese Americans.
He served in this body for more than 50 years--the
second longest serving Senator of all time.
Danny and I worked closely together on the
Appropriations Committee for many years. I often sought
his counsel, and he was always an advocate for me.
I want to say something personally to his beloved wife
Irene: You were married to a truly wonderful man and an
American hero. Death of a loved one is hard. I know. I
have been through it. But, Irene, the love does remain. I
know you were so proud to be his wife, to help him share
his dreams through these years.
I want you to know that you have many friends here, who
now want to help you through this most difficult part of
life.
Danny, you will be greatly missed.
Thank you for your service, thank you for your
friendship.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, it was with
great sadness on Monday that we learned of the passing of
a member of our Senate family, Senator Daniel Inouye. My
deepest sympathy goes out to his wife, Irene, his son,
Kenny, and to all of his family. I also extend my sympathy
to the great people of Hawaii, who have lost one of their
champions.
Over the past few days, I have heard my colleagues pay
tribute to this wonderful man. They have used words such
as statesman, public servant, hero, patriot, leader,
mentor, and champion. Each of these tributes is without a
doubt deserved. I echo all of these accolades, but above
all I was honored to call Senator Inouye ``friend.''
Senator Inouye and I served on two committees together,
with him serving as my chairman on both of those
committees: Indian Affairs and Appropriations. The lessons
I learned from him will forever be with me. His commitment
to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians
was unparalleled. In our home States, we both have large
populations of Native people and his leadership on these
issues has taught me that our work is never done when it
comes to bettering the lives of our first people. I had
the opportunity to work with him on a number of important
issues impacting South Dakota Natives over the years, and
I very much appreciated his visit to South Dakota in 2002
to conduct a hearing in Rapid City on Native issues.
A man of quiet reflection, Danny was a giant among men.
A Medal of Honor recipient for his efforts in World War II
and recipient of two Purple Hearts, he was a true American
hero. His acts of valor during the war are nothing short
of legendary. His care for veterans rivals that of any
past or present Member of this body.
To put Senator Inouye's service into perspective, eight
Members of this Chamber had not even been born when Danny
was sworn into his first term as the third Senator from
the State of Hawaii. Not many Senators in the history of
this Chamber have done more for their home States than
what Senator Inouye did for his beloved Hawaii. His legacy
is spread far and wide throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
Senator Inouye will be greatly missed in this Chamber.
His mark on this body and on his home State of Hawaii
shall be felt for generations to come. Aloha, my friend.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in
remembrance of an incredible statesman and American hero,
Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Senator Inouye passed
away Monday evening, and to say that his leadership will
be missed would be a tremendous understatement--not only
of his influence as a policymaker but of his iconic status
as a pillar of the Senate.
In terms of political longevity, he follows only Robert
Byrd as the second longest serving Member in Senate
history. This is significant because second place never
came naturally for Senator Inouye. He was, after all, the
face of so many ``firsts'' for our country and for his
State. In 1959, he became the first-ever Asian American to
serve in the U.S. Congress, elected during Hawaii's first-
ever Federal election cycle, representing the State as
part of its first-ever congressional delegation.
He almost added another impressive ``first'' to his
resume, when Minnesota's own Hubert Humphrey put Dan at
the top of his short list for running mates in the 1968
Presidential election.
Perhaps the greatest legacy Senator Inouye will leave
behind is his record of standing up for our men and women
in uniform. As chairman of the Appropriations Committee
and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, he
revolutionized the way our country serves those who have
served for us--not just on the battlefield, but also here
at home in the form of stronger benefits for veterans and
better support for military families.
Senator Inouye knew a thing or two about service. He
enlisted in the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor and
fought for our country on the front lines during World War
II. He did it despite our Government's decision to place
his own people, Japanese Americans, in internment camps
because he believed that he and his family owed the United
States an ``un-repayable debt.'' I would argue that he
paid back that debt and much more.
To this day, the unit of all Japanese American soldiers
that he served with is the most decorated in history for
its size and length of commitment. Senator Inouye himself
earned a Bronze Star, a Distinguished Service Cross and,
eventually, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The story of how he earned it--and how he lost his right
arm--is the stuff of legend. A grenade exploded near his
right elbow during a firefight in Italy, shredding his arm
and severing his hand just as he was preparing to throw a
grenade of his own. Afraid the weapon might detonate in
his nearly severed right hand first, Senator Inouye used
his left hand to pry it out and throw it toward enemy
lines. He was, and is, a true American hero.
From his decorated military career to his longtime
service for Hawaii, Senator Inouye was a dedicated public
servant. Humble to the end, Senator Inouye was and always
will be known as a true gentleman in the Senate. Aloha,
Senator Inouye.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President. With his family at his side,
the last word spoken by Senator Daniel Inouye in this life
was ``aloha.'' To the people of Hawaii, it is a word with
a meaning far beyond simply ``hello'' or ``goodbye.'' It
is a word of profound significance, one that describes a
spirit of service to others, of compassion, and reverence.
It is the best possible epitaph for my cherished friend
and colleague.
Dan Inouye lived that spirit every day of a long and
remarkable life. When Pearl Harbor was attacked on
December 7, 1941, he was there, serving as a medical
volunteer in the most horrific and dangerous
circumstances. When the ban on Japanese Americans serving
in the U.S. military was lifted in 1943, he immediately
enlisted. In the closing days of World War II, when his
platoon came under intense enemy fire, 2LT Inouye led the
attack, despite grievous wounds.
That extraordinary heroism earned Dan Inouye the Medal
of Honor but cost him his right arm and his dream of
becoming a surgeon. In the true aloha spirit, he found
another way to serve, first as a member of the Hawaii
Territorial Legislature, and then, when statehood was
achieved in 1959, as Hawaii's first Member of Congress.
In 1962, Dan was elected to the Senate, beginning a half
century of contributions, accomplishments, and leadership
on behalf of this institution and our Nation. He was the
first Japanese American elected to the Congress and a
stalwart champion of civil rights for all. He was a
decorated hero who fought for the rights and benefits of
all veterans. From his daily work in the Senate to his
exceptional service on the Watergate and Iran-Contra
Committees, Dan approached every task with the
determination to do what was best for our country.
I was privileged to serve with Dan on the Appropriations
Committee and honored to join him in the Gang of 14 to
preserve the tradition of open debate in the Senate. No
matter how difficult the issue, he always conducted
himself with dignity and civility.
In this time of sorrow, I offer my deep condolences to
the Inouye family. I hope they will find comfort in
knowing that this great patriot and public servant leave a
legacy that will inspire Americans for generations to
come. And to Senator Daniel Inouye I say, aloha pumehana,
my friend. Farewell with my deepest regards and affection.
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I appreciate having this
opportunity to join my colleagues in expressing not only
my great sadness on the passing of Senator Inouye but my
great appreciation of his lifetime of service to his
beloved Hawaii and to our Nation. Danny Inouye lived a
full and active life, and his great gifts enabled him to
make a difference that will continue to be felt for a long
time to come.
I had the honor of introducing Danny Inouye during one
of our Prayer Breakfasts earlier this year. Even though I
thought I knew him pretty well, as I read the interviews
and personal reflections he had shared on his life, I
realized more than before the importance of the role he
had played over the years as he worked so very hard to
make Hawaii all that it is today.
Danny learned at an early age all about the importance
of observing the great values that served to help direct
his life--love of country, love of family, service to all
those who needed his help, and, equally important, service
to God. Over the years those great principles helped to
make him a leader in every sense of the word as people
looked to him for his leadership in difficult times of
both war and peace.
Over the years, he was often asked about his experience
during World War II and the impact it had on him. Danny
would begin his reflections when he was a young man, still
in high school and pursuing his dream of a career in
medicine. As so often happens in our lives, his life was
changed forever in a moment that began one morning as he
was getting ready for church. He heard a report on his
radio that Pearl Harbor was being attacked. Without
hesitation, Danny headed over to the base to see what he
could do to help those who had been injured. Danny had
learned a great deal about first aid, and his skills were
put to good use to help those who had been injured that
day.
That was just the first part of Danny's story and his
experience with the war effort of those years. In the days
to come it would present him with one of the toughest
challenges that anyone could have ever faced as he played
an important role in the effort to protect our Nation and
restore peace to the world.
As he would continue with his story, Danny's war
experiences told a powerful and compelling story about
what so many of our Nation's veterans have experienced in
battle. That is why Danny will always be known as one of
our great war heroes. Even with that standard, however,
there was something special about him and the courage and
bravery he showed on the battlefield. His efforts were so
extraordinary they were recognized with a Medal of Honor,
one of our Nation's highest awards. They place him on the
roster of our most distinguished heroes, and they remind
us all of the great sacrifices that he and so many of our
veterans have made over the years to keep our Nation
strong and free. Thanks to Danny and those with whom he
served, we were able to emerge from that world war
victorious and bring peace and freedom to those nations
that had been overrun by an evil alliance led by a
ruthless dictator in Germany.
That was just the start of Danny's life, but it had
taken a heavy toll from him that would change it forever.
With the loss of his arm, it was no longer possible for
him to complete his dream of being a surgeon. Those who
knew him and his great caring heart urged him to find
another field in medicine to pursue. He decided to follow
another path, and as we are told in the Bible, God had a
hand in helping to direct his steps.
As soon as he could, Danny attended George Washington
University, my alma mater, and earned his law degree. He
then became a part of the effort that would lead Hawaii to
statehood. Danny knew the result would bring great changes
to his home State and increase the opportunities available
to the people who lived there. Thanks in part to Danny,
those efforts to achieve statehood were successful, and
they resulted in the addition of Hawaii to the roster of
our States--and placed another star on the American flag
he loved so dearly.
Danny knew that statehood would not be the end, it would
be just the beginning of the next great chapter in the
history of Hawaii. Danny wanted to be a part of that
effort, too, so he was encouraged to run to serve as
Hawaii's first Representative in the House. He was
successful, and his election to the Congress gave him an
opportunity to take on another leadership role--crafting
the future of his beloved home State. Once again, it
brought out the best in him, as he dedicated himself to
making Hawaii a better place for all those who called that
special place their home.
It wasn't long before Danny then ran for and won his
election to the U.S. Senate. It began a Senate career that
was to enable him to make a difference in more ways than
we will ever know. As he served here, he did more than
observe history or participate in it--he helped to write
it day by day, chapter by chapter.
Danny's career has been so active, so full, and so
productive, it would be impossible to list all his
achievements that make up his legacy of service both here
in the Senate and back home in Hawaii. One thing will
always stand out in my mind, however--Danny's great
loyalty to all those with whom he served. In every sense
Danny was a gentleman and a gentle man. He had a quiet and
understated way of doing his work day by day. He was a man
of great kindness, and he shared that kindness with
everyone he knew or worked with. His service as a Member
of the Senate provided us with a great example of how we
should all approach our duties and our work together,
putting our country, our God, our family, and our home
States first.
That is why Senators on both sides of the aisle have
come to respect and appreciate him and his character so
very much. I will long remember the great friendship and
close working relationship he had with Ted Stevens. They
shared such a strong bond that they often referred to each
other as brothers. He had strong and supportive
friendships with other Senators, too, and that is why we
will all miss him so very much in the days and months to
come.
I know I will never forget that Prayer Breakfast and all
Danny had to share with us that day. He had a great and
powerful faith in God and the special relationship they
had built up over the years. It helped strengthen him on
the battlefield. It helped to guide his efforts when he
was called to serve the people of Hawaii. It gave him a
source of inner strength that firmed his resolve as he
worked to serve the people of our Nation.
By any and all standards, Danny Inouye lived a life we
would all be proud of. He packed more into each day than
some people experience in a lifetime. Although we had him
with us for so many years, it still feels like he was
taken from us all too soon.
Now we come together to say goodbye to our colleague--
confident in the knowledge that he has made a difference
in Hawaii and in Washington that will continue to have an
impact for many years to come. It is often said but always
bears repeating that one person can make a difference in
the world that will equal their determination to do so.
Danny is the proof of that, and his memory will continue
to inspire all those who knew him or will read about him
and his great love for the United States of America.
As a grandfather, I will also long remember that day
just a few years ago when Danny became a grandfather,
too--for the first time. It was a day he had long
anticipated and looked forward to. It reminded me of how
much it means to all grandfathers to hold the next
generation of their family in their arms and to be
reminded of the great circle of life and all that it means
as the memories of the past give way to our hopes for the
future. Now that grandchild will proudly carry the legacy
Danny Inouye leaves behind to all those who knew and loved
him. It is more than a record of great achievements, it is
a challenge he leaves to all those who will follow him to
dare to try to do even greater things than Danny Inouye
has done.
God bless and be with you, Danny. Thanks for your
service, but most especially thanks for your friendship.
Our faith reminds us that we will be parted for only a
short time and the day will come when we will see you
again. Until that time, you will be greatly missed and you
will never be forgotten. Diana and I will keep your family
in our prayers. May God bless and be with them all.
Mr. COONS. Mr. President, this has been a hard week in
the Senate as we have said goodbye. As we have just seen
in the remarks of the majority leader, retirements are
very difficult. Parting with the company of honored and
treasured colleagues in the Senate is as hard as it is
anywhere in the world, but we have had some particularly
difficult moments earlier today. We assembled in the
rotunda of this great building of the Capitol to celebrate
the life of one of our greatest colleagues, Senator Dan
Inouye of Hawaii. His desk sits draped in black, and his
chair has a lei that was flown in from his home State of
Hawaii.
This week we have all felt and known the change in the
Chamber. The Senate has lost a giant and America has lost
a hero. Danny Inouye was truly a great man, and I feel
blessed in my 2 years here to have had the opportunity to
sit with him over a private lunch, to joke with him
occasionally in the anteroom, and to learn something of
his spirit and his personality. He had such a big heart
and a wonderfully gracious spirit.
Most of the Senators I have had the honor to come to
know in these 2 years I only knew from a great distance as
a local elected official or as someone in the business
community at home in Delaware. When I asked Senator Inouye
to lunch, I was intimidated. As a Congressional Medal of
Honor winner, as a giant in the Senate, as the chairman of
the Appropriations Committee, and the President pro
tempore of this Senate, frankly, I trembled to sit with
him at a lunch and was delighted to discover a person who
was so approachable, so warm, so human, so hard working,
so loyal, so spirited, and so passionate. ...
We don't often see the level of humanity in the Senate
that we have seen this week, but it is important to know
that the people who work in this building can be better
than the passing politics that sometimes dominates, and
Senator Danny Inouye knew that. His enduring friendship
with Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, was
legendary. He believed passionately that it was important
for us to work together and to get past party affiliation
and the picayune matters and get together to do right for
our country.
Of the many speeches I heard in this Chamber and the
remarks we heard earlier today in the Capitol rotunda, one
thing leaps out at me about Danny Inouye: Even when he was
declared an enemy alien--as were all of his ancestry at
the outset of one of the greatest conflicts this world has
known--Senator Inouye volunteered for service in Europe.
He was a member of our most decorated military unit, the
442nd Combat Battalion. He engaged in the fields of Europe
and the hill country of Italy in a moment of such personal
sacrifice and remarkable bravery as to humble any who hear
its details.
In his service over decades after that moment, he proved
what he showed on that battlefield: that Danny Inouye
believed in America even before America believed in him.
Even in a moment of such immense injustice, which was
bitterly unreal to thousands of people across this country
of Japanese ancestry, this man's great heart, aloha
spirit, and embrace of the American dream led us forward.
He pulled us into the greatness that was meant for this
country.
The star of Senator Inouye may have dimmed in this
Chamber that is surrounded in its border by stars, but as
I share the honor as the Presiding Officer over this
Chamber, I will--in the days and months and years ahead--
look to our flag and remember this Senator. He represented
the 50th State, the State of Hawaii, from its very first
moment of joining the stars on our flag in statehood. He
has shone ever more brightly in his decades of service
here, and that example of service pulls us forward into an
ever brighter commitment to human dignity, decency, and
the respect for all in this country that his lifelong
service challenged us to believe in. ... If there is a
common thread between [the retiring Senators], it is that
they share that loyalty, work ethic, and humility that so
characterized Senator Inouye in his decades here.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise as my friend, my
colleague, my brother, Danny Inouye lies in state in the
Capitol rotunda just a few yards from where I stand now.
In life, he received our Nation's highest military honor,
the Medal of Honor. Today he is receiving a tribute
reserved for just a handful of American heroes such as
Abraham Lincoln.
I come to the floor to speak about an important piece of
legislation I developed and worked with Dan Inouye on for
over 12 years. Today, in Senator Dan Inouye's honor, for
all the people of Hawaii, I am asking the Senate to pass
the Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.
Dan and I developed our bill to create a process that
could address the many issues that continue to persist as
a result of the legal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii
in 1893.
As you know, Dan Inouye was a champion for Hawaii and
worked every day of his honorable life to solve problems
and help our island State.
Dan also served on the Indian Affairs Committee for over
30 years and chaired it twice. He was an unwavering
advocate for the U.S. government-to-government
relationships with Native nations. He constantly reminded
our colleagues in the Senate about our Nation's trust
responsibilities and our treaty obligations to America's
first peoples. Dan believed that through self-
determination and self-governance, these communities could
thrive and contribute to the greatness of the United
States.
When asked how long the United States would have a trust
responsibility to Native communities, he would quote the
treaties between the United States and Native nations,
which promised care and support as long as the Sun rises
in the east and sets in the west.
Dan Inouye's sheer determination to improve the lives of
this country's indigenous peoples and make good on the
promises America made to them led him to introduce more
than 100 pieces of legislation on behalf of American
Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
Senator Dan Inouye secured passage of the Native
Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act, the Native Hawaiian
Education Act, the Hawaiian Home Lands Recovery Act, and
the Native Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act.
He was instrumental in helping me to enact the apology
resolution to the Native Hawaiian people for the
suppression of their right of self-determination. It was
enacted on the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the
Kingdom of Hawaii.
In 1999, Dan and I worked together to develop the Native
Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act to give parity to
Native Hawaiians. For over 12 years now, we worked
together to pass the bill to ensure that Native Hawaiians
have the same rights as other Native peoples, and an
opportunity to engage in the same government-to-government
relationship the United States has already granted to over
560 Native nations throughout this country, across the
continental United States, and in Alaska, but not yet in
Hawaii.
Over the years, people have mischaracterized the intent
and effect of our bill, so let me be plain. For me, as I
know it was for Dan, this bill is about simple justice,
fairness in Federal policy, and being a Nation that
acknowledges that while we cannot undo history, we can
right past wrongs and move forward. To us, this bill
represented what is pono in Hawaii, what is just and
right.
Our bill is supported by President Barack Obama and the
U.S. Departments of Justice and Interior. It has the
strong support of Hawaii's Governor, the State
legislature, and a large majority of the people of Hawaii.
Our bill has the endorsement of the American Bar
Association, the National Congress of American Indians,
the Alaska Federation of Natives, and groups throughout
the Native Hawaiian community.
As a Senator and senior statesman, Senator Dan Inouye
advocated that Congress do its job and legislate where
Native communities were concerned. Dan Inouye believed
that a promise made should be a promise kept.
In the days since my dear friend Dan's passing, there
has been a tremendous outpouring of love from Hawaii and
every other State in the Union. Native American
communities across the country are mourning the loss and
paying tribute to their great champion. Dan Inouye's
absence will be felt in this Chamber and the Nation for
many years to come. May his legacy live on for generations
of Native Americans and inspire all Americans to always
strive toward justice and reconciliation.
I urge my colleagues to pass the Native Hawaiian
Government Reorganization Act in the memory of Senator
Daniel K. Inouye and his desire to provide parity to the
Native Hawaiian people he loved so much.
To Dan, I say: Aloha `oe and a hui hou, my brother.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise today to say goodbye
to my friend, Senator Daniel K. Inouye. This week in the
Senate, we lost a colleague, a mentor, and a compass, and
what is more our country lost one of the greatest heroes
of the Greatest Generation.
We are a Nation that still holds its heroes dear, and
that is why it is so hard to say goodbye to Danny.
I can think of no place more fitting to say one last
``aloha'' than at the very center of this Nation's Capitol
Building as Danny rested under the dome yesterday, which
is the symbol of freedom to the entire world and the very
freedom he gave so much of himself to protect.
And protect it he did. Danny stood up and fought the
racial stereotypes that would have kept Japanese Americans
from joining their friends and brothers in World War II.
His service in France and Italy, including his heroic
battle in Tuscany which earned him our highest military
honor, helped fight the spread of evil and hate and
religious persecution. In Congress, Danny kept a constant
vigil in the service of the people of Hawaii, making sure
our 50th State was as well represented as any of the
original 13.
As we have gathered to honor him over the past 2 days
here in Washington and will continue to gather over this
weekend in Hawaii, to thank him, and to say a final
farewell, we will be a Congress united. Not conservatives
or liberals, Democrats or Republicans, 99 percent or 1
percent. We stand together just as Danny saw us all: as
Americans.
Danny was a friend. Quick with a word of advice or
encouragement, loyal to his friends and colleagues on both
sides of the aisle, in Danny's passing we lost a man who
could bridge any divide. We lost a man who led in his
platoon, in his caucus, and in his beloved home State of
Hawaii.
Danny will be missed by this body and by his friends on
both sides of the aisle. It is my hope his spirit will
remain with us, and help ensure that the next generation
of heroes has the same freedoms he held so dear. We will
never stop fighting to protect them, Danny. Mahalo and
aloha.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I wish to talk for just
a couple minutes about Senator Inouye. I know I am late in
the process, and that is partly why I am doing it--because
I wanted to be late in the process.
I had been in the Senate one day back in 1985, and Dan
Inouye came to visit me in my office. He was up here; I
was down here. He introduced himself. We talked about our
States. He had all kinds of seniority and amazing
qualities, I was nothing and he came to see me. I am
sorry, but you don't forget things such as that. It says
something about him, which went through his life. That is
just the way he was.
From there, a long friendship began. While I believe he
looked at me as a friend, I looked to him as so much more
than that. He was in a total sense a mentor with sort of a
Confucian touch. He was of Japanese heritage, I had an
interest in Japan, and he had a way of imparting judgments
and wisdom which were in the Eastern method, very subtle.
He was not always that way, but he could be, and he was
with me.
I learned from him how this Chamber works and how to get
things done. I watched the way he did them--not with a
heavy fist or sharp words but with thoughtfulness and hard
work, a commanding presence, that voice--and genuine
relationships, including across the aisle. He believed in
action. He believed in getting things done through hard
work and through determination. He had very much of an
agenda.
Dan, of course, was one of our Nation's ultimate war
heroes--not only because of his service and sacrifice but
also somebody who stood for his country, even when his
country did not immediately stand for him.
Dan's courage and iron will were evident as he fought on
the battlefield, taking bullet after bullet, yet
continuing to get back up. A tough soldier. He fought for
the people of Hawaii every single day that he lived in
public service.
His love of his State and every Hawaiian was so
abundantly clear through his massive list of
accomplishments--an overwhelming list of accomplishments.
Since Hawaii became a State, Dan had been working for it
as the first Congressman ever elected by the State and
only the third Senator. His efforts are clear in his
State's roads, bridges, airports, schools, military bases,
health care, oceans, and almost every aspect of American
life that reached to the Islands. He played a truly
momentous role in making Hawaii what it is today.
Dan and I worked together on the Commerce Committee for
27 years. I always felt very close to him. I remember
sitting with him quietly, maybe sharing a joke when I was
lucky enough to be sitting beside him but most often just
listening. He was thinking, waiting for a discussion to
ripen. He never once spoke just for the sake of it. Yet
when he did speak, watch out.
I watched him a number of times, which I could well
recite, when he took an argument that the Commerce
Committee had let ripen, and then, through the force of
his argument, his quiet demeanor, and that powerful face
and his calmness, turned the argument 180 degrees from a
yes to a no or from a no to a yes, people simply following
the power of his logic and strength.
Dan didn't want us to be in awe of him, but many of us
were anyway. His integrity and his authenticity were
momentous. He approached policy and public service with a
pure heart.
As chairman of the Appropriations Committee--to be
succeeded by the wonderful Senator from Maryland--and the
Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, he was respected by
everybody on both sides of the aisle. He was a task
master. He could be tough. He ran a tight and highly
disciplined ship but was unfailingly courteous and
generous.
I have no doubt that one of the most difficult decisions
he ever had to make was to implement the ongoing ban on
congressional earmarks. Dan Inouye believed in
congressional earmarks, as does the current speaker. He
was adamant in his support and the constitutional right of
Members to direct investments to their States, but he
recognized that his bills had no chance of being enacted
into law in the current political climate.
He fought back against draconian funding cuts in the
Ryan budget and, in a very partisan environment, moved all
12 of his bills for the 2012 fiscal year. He wasn't
inactive. He was always on his game. Just in this lameduck
session, he turned a disaster relief request from the
President into a finished bill to help so many States and
families impacted by Hurricane Sandy. These are large
accomplishments.
His family was deeply important to him. It has been
wonderful for my wife Sharon and me to see the utter joy
that Dan's wife Irene brought to him in these recent
years, the happiness she gave him, the twinkle in his eye
and the privilege of just getting to know her, a
remarkable and strong woman. Our hearts obviously are with
Irene and Dan's son Ken now.
Dan's is an awesome legacy and always will be, a legacy
of character, of honor, and of service. So I say: Dan,
thank you for what you have shared with each of us and for
the life of service you gave to this country and your
State that you loved so very much.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from West
Virginia for his deeply moving and heartfelt sentiments
concerning our dear and departed comrade, Senator Inouye,
a unique man. Never will the Senate of the United States
of America see his like again.
I thank the Senator from West Virginia for his very
important and moving tribute.
Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy
heart to bid aloha to an extraordinary colleague and a
dear friend, Senator Daniel K. Inouye.
I want to first and foremost offer my most sincere
condolences to Dan's exceptional wife, Irene, who has been
a pillar of unending strength and courage, as well as Ken
and Jennifer, both of whom he spoke of with boundless
love, and of course, his entire family, as our hearts go
out to them during this most difficult time.
On an occasion of such a large and historic loss,
finding the appropriate words to capture the immense depth
and breadth of this moment, as well as the magnitude of
its meaning, represents the most daunting of challenges.
As Dan was the most senior Member of this esteemed
Chamber, and the second longest serving Senator in its
history, every Senator here has never known this
institution without him--and so it is difficult to
comprehend that these hallowed Halls will never again
witness his presence or hear his deliberative,
compassionate, and measured approach.
Like all my colleagues, I profoundly admired Dan for his
devotion to this country and the steadfast, irrepressible
determination that he exhibited day in and day out, as he
sought to better our Nation not only for his constituents
in his beloved home State of Hawaii, but for all who
called America home. That is who Dan was, and throughout
his remarkable life, he placed the highest of premiums on
service above self.
He did on the shores of Honolulu when, having heard the
clarion call of sirens ringing out across the island as
Japanese planes attacked American naval forces at Pearl
Harbor, he rushed toward the battle to volunteer as a Red
Cross medic. He did on the battlefields in Italy during
the Second World War, when having taken sniper fire and
enduring a gruesome explosion that would later claim his
right arm, he refused to evacuate, pressing forward to
neutralize enemy positions so that he could lead his men
to safe ground--an act of heroism and valor which later
rightfully earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and
the Medal of Honor.
Those acts of valor, which spoke to Dan's intrinsic and
abiding concern for others, distinguished him throughout
his life. In fact, it motivated him at every turn in
Congress, where he cared not about scoring political
points, but about doing what was right. In times rife with
partisanship, he proved the rare exception, bringing to
bear his principled voice of reason, as well as his
enormous credibility, his gravitas, and his vast
experience to rise above the rancorous din that all too
often envelops us here in Washington.
Indeed, Dan legislated with uncommon civility and
candor, ability and efficacy, as well as the most
seriousness of purpose and irrepressible good humor. It is
no wonder, then, why the people of Hawaii, since achieving
statehood in 1959, have repeatedly and overwhelmingly
returned Dan to Congress for over half a century,
entrusting him not only to be their voice and their vote,
but their champion.
That is precisely what he was--a legislative stalwart
and tireless advocate for his beloved home State, fighting
fiercely on behalf of his fellow Hawaiians. Whether
strengthening vital infrastructure, increasing job
training and employment opportunities across the islands,
or supporting veterans, he united a workhorse-like
legislative craftsmanship with his legendary statesmanship
to not only deliver on behalf of Hawaii, but ensure that
his State, despite its geographical location, was on the
vanguard of modernism.
In fact, I can still well-recall traveling to
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan with Senator Inouye
and Senator Ted Stevens--who shared a remarkable
friendship themselves--as part of a five-member Senate
delegation in February 2002, just 4 months after the
horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. One of
the first American delegations to travel to Afghanistan
after the tragedy, we consulted with NATO leaders to
discuss international support for antiterrorism efforts
worldwide and met with President Pervez Musharref of
Pakistan and Chairman Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to
signal America's commitment to defeating terrorism. Dan
was instrumental in these formative post-9/11 efforts in
combating the scourge of terrorism.
As we reflect upon his unequaled career, we as a people
and as a Nation can find solace in knowing that he has
left to us an incredible legacy of service that will not
only resonate for generations to come, but that will
inspire all of those who are fortunate to follow in his
footsteps, just as it has inspired all of us who have had
the privilege of serving with him.
Perhaps most important, though, he was indisputably what
our forefathers quite likely had in mind when they
envisioned a U.S. Senator, and his beloved Aloha State.
Indeed our Nation could not have asked for a more eloquent
and powerful champion fighting on their behalf. I will
most certainly always remember the sincerity and warmth of
our conversations and forever treasure our friendship.
As I conclude, today, I remember a powerful statement of
Senator Inouye's, which speaks to his unparalleled
humility and integrity. Having recently been asked how he
hoped history would remember him, he replied, ``I
represented the people of Hawaii and this Nation honestly
and to the best of my ability. I think I did okay.''
Mr. President, I believe, as do my colleagues, that
history will recall Senator Inouye as one of our most
distinguished and iconic legislators, and just as he joins
the pantheon of exemplary leaders who have shaped our
Nation for the better, his memory will, too, forever live
on in the collective heart of an eternally grateful
Nation. Indeed, the Senate, the State of Hawaii, and the
Nation, are immeasurably enhanced by his service.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
tributes to Danny Inouye, late Senator from Hawaii, be
printed as a Senate document, and that Members have until
12 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, to submit said
tributes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Mr. CONRAD: Mr. President, I want to take a moment to
honor the life and career of my colleague and friend,
Senator Daniel Inouye, who passed away on Monday, December
17, at the age of 88.
To say that Mr. Inouye lived a full life would be an
understatement. A veteran of World War II, Mr. Inouye
served his country valiantly in Italy before sustaining an
injury that would claim his right arm. The bravery shown
by Mr. Inouye during his service to our country later
earned him the Bronze Star Medal, a Purple Heart, a
Distinguished Service Cross and ultimately, the Medal of
Honor, the highest military award.
Mr. Inouye began his political career after graduating
from the University of Hawaii. He then obtained a law
degree from one of my alma maters, George Washington
University. After first being elected to serve in the
Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives and later the
Territorial Senate, Mr. Inouye became the first person
from Hawaii elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
after Hawaii became a State in 1959. After serving 3 years
in the House, Mr. Inouye was elected to the Senate where
he would go on to be elected to serve the people of Hawaii
nine times. In June 2010, Mr. Inouye was elected to
succeed Senator Robert Byrd as President pro tempore of
the Senate.
Throughout his political career, Senator Inouye was
first and foremost a servant of the people of Hawaii. He
has served them in Congress ever since Hawaii was admitted
to the Union. After over five decades of service, it is no
wonder that Dan's mark can be seen all across the Islands.
I was proud to serve with Senator Inouye on the Indian
Affairs Committee, where he was a voice for the Native
Hawaiian population. Throughout his career, he worked
tirelessly to ensure that Native Hawaiians had access to
education, health care, and jobs. One of his achievements
was the Native American Languages Act, which has helped
Native people preserve and practice their tribal
languages. In particular, during my first term in the
Senate, Senator Inouye worked with me in the committee to
pass legislation providing compensation for two Indian
tribes in my State that were impacted by the construction
of the dams along the Missouri River. That effort provided
a critical source of funding for the tribes to restore
their economic base.
Senator Inouye also fought hard to defend Hawaii's
natural beauty. Because of his efforts, thousands of
additional acres have been added to national parks,
wildlife refuges, and nature preserves. It would be hard
to imagine what Hawaii would be like today without Senator
Inouye's leadership and effective representation. His love
for the people of Hawaii was on his mind and in his heart
even at the end, when the last word he spoke was
``aloha.''
In his role as chairman of the Appropriations Committee,
Mr. Inouye fought for aid for my home State of North
Dakota after devastating, record-breaking floodwaters
decimated the community of Minot in 2011. Mr. Inouye used
his power to ensure that the residents of Minot received
critical aid to help them rebuild their lives.
Mr. Inouye is survived by his wife, Irene Hirano; his
son, Ken; and granddaughter, Maggie. His service to his
country is second to none. Mr. Inouye will be greatly
missed in his home State of Hawaii and here in the Senate.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
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. 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.
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. 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.
Proceedings in the House of Representatives
Monday, December 17, 2012
Ms. HIRONO. Our country joins the people of Newtown in
their grief and loss.
Tonight, we also mourn the sudden passing of our friend
and patriot, Senator Inouye of Hawaii. Senator Inouye
loved his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Irene,
Ken, Jessica, and little Maggie. Our sympathies also to
his hard-working staff.
Senator Inouye loved Hawaii, and his work on behalf of
Hawaii is legendary. There is no one person who did more
to ensure Hawaii's future than Senator Inouye. He loved
his country and received the Medal of Honor in her
service.
Senator Inouye never forgot where he came from. I'm
proud to say that I represented his dear mother, Kame
Inouye, in 1980 when I first ran for the State
legislature. I'm proud to count Senator Inouye as my
friend since that time. We can best honor Senator Inouye's
legacy by continuing to be strong for Hawaii and our
country.
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. Imagine, being 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 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 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 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.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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. 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.
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. 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.
Mr. GARAMENDI. ... Many things have happened over the
last several days. We've got the fiscal cliff, but we've
also had not only the retirement of very special people in
the lives of the House of Representatives and the Senate,
but also the recent death of Senator Inouye, which marks
the passage of the generation that fought in World War II.
I've been asked, and I'll gladly yield whatever time our
colleague, Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii, would like to take
in memory of an extraordinary Senator.
I had the pleasure of working with him in the mid-1990s
when I was the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the
Interior. We were working on the Native Hawaiian lands
issues. He was a remarkable individual, one who not only
understood the intricacies of that very complex situation,
but also had enormous passion for the Native Hawaiians.
So tonight I yield whatever time she might want to take
to Colleen Hanabusa, our colleague from the great State of
Hawaii.
Ms. HANABUSA. Thank you very much to the gentleman from
California.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary
person who has shaped and defined what my home State,
Hawaii, is today, a State which is unique and as special
as the person I honor.
The person I rise to honor is Daniel K. Inouye, a person
who cannot be described by a single adjective, a person
whose accomplishments would cause you to pause and ask, Is
this one person? Is this one man? This is a person who was
awarded the greatest honor anyone who serves in the
military can achieve, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
But it was an honor about 55 years late from a country
that questioned his loyalty due to the fact that he was an
American of Japanese ancestry; a person who could not get
a haircut after being severely wounded and giving his arm
in battle because he looked like the enemy; a person who
insisted that instead of being bitter, he would dedicate
his life to doing all he can to right social inequities
and discrimination of all kinds. To do this, he became a
part of the Democratic revolution that took control of
Hawaii's Territorial Legislature. Remember, back then,
Hawaii was run by the plantation bosses, and it was the
Democratic revolution that shifted the power base.
He is also a person who served his Territorial
Government, his State, and his Nation for a period of time
just short of 60 years; a person who came to Congress and
was recognized by his peers to serve and chair various
committees, the most recent the Senate Appropriations
Committee, along with being President pro tempore and
serving on historic investigation committees like
Watergate and Iran Contra. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, what he
has seen. Imagine more so what brilliance and skills he
possessed to serve so effectively for all these years. He
has left such a mark on Hawaii.
Hawaii is the home of the Pacific Command. There is no
question in my mind that the pivot to Asia-Pacific is
possible because of his vision, a vision shared by the
President; a vision which is made possible by the
Senator's strong commitment to entities such as the East-
West Center and his placement of the Pacific Tsunami
Warning Center in Hawaii so that the whole Pacific
benefits.
Hawaii's military importance goes without saying, as the
investments made to Pearl Harbor, the Pacific Missile
Range Facility, PACOM, Schofield, Hickam, Kaneohe Marine
Corps, Pohakuloa, just to name a few, were all part of his
plan on how to stabilize Hawaii's economy and this Nation
and the world.
The Senator recognized that the future for Hawaii is
getting off our dependence on fossil fuels, a
conversation, by the way, that we had at the last
delegation meeting which he chaired where he made it very
clear that this was his priority. He was, as you can
expect, already ahead of everyone because he had been
funding research and development in this area for years.
He also knew that education was critical to our success
and insisted on ensuring that the University of Hawaii be
the land, sea, and space grant institution that it is--one
of the few institutions that has all three designations.
But the person I will miss the most is the man who
always said ``Just call me Dan.'' to whomever he met. It
didn't matter who it was. It was ``just call me Dan.''--
the person who shared stories about the values he was
raised with, which I think was his way of giving us a
glimpse of what he was made of.
At his 88th birthday party--88 is a very significant
birthday, especially among the Japanese community--he
shared the story of his father and a carp--yes, the fish,
carp. His father told him to be like a carp, fighting as
hard as you can as the carp did, but when it was time to
die, you died with dignity.
The Senator did exactly that, but then you would expect
nothing less from the person of whom no one word can
describe, a person who did not want buildings named after
him. He just wanted to be remembered as someone who
represented the people of Hawaii honestly and to the best
of his ability. When asked for his assessment of how he
did, he just basically said, ``I think I did okay.''
Senator, if what you did is just ``okay,'' the rest of
us are failing because not one of us can measure up to
your standard of okay.
Mr. Speaker, you have no idea how we in Hawaii are so
anxious because we do not know how to make up for our
loss. We will not have him, Senator Inouye, to rely upon
to make things okay. The Senator said ``aloha'' as his
last word.
We can only say ``aloha'' and ``mahalo'' to you,
Senator, and to Irene, Kenny, and Maggie for sharing him
with us.
Mr. GARAMENDI. The eulogy that was just given is most
appropriate. There are men and women of extraordinary
talent that have served in this Capitol, and certainly,
Senator Inouye fits that. ...
Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute
to the memory of Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Senator
Inouye was an extraordinary leader, family man, and
American hero. He leaves behind his wife Irene and son
Ken, as well as countless friends and constituents who
mourn his passing. He was 88.
Senator Inouye served nobly in World War II and was
awarded a Medal of Honor. He then continued to devote his
life to our Nation and the State of Hawaii by becoming the
State's first Congressman as well as a nine-term Senator.
He was eventually appointed to the prestigious position of
chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and in his work
he was always mindful of strengthening our national
security and fulfilling our promises to our veterans. Many
of my constituents have family and friends in Hawaii, and
I know they all directly benefited from his hard work and
commitment to the values of the American people.
Mr. Speaker, Senator Inouye was a model of integrity,
courage, and bipartisanship. His presence will be sorely
missed, but I know his memory will inspire our leaders in
years to come. I extend my thoughts and prayers to his
family and loved ones. I hope they find some comfort in
knowing the incredible legacy he leaves behind in hearts
across the Nation.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE
A message from the Senate by Ms. Curtis, one of its
clerks, announced that the Senate agreed to the following
resolution:
S. Res. 624
In the Senate of the United States, December 18
(legislative day, December 17), 2012.
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye served the people of
the State of Hawaii for over 58 years in the Territorial
House of Representatives, the Territorial Senate, the
United States House of Representatives, and the United
States Senate;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye became the first
Japanese American to serve in both the United States House
of Representatives and the United States Senate;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye represented the State
of Hawaii in Congress from before the time that Hawaii
became a State in 1959 until 2012;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye served as the President
Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, Chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations, Chairman of the Subcommittee
on Defense, the first Chairman of the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence, Chairman of the Committee on
Indian Affairs, Chairman of the Democratic Steering
Committee, Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation, Chairman of the Rules Committee,
Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Secret Military
Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan Opposition, and
Secretary of the Democratic Conference;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye delivered the keynote
address at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in
Chicago, Illinois, in which he expressed a vision for a
more inclusionary Nation and famously declared ``this is
our country'';
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye served as a medical
volunteer at the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941,
and volunteered to be part of the all Nisei 442nd
Regimental Combat Team during World War II at a time when
Japanese Americans were being systematically discriminated
against by the Nation he volunteered to defend;
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye was wounded in battle
and honorably discharged as a Captain with a Distinguished
Service Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart with cluster, and
12 other medals and citations; and
Whereas Senator Daniel K. Inouye was awarded the Medal
of Honor by President William J. Clinton in June 2000,
along with 21 other Asian-American veterans of World War
II for their actions during the war: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep
regret of the death of the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye,
Senator from the State of Hawaii;
(2) the Secretary of the Senate shall transmit this
resolution to the House of Representatives and transmit an
enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceased; and
(3) when the Senate adjourns today, it stand adjourned
as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased
Senator.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take
from the Speaker's table Senate Concurrent Resolution 64
and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
S. Con. Res. 64
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That in recognition of the long and
distinguished service rendered to the Nation by Daniel K.
Inouye, a Senator from the State of Hawaii and formerly a
Representative from that State, his remains be permitted
to lie in state in the rotunda of the Capitol on December
20, 2012, and the Architect of the Capitol, under the
direction of the Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President pro tempore of the Senate, shall take
all necessary steps for the accomplishment of that
purpose.
The concurrent resolution was concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution
and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 839
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) receives with profound sorrow the news of the death
of the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye, a Senator from the
State of Hawaii;
(2) authorizes the Speaker to appoint such Members as he
may designate to serve with members of the Senate as a
committee to represent the House in attendance at the
funeral of the Senator;
(3) directs the Clerk to communicate this resolution to
the Senate and transmit a copy to the family of the
Senator; and
(4) when it adjourns today, does so as a further mark of
respect to the memory of the Senator.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Hawaii is
recognized for 1 hour.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, my State of
Hawaii and our Nation lost a truly great man, Senator
Daniel K. Inouye. He began serving our country when he was
only 17 years old, joining the Army after the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
At that time, many questioned the patriotism of people
who looked like him, but for Senator Inouye that was
precisely why he joined the service. He was a true
patriot. He loved this country and was willing to do
whatever he could to defend it. In fact, he lost his arm
charging a series of machine gun nests on a hill on San
Terenzo, Italy, on April 21, 1945. His heroic actions
rightly earned him the Medal of Honor.
He was the embodiment of the Greatest Generation:
courage, sacrifice, humility, and love of country. It's
why the commitment to serve and protect those who fight
for our country has always been one he took personally.
It's why he always stood up for the ideals of freedom and
justice that our country is founded upon, because he saw
first hand what happens when we don't. It's why he was
always proud to stand up for our heritage in Hawaii.
The truth is, Senator Inouye deeply loved our beautiful
State of Hawaii. Half a century ago, he had a 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 is his legacy. So the greatest tribute we can pay
Senator Inouye is to acquire his vision, apply his skills,
and build on the remarkable foundation he laid for us,
from strengthening our schools and university to building
our roads and bridges.
Just today, our State marked another milestone led by
Senator Inouye. We signed a full funding grant agreement
with the U.S. Government for our Oahu rail project. This
was a project championed by Senator Inouye through many
years, through many ups and downs.
The Senator saw the future of Hawaii often before others
did; and when he saw something that was going to better
the lives of the people in Hawaii, he always fought for
it. This is probably one of the things he will be
remembered for the most, his tenacity in fighting for the
people of Hawaii and for doing what is right.
While he may have been a fierce competitor, he was
always a gentle spirit. In a Washington that, at times, is
so torn apart by partisanship, Dan Inouye always worked to
defuse that situation and bring us together. He understood
that words mattered as much as actions, and he always
worked to elevate the debate.
He stood by his friends, no matter their political
stripes. It's why we've all heard from people on both
sides of the aisle, and some who are speaking today, who
are so saddened by his death and by what our country lost
this week.
I received a message from our good friend and brother,
Eni Faleomavaega from American Samoa. He is traveling
overseas and asked that I mention his deep condolences to
the people of Hawaii.
Eni, like so many, calls Senator Inouye a mentor. He
taught us all lessons we'll never forget. Simply put,
Senator Inouye was an extraordinary person, a giant in the
Senate, who accomplished so much for the people of Hawaii
and our Nation. It is now up to us to carry on that work,
to realize his vision, to draw upon his strength, his
strength of purpose and strength of character, to do what
is right.
I know the people of Hawaii join me today in pledging to
do just that.
Aloha, Senator Inouye. ...
I would now like to yield as much time as he consumes to
my colleague from the Commonwealth of the Northern
Marianas, Kilili Sablan.
Mr. SABLAN. Thank you very much.
Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to express my deepest
condolences to the people of Hawaii for their loss of a
great Senator and a great American. I would not be here
today standing in the well of the House if not for Senator
Daniel K. Inouye.
This beloved leader did so much for many Americans, for
so many people of the Pacific, as we are hearing tonight.
He touched the lives of so many individuals, including my
own life.
In 1986, Senator Inouye gave me the opportunity to work
as a fellow in his office here at the Capitol. Senator
Inouye had established a program to bring young men and
women from the Pacific Islands to Washington to learn
about Congress and the U.S. Government. We came from
American Samoa and from the Northern Mariana Islands, my
home.
What an opportunity Senator Inouye gave us. What an eye-
opening experience to see Congress at work. What an
education to watch up close this distinguished man of the
Senate, by turns dignified, gracious, good humored,
principled, quiet, and when called to defend the
forgotten, fierce, fierce and formidable. I was inspired.
Seeing what an elected official could be, what he could
do to bring justice to this world, I dared to dream of one
day doing the same. The Northern Mariana Islands did not
even have a seat in Congress in 1986. That did not happen
until 23 years later. But throughout those 23 years, I
held that dream deep in my heart, the dream that Senator
Daniel Inouye planted that some day I could represent my
people as I had seen him represent the people of Hawaii
and America.
I will admit that dream did not always burn brightly.
There were times when I did not tend the flame. But when
the day came that Congress granted a seat to the people of
the Northern Mariana Islands, that flame roared to life.
That inspiration that Daniel K. Inouye had lit in my
heart, fed by the ideals that he had instilled in me those
many years ago, the ideal that we're all equals in this
great country, as citizens and as individuals, and that,
against all odds, we can overcome poverty, we can overcome
prejudice, we can overcome terrible physical injury and
survive stronger than ever. We can survive and prevail if
we believe in the inherent decency and goodness of
America, as Senator Daniel K. Inouye believed--if we are
not afraid to dream.
And so I dreamt, inspired by this man, aided by the
opportunity he once gave to me. And tonight, Mr. Speaker,
I stand here in the well of this hallowed Chamber to say
thank you to Daniel K. Inouye.
Thank you, Senator Inouye, for showing me the way here.
Thank you, sir, for showing us all what it means to be a
true Member of Congress. Thank you, and good night. Rest
well. We shall always remember you.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may
consume to my good friend from Alaska, Congressman Don
Young.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I thank the good lady for yielding.
This is a solemn moment. The gentleman from the Mariana
Islands just gave a presentation. I would like to think
Senator Inouye and I played a role in making sure he could
stand on this floor and give that presentation.
Danny Inouye, the Senator from Hawaii--actually, he was
the third Senator from Alaska. And excuse me, Danny, for
saying this; I don't want to call you Senator at this
time, but just Danny. He was always able to reach across
the aisle and solve problems of the noncontiguous States
with my friend, Senator Stevens. Hand-in-hand, two
veterans. One lost an arm and one flew 36 missions over
the Hump. Together, they were one, they were brothers, and
they said that so many times--brothers in arms, brothers
in supporting two noncontiguous States, brothers in
solving problems for people across the aisle.
I didn't serve with Danny, but I knew him well because
he was a friend of my people, the Alaskan Natives. In
fact, we had him 2 years ago at the AFN convention
speaking to the need and necessity for the Hawaiian
Natives to be recognized as the Alaskan Natives were.
He was an icon--a person who could work together. And he
was--think about this--a young man who was Japanese. He
was not in an internment camp. He volunteered for the
America that he loved. He loved and served and lost, but
he always won. He did that by reaching the one arm he had
left in his hand and shaking that hand and saying, ``Let's
do it together. Let's work together. Let's not have the
animosity, the rancor that's occurring today.''
In fact, when I think about it a moment, I think, Danny,
God bless you. You're in heaven. Hawaii is better off.
Alaska is better off. But if we don't change our ways, you
would be terribly disappointed. You would not be happy
with the way things are happening in this Congress,
including the U.S. Senate.
And so, Danny, I will tell you one thing. You have
Alaskans--especially my wife, my children, and my
grandchildren--who thank you for the efforts you put forth
to take the aboriginal people and bring them into the
mainstream of life, with the help of Senator Ted Stevens.
So God bless you, Danny, Senator from Hawaii, and the
third Senator for the State of Alaska.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to my friend from California, Congresswoman Doris
Matsui.
Ms. MATSUI. I would like to thank my friend, the
gentlelady from Hawaii, for organizing this time for all
of us to honor Daniel Inouye.
It's with heavy heart that I rise here today in support
of this resolution honoring the late Senator Inouye. On
December 17, our country lost a beloved leader, an
American hero, and a man I was honored to call my friend.
Rising to become the most senior Member of the U.S.
Senate, Senator Inouye will be remembered, not only for
his distinguished record as a legislator, but also for his
heroism on the battlefield. Senator Inouye served his
country on the battlefields of Europe during World War II
and earned the Nation's highest honor for military valor,
the Medal of Honor.
As a soldier, Senator Inouye fought for the lives of
American citizens back home to protect his fellow
servicemen and also for the ideals our country stands for:
equality, justice, and freedom. When he joined politics,
the only thing that changed was his battlefield.
Senator Inouye was a giant in Congress who demonstrated
his strong love for his country and belief in American
ideals with every action he took. He was a man who stood
by his convictions and fought for what he believed and was
never afraid to reach across the aisle and look for
bipartisan solutions to some of our Nation's most pressing
problems. While his presence was certainly strongly felt
here in the Capitol, he remained accessible to and was
loved, not only by his constituents in Hawaii, but across
this country.
When I put the word out to my California constituents
that Senator Inouye had passed away and that Congress had
lost one of its greatest leaders, I received an outpouring
of comments from my constituents expressing their sorrow
and sharing stories of ways that Senator Inouye had
touched their lives. Even in my district of Sacramento,
California, Senator Inouye was well known, well respected,
and well loved.
As the highest serving Asian American in our country's
history, Senator Inouye was a true inspiration to the
Asian American community.
As a Member of Congress, my late husband, Bob Matsui,
worked closely with Senator Inouye on the movement for
Japanese American redress and reparations. Together with
colleagues, they helped secure a formal Government apology
for innocent Japanese Americans who were victims of one of
our country's darkest moments.
It will be impossible to find a stronger voice for our
Nation's veterans than Senator Inouye. He was instrumental
in getting the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to several
military units from World War II, units composed almost
entirely of persons of Japanese ancestry who exhibited
exceptional bravery on the battlefield while their own
families were in internment camps here at home.
Earlier this year, I worked closely with Senator Inouye
to ensure that the Congressional Gold Medal toured the
country so everyone could have the opportunity to learn
about the bravery and heroism of these veterans.
This is the type of man Senator Inouye was. He was a man
who, up to the very end, worked tirelessly to bring
recognition to those who deserve it the most.
Senator Inouye devoted his life to serving his country.
He was an inspiration and a role model--a real role
model--an example of what every public servant should
strive to be.
My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Irene, his son
Ken, and their family, and especially to his granddaughter
Maggie, whom we will make sure hears about the stories of
her grandfather.
On a personal level, when my husband passed away some 8
years ago, I recall how generous and sincere Dan Inouye
was toward me and my family during those difficult days. I
know this is a difficult time, but it is my sincere hope
that there is some comfort in knowing that his legacy of
remarkable service and dedication to our country, his love
of country, will live on for generations to come. He was
truly a giant.
Ms. HIRONO. I would now like to yield such time as she
may consume to my friend from California (Ms. Chu).
Ms. CHU. Earlier this week, our country lost a valiant
war hero and one of the greatest statesmen of our time
with the passing of Senator Daniel K. Inouye.
Senator Inouye was an inspirational leader and a true
American patriot in every sense of the word. In fact, it's
hard to think of the State of Hawaii without Daniel
Inouye. Since the moment Hawaii gained statehood in 1959
he has represented the Aloha State in Congress and ensured
that Hawaii and others in the Pacific region have access
to resources and facilities that many on the continental
United States take for granted.
Even though he was labeled an enemy alien during World
War II, he made the decision to enlist in the Japanese
American ``Go for Broke'' 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He
fought bravely, even as thousands of Japanese Americans
were unjustly placed in internment camps at home. In one
terrible battle in Italy, he led an assault against a
heavily defended ridge. Germans shot at him with machine
guns, destroying his right arm. Despite that, he was still
able to destroy the German bunker. His bravery earned him
the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal, and
for that alone he will always be remembered as a true
American hero.
Senator Inouye's service to our country extends far
beyond World War II. He was a trailblazer in politics when
there were few Asian Americans. He rose through the ranks,
becoming the chairman of the powerful Senate
Appropriations Committee and the President pro temp of the
U.S. Senate, and became our highest ranking Asian American
politician. He broke barriers and paved the way for
countless Asian American and Pacific Islanders in public
service. In my role as chair of the Congressional Asian
Pacific American Caucus, I truly valued his guidance as a
founder and longtime executive board member of our caucus.
He was a tireless advocate for both the people of Hawaii
and the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander
community.
All of us who had the honor to know and learn from him
will dearly miss his leadership and the honor and
integrity that he brought to the job. My heart goes out to
his wife, Irene Inouye, his son, Daniel Ken Inouye, Jr.,
and the many family, friends, colleagues, and constituents
for their tremendous loss.
So aloha, Senator Inouye. Thank you for your lifetime of
service. While your passing has left us with a great void,
we know that your legacy will continue to live on in the
many accomplishments you leave behind and in the
generations you've inspired through your service to our
country.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as she
may consume to my friend and colleague from Hawaii,
Congresswoman Hanabusa.
Ms. HANABUSA. Thank you to my colleague from Hawaii for
doing this.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
839, which relates to the death of the Honorable Daniel K.
Inouye, Senator from the State of Hawaii. I know that as
the most senior Member of the U.S. Senate, as the
Appropriations chair, and as a true war hero, Senator
Inouye will be remembered in Washington, in Hawaii, and
across the Nation. Tomorrow, he will be given one of the
highest honors of anyone in this country, and that is to
be able to lie in state in this Capitol. For me, the
passing strikes deeper because he was also my mentor and a
dear friend.
I had the honor of having lunch with Senator Inouye just
before he went into the hospital, and we discussed many
things. Know that his love and concern for Hawaii and for
America never wavered. He never stopped thinking about how
things could be made better, who we could help, and what
we could accomplish. He was, of course, a force to be
reckoned with, and as I said at the time I just couldn't
think about Hawaii without Senator Inouye.
Since his passing, statements like the Congressman from
Alaska just made about the Senator being their third
Senator have been made by other Congressmen to me as well,
so you know that his impact was felt very deeply
throughout this country.
As long as Hawaii has been a State, Dan Inouye served us
in Washington--``us'' meaning the people of Hawaii. For
most people in Hawaii, he was always there, as dependable
as the sunrise, yet he was never proud, never acted as
though he was better than the people he represented.
I can tell you from personal experience that it is just
impossible to be an elected official in Hawaii without
being in awe of Daniel K. Inouye, someone who served so
long, accomplished so much, and yet made it seem so
effortless.
Hawaii was and is a grassroots State. You need to get
out there with the people, share their activities, eat
their food--now, that's really critical--laugh at their
jokes. And there was Dan Inouye, the war hero, recipient
of the Medal of Honor, U.S. Senator, an iconic force in
Hawaii's history and politics, and he just fit right in.
We, the people of Hawaii, can spot a phony a mile away,
and we loved him because we knew he was the real thing. He
was genuine.
So here was the most senior Member of the Senate, chair
of the Appropriations Committee, President pro temp, and
third in line to the succession to the Presidency, but in
his heart he was no different than that kid growing up in
Territorial Hawaii, not wearing shoes until he got to high
school--by the way, not wearing shoes we called going
hadashi in Hawaii--who volunteered just out of high school
to serve his country in war. I think that's why, when he
ran for reelection, his bumper stickers didn't say Senator
Inouye, or Daniel K. Inouye, they just said Dan.
I still remember his political poster when I began to
recognize political posters, solid black with Dan, his
signature, in yellow. Simple, yet strong, as he was. I
didn't know at that time the significance of the colors.
Those were the colors of his alma mater, McKinley High
School, again, a statement that he never forgot where he
came from.
For me, knowing Dan Inouye and learning from him, that
down-to-earth nature was a very special thing. When he
shared his insights about serving the people who elected
us and doing what is right for Hawaii and America, I knew
it was coming from his heart. Not just that what he was
doing was advising to show the true love for the people he
served, but also that he was sharing these insights with
me because he cared enough about me to pass on the
lessons.
He genuinely wanted me to do better. Quietly, with that
great smile and that beautiful, resonant voice, he gave
that gift of his experience and his wisdom. He was a man
of such accomplishment and power who was also unbelievably
generous of himself.
I will never forget that gift from my friend, Dan
Inouye. For the next few days, as we say goodbye to a
genuine hero, a champion of Hawaii, a political icon, I
hope, Mr. Speaker, you will join us in remembering a
wonderful man and pass this resolution so that we may all
say, ``Aloha, Dan, mahalo, and thank you.''
Ms. HIRONO. I now yield such time as he may consume to
my good friend from California, Congressman Mike Honda.
Mr. HONDA. Thank you, Madam Chair.
I, too, rise today with a heavy heart to honor and to
remember Senator Dan Inouye.
On December 17, 2012, the State of Hawaii, our Nation,
the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and all
champions of social justice and change lost our Polaris,
our guiding light, our guiding star--Senator Daniel K.
Inouye. I'm deeply saddened by the passing of my dear
friend who has been a hero to us all, his ohana.
From his service on the battlefields of World War II--we
mentioned a Medal of Honor--to the Senate floor, in
serving the Aloha State in Congress since it achieved
statehood in 1959 and rising to become the highest ranking
Asian Pacific Islander in our Nation's history, his impact
on our lives and our community is immeasurable and
unparalleled.
The Senator has had a deep sense and reflected a deep
sense of dignity in spite of any kinds of situations that
may surround him, a quiet calm of strength even in the
battlefields to the Halls of Congress.
We know that during the time of Watergate, he was
slighted and insulted through a racial slur, but he did
not exchange one for another. He just reflected his quiet
strength and dignity by not responding at all. The rest of
the country did for him. As he went through the Watergate
process, he showed that he could serve and deal with
justice with an even hand. And with that, he showed that
this country can deal with all kinds of problems that it
faces.
As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee,
Senator Inouye worked across the aisle to ensure that the
needs of the people of Hawaii and the sovereign rights of
Native Hawaiians and other indigenous people, as our
friend, Don Young, had mentioned, as well as the AA-PI
communities, were priorities of this Government.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Senator Inouye played a
critical role in making sure that this country understood
its behavior toward the Japanese Americans on the mainland
and in Hawaii. There was an effort to secure an apology, a
recognition of the wrongdoings, and also move forward with
the idea of reparations, but it didn't seem as if they
were making much progress. He wisely said to leadership of
this movement, ``Perhaps we need to do a study and a
commission to educate and inform the rest of the Members
of this body to understand what it is that we are fighting
for.'' And so came about the World War II Commission on
Internment. Through the commission study and their
gathering information across this country and listening to
testimony, from people who were aged to the people who
were younger, securing information validating the position
of those who were seeking an apology from this Government
came the conclusion and the final decision to move forward
with the bill, my bill, 442, to rescind Executive Orders
9022 and 9044, and also to make sure that this country
understood the reasons for the incarceration and
internment of Japanese Americans in this country during
1942.
The conclusion of that commission reflected the wisdom
of Senator Inouye. The conclusion of the commission said
the reason why internment happened to Americans of
Japanese descent was because of war hysteria, racial
prejudice, and the failure of political leadership. And to
that, it's been always a reminder for me when I listened
to him and I watched him work that he would never, ever
allow political leadership in this country to ever fail--
not on his watch.
Since 1959 when I graduated from high school, I
reflected back now, today, of how young he was then and
how he stood his ground and guided Alaska and this country
through his life and his dedication to public service.
So, Senator Inouye proved to be a very devoted husband
and a father. I extend my sincerest condolences to the
entire Inouye family.
Senator Inouye's passing may mark an end of an era, I
would say, but I would declare and say that his work will
continue to impact this country in terms of a continuous
attention to ohana and to the rights of all people,
including aboriginal folks.
He once stated in his fight to protect the Filipino
World War II veterans, that heroes should never be
forgotten or ignored. He always continued to make sure
that those who serve this country were not to be forgotten
or ignored.
So, we, as a grateful Nation, will never, ever forget
the Senator from Hawaii, a war hero, a servant through his
military service, and a servant through his service in the
Halls of Congress.
So I say to him, ``Aloha, mahalo.''
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of my
colleagues who came to the floor tonight to share their
experiences and thoughts about Senator Inouye, as well as
all my other colleagues who express their condolences to
Irene Hirano Inouye, his wife; his son, Ken; his daughter-
in-law; his granddaughter, Maggie; and all those who have
expressed and shared their experiences with Senator
Inouye.
This is a man who touched so many lives, not just in
Hawaii, but all across the country. We all know at this
point what a great Senator he was and all of the good
works that he did, but at a time like this, we often hear
from just individuals who want to share their very human
stories about individual kindnesses that he showed. In
fact, one of my colleagues today said, ``Did you know that
I was at a function where it was raining, and he held an
umbrella over my head with his one good arm for an hour?''
Or how much he cared about the Hansen's disease patients
in Kalaupapa, and he invited them to Oahu to meet with the
Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, so that the
Secretary could hear from these residents who often did
not get to travel very much, who could share with the
Secretary their own concerns and to ask for his help, and
they were helped.
So it is always a human dimension to what Senator Inouye
did that struck me, and he did so in a very quiet way. So
we honor him, we thank him, and his last word before he
passed on was, ``aloha.''
Senator, we bid you aloha. We love you. Aloha.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong
support of this resolution allowing Members of Congress to
honor the life of a great American hero and a friend to us
all. I want to thank my good friends from Hawaii, Ms.
Hirono and Ms. Hanabusa, for their leadership in
introducing this resolution.
We have lost a father, a hero, and a true friend. There
is no doubt Senator Daniel K. Inouye was a strong advocate
for the people of Hawaii but he was also instrumental in
helping the people of American Samoa and all our
territories and neighbors in the Pacific. The Samoan
people recognized the Senator's passion for the people of
the Pacific especially American Samoa by bestowing on him
the esteemed chief title, Fofoga o Samoa--meaning, the
Voice of Samoa.
On the Hill, Fofoga o Samoa Senator Inouye was a giant.
He was greatly respected not only for his service as a
Senator but, importantly, his patience and unique ability
to work with both sides of the aisle for many years. Being
a Territory and having a small population, it is very
difficult to move legislation without having any
representation or support in the Senate, and Fofoga o
Samoa Senator Inouye was always there for American Samoa.
He was also a fighter for the rights of Native Hawaiians,
ensuring veterans received their benefits, and was a
pioneer for all Asian and Pacific Americans.
I remember in early 1990 when I accompanied the Senator
on a congressional delegation he led on a Pacific tour
that included my district. It was an honor and a privilege
accompanying him on this tour because it showed me his
deep understanding and care for all of the people in the
Pacific. Just as he was a boy who was born and raised in a
Territory (Hawaii), he felt it was the right thing to do
to help our Territories. This was just a small sample of
the Senator's leadership and diligence in recognizing the
importance of helping our Territories and the Freely
Associated States.
As a former member of the 442nd 100th Battalion, I can
only thank the Senator and his comrades for their service
and ``Go for Broke'' attitude which has laid the path for
many of the Samoan sons and daughters to serve in our
great military force. I am forever grateful for the
Senator's service to our Nation and for his love and
compassion for the people of American Samoa.
Let us pray that the Lord comfort those who have lost an
amazing leader who has touched each and every one of our
lives.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in
reflection and remembrance of the life of Senator Daniel
Inouye.
I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Senator
Daniel Inouye on Monday; his passing marks the end of an
era for the people of Hawaii, for the U.S. Senate and
Congress, and for the country. A public servant from start
to finish, Daniel Inouye has left a shining, indelible
mark on history that will inspire Americans for
generations to come.
His story is simply incredible. Daniel was a medical
volunteer during the Pearl Harbor attacks in 1941. Even
though the U.S. Army banned people of Japanese descent
from enlisting, and even though Executive Order 9066
authorized the internment of roughly 110,000 Japanese
Americans, Daniel Inouye found it within himself to be an
American patriot.
Soon after the ban on enlistment was lifted, he
abandoned his pre-med studies at the University of Hawaii
and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943. He was a war hero
in the truest sense of the term, earning a Medal of Honor
for his actions on the battlefields of World War II before
his State was even admitted to the Union.
Daniel Inouye was a lieutenant and platoon leader on the
battlefield in Tuscany, Italy, in April 1945. Even after
being shot in the stomach by German machine gun fire, he
refused medical treatment and still managed to find the
courage to destroy two machine gun nests. Nearly losing
consciousness from blood loss, he heroically charged a
third machine gun nest before having his right arm severed
by a German grenade. Somehow, even after these grave
injuries, Daniel Inouye still found a way to toss a
grenade that destroyed the third bunker.
He remained a proud member of the military until his
honorable discharge as a captain in 1947. He was Hawaii's
first Representative in the House, a source of great pride
to all Members, past and present.
As Hawaii's first Congressman and, subsequently, as a
nine-term Senator, Daniel Inouye embodied the spirit of
aloha in his work. Serving as chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, he worked to strengthen our
national security and help veterans access the benefits
they've earned.
He was a consistent champion for the interests of
Hawaii's people. I am grateful for the opportunity to have
worked with Senator Inouye, and my thoughts are with his
family and with the people of his beloved Hawaii, who will
always remember him for his leadership and his courage. As
a Senator, he never forgot his military roots, and has
always been a voice for veterans.
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. 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.
I want to extend my condolences to his entire family as
they mourn the loss of a great man.
When asked recently how he wanted to be remembered,
Daniel said, quite humbly, ``I represented the people of
Hawaii and this Nation honestly and to the best of my
ability. I think I did okay.'' I think that I speak for us
all when I say that this was quite an understatement for a
man who accomplished so much and sacrificed so much for
this country. And so with heavy hearts, we bid aloha to
Senator Daniel Inouye--a man whose chapter in American
history will live on.
The previous question was ordered.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. ... Madam Speaker, let me just
make a couple of comments to my two colleagues who are
going to follow me on this Special Order. They have told
me if I talk too long they're going to hit me in the head
with a baseball bat, so I'm not going to talk too long
tonight. But I do want to say a couple of things.
First of all, let me start off by saying that Daniel
Inouye, Senator Inouye, I never met, but I read in the
paper many years ago the exploits of Daniel Inouye when he
was in the military. A Japanese young man whose family was
put in a camp during World War II, and he volunteered to
go into the military. He became an outstanding member of
the military. In Italy there were exploits that he
performed that won him the Congressional Medal of Honor.
And you don't get that unless you are really an
extraordinary human being.
He took out an enemy position, a German position, when
he was hit again and again and again. He lost one of his
arms, and he just kept going. I wish he were still here
today. I called him on the phone when I found out about
that, and I told him I had never met him, but I wanted him
to know that there were Members of the House who really
thought he was an extraordinary man. And he was, and I'm
sure he's going to be missed. ...
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now
adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o'clock and
21 minutes p.m.), under its previous order and pursuant to
House Resolution 839, the House adjourned until tomorrow,
Thursday, December 20, 2012, at noon, as a further mark of
respect to the memory of the late Honorable Daniel K.
Inouye.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
PRAYER
The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, offered
the following prayer:
Loving and gracious God, we give You thanks for giving
us another day.
We ask today that You bless the Members of the people's
House to be the best and most faithful servants of the
people they serve.
On this day, Congress honors the life of Senator Daniel
Inouye, who lies in state in the rotunda. He was the first
to serve his State in this assembly. He served his country
for decades as a true patriot, soldier, legislator,
statesman, and gentleman--always thousands of miles from
his own home.
Endow the Members of this assembly with a measure of the
courage, integrity, and loyalty of such an exemplar of
public service.
And may all that is done this day in the people's House
be for Your greater honor and glory.
Amen.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Senator Inouye lies in state
this morning. But as a young lieutenant platoon leader on
a battlefield in Italy, even after being shot in the
stomach by German machine-gun fire, he refused medical
treatment and still managed to find the courage to destroy
two machine-gun posts. Nearly losing consciousness from
blood loss, he heroically charged a third machine-gun nest
before having his right arm severed by a German grenade.
Somehow, even after those grave injuries, Daniel Inouye
still found a way to toss a grenade that destroyed the
third bunker.
What an American. What a man who loved this country and
stood for the values of diversity. He loved the
independence of the Congress, and he fought for it in the
strength of our democracy and the values of America. His
words were: ``I represented the people of Hawaii and this
Nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I
did okay.''
To the Senator and your family, you did more than okay.
To the Asian American community in Houston, Texas, and all
of Texas, I want you to note this hero spoke volumes for
what America is all about, that no matter where we've come
from, we can stand equally under the sun.
He thought of that and his beloved Hawaii as his final
words, not only in representing Hawaii--``aloha''--but to
America.
Senator, we love you, and goodbye. What a great
champion, a great warrior for peace, and one who
represented all of us so well.
The Honorable
Daniel K. Inouye
President Pro Tempore, United States Senate
September 7, 1924-December 17, 2012
United States Capitol
The Rotunda
Thursday, December 20, 2012
10:00 a.m.
Order of Program
Preceding the Lying in State of Senator Inouye
The Rotunda, United States Capitol
December 20, 2012
Invocation
Dr. Barry C. Black
Chaplain, United States Senate
Remarks
The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader, United States Senate
The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker, United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Vice President of the United States
Presentation of Wreaths
The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader, United States Senate
The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker, United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Vice President of the United States
Benediction
The Reverend Patrick Conroy, S.J.
Chaplain, United States House of Representatives
in celebration of and thanksgiving for the life of
Daniel Ken Inouye
September 7, 1924-December 17, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Ten Thirty in the Morning
The Cathedral Church of St. Peter &
St. Paul in the City &
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye
president pro tempore
1924-2012
The Burial of the Dead
CARILLON PRELUDE
.............. Sonatina BWV 106
.............. .................. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750);
.............. .................. arr. Arie Abbenes (b. 1944)
.............. Praise, my soul, the King of heaven
.............. .................. Lauda anima; arr. James B. Slater (b. 1927)
.............. Jerusalem, my happy home
.............. Land of Rest; arr. Ronald M. Barnes (1927-1997)
.............. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
.............. Lobe den Herren; arr. Edward M. Nassor (b. 1957)
.............. O beautiful for spacious skies
.............. .................. Materna; arr. Milford Myhre (b. 1931)
.............. Aloha Oe
.............. Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917); arr. Edward M. Nassor
ORGAN PRELUDE
.............. Solemn Melody
Henry Walford Davies (1869-1941)
.............. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
.............. .................. J.S. Bach; arr. E. Power Biggs
.............. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme J.S. Bach
.............. Prelude and Fugue in E flat, BWV 552 J.S. Bach
.............. Praeludium in D
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
.............. Nimrod, from Enigma Variations
.............. .................. Edward Elgar (1857-1934), arr. Alan Ridout
.............. Sonata No. 4 in B flat
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
.............. I. Allegro con brio
.............. II. Andante religioso
.............. III. Allegretto
.............. IV. Allegro maestoso e vivace
.............. Nun danket alle Gott
Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933)
INTROIT
The Aloha Boys
.............. Kaimana Hila (Diamond Head) Charles E. King
The people stand, as they are able, at the tolling of the Bourdon Bell.
THE ANTHEM IN PROCESSION
The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
.............. I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord.
.............. Whoever has faith in me shall have life,
.............. even though he die.
.............. And everyone who has life,
.............. and has committed himself to me in faith,
.............. shall not die for ever.
.............. As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives
.............. and that at the last he will stand upon the earth.
.............. After my awaking, he will raise me up;
.............. and in my body I shall see God.
.............. I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him
.............. who is my friend and not a stranger.
.............. For none of us has life in himself,
.............. and none becomes his own master when he dies.
.............. For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord,
.............. and if we die, we die in the Lord.
.............. So, then, whether we live or die,
.............. we are the Lord's possession.
.............. Happy from now on
.............. are those who die in the Lord!
.............. So it is, says the Spirit,
.............. for they rest from their labors.
WELCOME
The Very Reverend Gary Hall
Dean, Washington National Cathedral
Sung by all.
HYMN
.............. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty Lobe den Herren
Praise to the Lord,
the Almighty, the King of creation;
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation:
join the great throng, psaltery, organ, and song,
sounding in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord;
over all things he gloriously reigneth:
borne as on eagle-wings, safely his saints he sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen how all thou needest hath been
granted in what he ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord,
who doth prosper thy way and defend thee;
surely his goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee;
ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
who with his love doth befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord!
O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath come now with praises before him!
Let the amen sound from his people again;
gladly for ever adore him.
THE COLLECT FOR BURIAL
.............. Bishop Mariann
The Lord be with you.
.............. People
And also with you.
.............. Bishop Mariann
Let us pray.
.............. O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our brother Daniel. We thank you for giving him to us,
his family and friends, to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless
compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet
confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone
before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The people are seated.
THE HEBREW TESTAMENT
.............. .................. Lamentations 3:22-26, 31-33
The Honorable Mazie Hirono
United States Senator-elect from Hawai'i
.............. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great
is your faithfulness. ``The Lord is my portion,'' says my soul, ``therefore I will hope in him.'' The Lord is
good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the
salvation of the Lord. For the Lord will not reject forever. Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.
.............. Reader
The Word of the Lord.
.............. People
Thanks be to God.
REFLECTIONS
.............. General Eric Shinseki
.............. The Honorable Harry Reid
PSALM 121
chant: Walford Davis
The Cathedral Choir
I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep;
The Lord himself watches over you;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand,
So that the sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
it is he who shall keep you safe.
The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in,
from this time forth for evermore.
REFLECTION
.............. The Vice President of the United States
THE CHRISTIAN TESTAMENT
.............. .................. Revelation 21:2-7
The Honorable Colleen Hanabusa
United States Representative from Hawai'i
.............. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ``See, the home of God is among mortals. He will
dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every
tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things
have passed away.'' And the one who was seated on the throne said, ``See, I am making all things new.'' Also he
said, ``Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.'' Then he said to me, ``It is done! I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the
water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my
children.''
.............. Reader
The Word of the Lord.
.............. People
Thanks be to God.
ANTHEM
The Cathedral Choir
.............. And I saw a new heaven
Edgar Bainton (1880-1956)
.............. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared, as a
bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is
with men, and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be
their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.
..............
Revelation 21:1-4
TRIBUTE
.............. The President of the United States
The people stand to sing.
HYMN
.............. Jerusalem, my happy home
Land of Rest
Jerusalem, my happy home,
when shall I come to thee?
When shall my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?
Thy saints are crowned with glory great;
they see God face to face;
they triumph still, they still rejoice
in that most happy place.
Our Lady sings Magnificat
with tune surpassing sweet,
and blessed martyrs' harmony
doth ring in every street.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
God grant that I may see
thine endless joy, and of the same
partaker ever be!
THE HOLY GOSPEL
John 6:37-40
The Reverend Gina Gilland Campbell
Director of Worship, Washington National Cathedral
.............. Gospeller
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
.............. People
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
.............. Jesus said, ``Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive
away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the
will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last
day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life;
and I will raise them up on the last day.''
.............. Gospeller
The Gospel of the Lord
.............. People
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The people are seated at the invitation of the homilist.
HOMILY
.............. Rear Admiral Barry C. Black
.............. Chaplain to the Senate
MEDLEY
The Aloha Boys
.............. Over the Rainbow
Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
.............. What a Wonderful World
.............. .................. Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
The people stand.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
.............. Dean Hall
Let us join our prayers with those of the Church Universal saying,
each in our own language, the prayer that Jesus Christ has taught
us.
.............. All
Notre Pere, Padre nuestro, Vater unser,
..............
Our Father, who art in heaven,
..............
hallowed be thy Name,
..............
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
..............
on earth as it is in heaven.
..............
Give us this day our daily bread.
..............
And forgive us our trespasses,
..............
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
..............
And lead us not into temptation,
..............
but deliver us from evil.
..............
For thine is the kingdom,
..............
and the power, and the glory,
..............
for ever and ever. Amen.
THE PRAYERS
.............. Dean Hall
For our brother Daniel, let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who
said, ``I am Resurrection and I am Life.''
..............
Lord, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to
us who mourn for Daniel, and dry the tears of those who weep.
.............. People
Hear us, Lord.
.............. Dean Hall
You wept at the grave of Lazarus, your friend; comfort us in our
sorrow.
.............. People
Hear us, Lord.
.............. Dean Hall
You raised the dead to life; give to our brother eternal life.
.............. People
Hear us, Lord.
.............. Dean Hall
You promised paradise to the thief who repented; bring our brother
to the joys of heaven.
.............. People
Hear us, Lord.
.............. Dean Hall
Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of our brother; let our
faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope.
.............. Silence is kept.
.............. Dean Hall
God of all, we pray to you for Daniel, and for all those whom we
love but see no longer. Grant to them eternal rest. Let light
perpetual shine upon them. May his soul and the souls of all the
departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
.............. All
Amen.
ANTHEM
.............. O beautiful for spacious skies
Materna
Sung by the Cathedral Choir
O beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain,
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for heroes proved
in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved,
and mercy more than life!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
confirm thy soul in self-control,
thy liberty in law.
THE COMMENDATION
.............. Bishop Mariann
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints,
.............. All
where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life
everlasting.
.............. Bishop Mariann
You only are immortal, the creator and maker of humankind; and we
are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return.
For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, ``You are
dust, and to dust you shall return.'' All of us go down to the
dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia.
.............. All
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints,
..............
where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life
everlasting.
.............. Bishop Mariann
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant
Daniel. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own
fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming.
Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of
everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in
light.
.............. All
Amen.
THE BLESSING
.............. Bishop Mariann
The Lord bless you and keep you.
.............. People
Amen.
.............. Bishop Mariann
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
.............. People
Amen.
.............. Bishop Mariann
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
.............. People
Amen.
THE DISMISSAL
.............. Bishop Mariann
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
.............. People
Thanks be to God.
Sung by all.
HYMN
.............. Praise, my soul, the King of heaven Lauda anima
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise him for his grace and favor
to his people in distress;
praise him still the same as ever,
slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.
Fatherlike he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows.
Angels, help us to adore him;
ye behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.
ORGAN VOLUNTARY
.............. Marche Pontificale
Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)
Immediately following the service,
the Washington Ringing Society will attempt a quarter-peal in celebration of the life of Daniel Ken Inouye.
OFFICIANT
.............. The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde
.............. Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
READERS
.............. The Honorable Mazie Hirono
.............. United States Senator-elect from Hawai'i
.............. The Honorable Colleen Hanabusa
.............. United States Representative from Hawai'i
REFLECTIONS
.............. General Eric Shinseki
.............. United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
.............. The Honorable Harry Reid
.............. United States Senator from Nevada
.............. The Vice President of the United States
TRIBUTE
.............. The President of the United States
GOSPELLER
.............. The Reverend Gina Gilland Campbell
.............. Director of Worship, Washington National Cathedral
HOMILIST
.............. Rear Admiral Barry C. Black
.............. Chaplain to the Senate
INTERCESSOR
.............. The Very Reverend Gary Hall
.............. Dean, Washington National Cathedral
ARMED FORCES BODY BEARERS
.............. Premier Service Honor Guards
HONORARY PALLBEARERS
.............. The Honorable Jay Rockefeller
.............. The Honorable Dan Akaka
.............. The Honorable Patty Murray
.............. The Honorable Thad Cochran
.............. The Honorable Tom Harkin
.............. The Honorable Bob Dole
.............. The Honorable Barbara Mikulski
.............. The Honorable Frank Lautenberg
MUSICIANS
.............. The Aloha Boys
.............. Isaac Jesse Waipulani Ho'opi'i, guitar
.............. Irv Queja, bass guitar
.............. Glen Hirabayashi, ukulele
.............. Dr. Edward M. Nassor
.............. Carillonneur, Washington National Cathedral
.............. Cathedral Choir
.............. Canon Michael McCarthy
.............. Director of Music, Washington National Cathedral
.............. Christopher Betts
.............. Organist, Washington National Cathedral
.............. Benjamin Straley
.............. Assistant Organist, Washington National Cathedral
.............. Washington Ringing Society
.............. Quilla Roth, Ringing Master
General Eric Shinseki. President Obama, Vice President
Biden, President Clinton, distinguished Members of the
Congress, others who have gathered here today to honor the
legacy of Daniel K. Inouye: This morning we celebrate the
life of a well-purposed patriot. An American patriot. A
life defined by courage, by service to country, by
sacrifice for others. Soldier, Senator, Statesman. But
down deep, always a patriot of enormous resolve and
principle.
This is a compelling story of what it means to be an
American. Dan Inouye had a profound impact on so many
lives, including mine. His extraordinary accomplishments
are the stuff of legend. Battle-tested in World War II,
despite severe wounds, he prevailed in combat, recipient
of our Nation's highest award for valor, the Medal of
Honor, distinguished Senator from Hawaii, President pro
temp of the Senate.
His life also exemplified the qualities most revered by
his community: quiet humility, respect for others,
standing on principles that mattered, family, service to
community. A modest man who was assertive in doing what
was right.
When America was plunged into the crucible of World War
II, nowhere was the attack on Pearl Harbor more keenly
felt than in the Japanese American community. It's
difficult today to recall the full intensity of fear, of
confusion, of suspicion, of recrimination, even hatred
that emerged in the days and weeks and months following
that surprise attack 71 years ago. Despite the clear
injustice in evicting and relocating so many in the
Japanese community, second-generation Americans of
Japanese ancestry, the Nisei, demanded the right to defend
this country in a time of war, like other American
citizens. To our country's credit, their voices were
heard, leading to the creation of all-Nisei units,
commanded by Caucasian officers. Courage, prowess in
battle, trust in one another, and determination made these
units legendary. The 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service,
the MIS: these were not just good units, or unique because
of ethnic homogeneity. They were premier fighting units,
among the best in U.S. history. The soldiers of the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team, the ``Go for Broke,'' served with
such distinction that 21 of them were awarded the Medal of
Honor. No other regiment in U.S. history has this
distinction, given size and length of service. Their
legacy is a drumbeat of loyalty, courage, honor,
dedication, and sacrifice.
Dan Inouye served in the 442nd as an infantryman,
enlisting in 1943 at age 17. Within a year, he was
promoted to sergeant. His performance in combat led to a
battlefield commission to second lieutenant in 1944 at age
20. Less than a year later, while leading his platoon in
an attack on enemy machine gun positions, he was
grievously wounded and permanently disabled.
His actions on April 21, 1945, in San Terenzo, Italy,
were a towering example of strength, stamina, courage, and
determination, for which he received 1 of the 21 Medals of
Honor awarded to ``Go for Broke'' soldiers.
Dan Inouye and other Nisei veterans returned from war,
having achieved something monumental. Something, as we
say, larger than themselves. They sensed that they had
earned the right to take larger roles in their
communities. They also came home intolerant of views and
politics different from their own, a sentiment born of the
intolerance they had experienced following Pearl Harbor,
but they more keenly felt after the horrors they witnessed
in liberating Dachau. They understood the importance of
good citizenship, of fair play, hard work, respect for
others, and for our flag. I had relatives who, like Dan
Inouye, served in these storied units. Characteristic of
them all was rarely, if ever, speaking of what they had
done in the war. From there, my generation learned to find
virtue and humility and the nobility of hard work, the
value of family, and the confidence that we in America
could achieve anything. They taught us to hope and to
dream, and then to do something about it.
Dan Inouye's service helped remove all doubt about the
citizenship and loyalty of all Americans of Japanese
ancestry. That is the legacy that he and his generation
bequeathed to me and mine. It influenced the way I was
able to live my life. I would never have had the
opportunity to serve as the Chief of Staff of our Army had
he and the others not purchased back for me, in blood, my
birthright to compete fully, without any question of my
loyalty. This morning, I salute a friend who was more than
heroic in battle, more than strong in enduring the
terrible wounds of war, more than determined in overcoming
injustice, and more than generous in sharing his enormous
gifts with me and with others. Dan Inouye and the men of
these legendary units sacrificed so much to give us all
the opportunities we have. There is great comfort for me
in these reminders. As we often say, we all stand on the
shoulders of those who came before us. And I have had the
broadest of shoulders to stand on. Aloha, Senator. Aloha,
and mahalo. Thank you.
Senate Leader Harry Reid. Mr. President, Mr. Vice
President, lovely Irene: as the tragic events of recent
days remind us, often when death visits, it comes too
soon. A plane crash takes many from us. A baby drowns.
Cancer deprives us of a sibling or a friend. An automobile
accident steals away a child. Lives are cut short. Dreams
are denied. Often, death is so troubling, we ask, ``Why?
Why him? Why her? Why now?'' Although I wish I could
answer those questions with authority, often the ``why''
of death is a mystery.
In the case of Senator Daniel Inouye, there is no
mystery. Although there is sadness, there is no regret.
Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, verse 2, tells us, ``To
everything there is a season, a time to every purpose
under Heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die.'' It
was Daniel Inouye's time. Senator Inouye lived a full and
productive life. He was 88 years old when he died. And he
lived each of those 88 years to its fullest. He was a war
hero, a decorated soldier who left the innocence of youth
and most of his right arm, on an Italian battlefield,
where he defended his Nation's freedom, even when that
Nation questioned the loyalty of patriots who looked like
him. He was a healing hero, an example of the resilience
of the human body and human spirit, whose resolve to live
a life of service was hardened, not broken, by 21 months
recovering from his wounds in an Army hospital in
Michigan.
He was a legislative hero, a progressive Democrat who
would never hesitate to collaborate with a Republican
colleague for the good of his country. In 1968, when the
country was riven by racism and divided by war, he calmed
the Nation's nerves with an eloquent keynote address
before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Daniel Inouye advocated for the rights of all Americans,
regardless of the color of their skin or where their
parents were born or what their religion was. He was the
first chairman of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence. He served with distinction as the chairman
of the Commerce Committee and of the Appropriations
Committee. During his time as chairman of the Indian
Affairs Committee, he turned a formerly neglected
committee into a powerful voice for Native populations
across this great country. Remarkably, Dan served for more
than 34 years with his best friend, the late Republican
Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, on the Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee. Their friendship, as well as
their working relationship, stands as an example of the
remarkable things two Senators can accomplish when they
set political party aside. Together they were a formidable
force in support of this Nation's fighting men and women,
working to ensure our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines,
and guardsmen are the best-trained and best-equipped in
the world in times of peace and times of war.
Senator Inouye also served as a member of the Watergate
Committee, and as chairman of the special committee
investigating the Iran-Contra Affair. Whenever there was a
difficult job to do, whenever we needed a noble man to
lean on, we always turned to Senator Dan Inouye. So it
should come as no surprise that Danny died as he lived,
with great dignity. This is no urban legend. Dr. Monahan,
the Capitol physician, said he'd watched people die, but
never with such dignity. Irene, his lovely wife, talked
about the solemnity of the event. He shook the hands of
Chaplain Black, security officers who were there with him,
minutes before he passed away, and caressed the family who
surrounded him. He thanked the doctors, he thanked the
nurses for their care and their attention. He thanked his
security detail for their careful protection over the
years. Dan Inouye wrote notes detailing his last wishes,
minutes before he passed away, working until mere moments
before his death. He told his wife, Irene, that he would
appreciate my speaking before you today, a gesture that
touches my heart more than the words that I can express.
Then he said, ``aloha,'' and quietly joined the Lord.
He had faced death many times, especially in that awful
war that he was fighting in. He would often tell us, on
many occasions, that during his life he had just been
lucky. He always said, ``Just lucky.'' But Dan Inouye
wasn't lucky. Dan Inouye was a blessed man. He had work to
do here among us, and he stayed until that work here was
done. As we are also told in Ecclesiastes, ``There is a
time to every purpose,'' and this was Senator Inouye's
time. The 24th Psalm asks us, ``Who may ascend of the
mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?''
The question is answered, ``The one who has clean hands
and a pure heart.'' That is Daniel Inouye. A man with a
pure heart. A man with clean hands.
During the 1968 convention that I just talked about, Dan
taught the Nation that ``aloha'' means not just ``hello,''
not just ``goodbye,'' but it also means, ``I love you.''
``Aloha'' was Dan's last word on Earth. So I say to my
friend Danny: ``Aloha. I love you. Goodbye until we meet
again.''
President Bill Clinton. Irene, Ken, Mr. President, Mr.
Vice President: America has just been through some very
painful days. And Mr. President, we are all grateful for
giving voice as you have, to our agony. As Senator Reid
had said so eloquently, ``Dan Inouye lived a full, long
life.'' So it is our great honor to come here to celebrate
it.
I am grateful that so many of his colleagues from the
Senate and both parties, leaders and Members of the House
and the administration and especially the members of the
diplomatic corps, have come. Because I hope in this short
service we can capture the character and contributions of
one of the most remarkable Americans I have ever known.
It is difficult to be in politics and be courageous
without being sanctimonious. It is difficult to be a
gallant man in politics without seeming pompous. And it is
difficult to constantly reach out for common ground
without constantly wondering if you have left your
principles behind. But Dan Inouye did all this and more.
Those of us who knew him can be grateful for so many
things. For Hillary and me, he was first and foremost a
friend. An advisor. Something that both of us will cherish
forever. I thought I knew a little bit about Hawaii when I
had carried the State twice and I went back one day, and
he said, ``You haven't paid enough attention to the
Okinawans. They have a very distinct community here.'' I
said, ``Well Senator, what do you think I should do about
it?'' He said ``I know what you're going to do about it.
They're having a festival today, and you're going. In 2
hours.'' And I did.
When Hillary became a Senator, he was so helpful to her
in trying to be a responsible member of the Armed Services
Committee, because of the concern they had for our
national defense. I never will forget it. And if Dan
Inouye was your friend, he didn't care whether the sun was
shining or the storm was raging. He didn't care if you
were up or down or sideways. He was just--there. It is
almost impossible to find, now, someone who makes a life
in public service who seems, literally every day, to be
totally oblivious to whether he gets one line of press
coverage. But then, all of a sudden, when the country is
down and out, and when we're on the ropes, when we have to
be big, whether we are going through the agony of
Watergate or Iran-Contra or we have to reorganize the
intelligence services, all of these things he did--the
speech he gave at Chicago, which Harry referenced, there
were people rioting in the streets, kids getting their
heads beat in. There was Dan Inouye, telling us what we
needed to know.
I am so grateful to him for many things. I am grateful
that I had the chance to put around his neck the Medal of
Honor, which was given to him and 21 others almost 50
years too late. It meant a lot to me because, as he knew,
my Native State had two of those Japanese American
internment camps. I was grateful that he never tired of
sensing when the moment had come to say what needed to be
said.
And so, think of this: 10 years ago this spring, on the
Big Island, Senator Inouye gave a commencement speech. Not
quite 2 years after 9/11. He talked about the future of
America and the nature of American patriotism. A man who
had given so much, whose own patriotism could never be
questioned, said this, something we should all remember
and be grateful to him for:
Patriotism is defined as love and devotion to one's
country. But oftentimes it takes as much, if not more
courage to speak out against our government. It is that
love of country that compels some to speak out and oppose
actions. The ability to criticize and question our leaders
is at the essence of democracy. If we did not permit
dissenting views, and those who confront and bruise our
collective conscience, how much longer would we have had
slavery? How much longer would the Vietnam war have
dragged on? And would Japanese Americans interned during
World War II still be awaiting redress? I hope the
mistakes made and suffering imposed upon Japanese
Americans nearly 60 years ago will not be repeated against
Arab Americans, whose loyalties are now being called into
question. Their profile is being drawn to resemble what
the enemy looks like. Let us not repeat history.
He was a wise and good man. The reason he could be
courageous without being sanctimonious, the reason he
could be so generous and old-fashionedly gallant without
seeming pompous, the reason he could be friends across the
aisle and find principled compromise without sacrificing
principle is because that is who he was. A whole person,
united by his parts. They blew his arm off in World War
II. But they never laid a finger on his heart, or his
mind. That he gave to us, for 50 years. And that, every
single citizen should celebrate.
Vice President Joe Biden. Irene, Patty, Jennifer, Ken, and
Jessica: Thank you for the honor of being able to say a
few words about a great man who befriended me throughout
my whole career.
Dan Inouye. As I was listening to the others speak, I
thought about the fact that every high point and low point
in my career since I announced for the Senate as a 29-
year-old kid, your husband, your father, your brother was
there for me. From running an impossible race and coming
to Delaware, to being there when I didn't want to come to
the Senate, to actually knocking on my door and saying,
``If you're going to run for President, can I be your
national chairman?''
The impact that he has had was not just on me, but on my
family--Jill and particularly my two boys. Danny's
departure marks the end of an era. It was a generation of
men and women referred to as the Greatest Generation who
literally transformed America and helped reshape the
world. In my view, Danny may have been the most unique.
The most whole. Robert Engersoll could have been talking
about Dan Inouye when he said, ``When the will defies
fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when
honor scorns to compromise with death, that is heroism.''
Danny was a heroic figure in every aspect of his life. As
so many have referenced today, and all that has been
written about Danny since he passed, this is a man who had
to overcome prejudice against Japanese Americans just for
the right to fight for the country that he loved. In the
process of doing that, he showed such extraordinary valor
and heroism that he was awarded the Medal of Honor. I'm
here to tell you that I think his physical courage was
matched by his moral courage.
I don't know anyone else who I can say that of, in my
personal acquaintance. His physical courage was matched by
his moral courage. Danny demonstrated that neither
prejudice at home nor enemy bullets abroad could keep him
from reaching his goal, which was always about defending
his country, but even more important about making his
country a better place. Always a better place. He tackled
one of the most vexing problems at home, and the reference
was made by me yesterday in the Rotunda and made again
today, as a young kid in law school, listening to Danny's
speech at the Democratic National Convention seemed like
it was the only voice of reason that broke through this
God-awful cloud. He stood there with such absolute
confidence and certitude, in the midst of all that was
going on. Like what he had to say was just self-evident.
How could anybody doubt what he said? He was, in my 36
years in the Senate, more trusted by his colleagues than
any man or woman I ever served with.
I remember when the Church committee decided that the
intelligence community was out of control. I remember
being part of it, as a young kid, because Mike Mansfield
just brought me in to keep me engaged, I remember the
discussion was, ``Well, who the hell would head this new
committee?'' And it was--there was no discussion! It
wasn't, ``Maybe we'll have so-and-so.'' It was Danny
Inouye. No discussion to the best of my recollection.
Virtually none!
When it came time to deal with Watergate, it was that
inestimable combination of Danny Inouye, Sam Ervin, and
Howard Baker. The only person who there was no discussion
about was Dan Inouye. Same with Iran-Contra. And why? Why
was it so self-evident to every Member of the Senate that
it should be Dan Inouye? One thing: his moral courage. His
physical courage reinforced it, but that wasn't the
reason. No one ever doubted that Danny Inouye had such
integrity at his core that he would meet any obligation
thrust upon him with absolute steadiness and objectivity.
I cannot say that about anyone else, and I've served with
great women and men, some of whom are here in this
magnificent cathedral today.
It was one of the great honors of my lifetime that I got
to the Senate young enough and early enough that I could
serve with those so-called legends of the Senate, a
significant portion of whom were still there. But even
among those women and men, they all knew Danny Inouye
possessed that intangible thing that every leader longs to
possess. That is that he would never waver from what he
thought was right. Pretty astounding.
It was my pleasure just to observe, and in some small
way occasionally participate, in the 36 years I served
next to Danny. Danny's power and influence ultimately lay
in his character. As I said, he earned what every man and
woman in Congress longed for: the uncompromising respect
and admiration of his colleagues. I say to all my
colleagues here: can you think of anyone who ever
questioned Danny Inouye's integrity? Even in the midst of
the bitterness that has enveloped the Congress over the
last several years.
The interesting thing was, there are men who are
respected and had great integrity like Mike Mansfield and
others, but I know no one who was both as respected and
loved as much as Dan Inouye.
Love is a word people throw around very easily these
days. When people talked about loving Danny, they meant
it. In the way the average American thinks of love. I
doubt there's anyone here who served with Dan Inouye, if a
week before he passed away he called you and said, ``Can
you do the following for me?'' I doubt there's a single
man or woman who wouldn't have said, ``Of course, Danny. I
will.''
My mom used to have an expression. She'd say that ``What
is required to have great character--you are defined by
your courage and redeemed by your loyalty.'' No person I
ever served with or knew since I arrived here had more
physical and moral courage or ever exceeded Dan Inouye in
his loyalty to those who he respected beyond his family.
This may seem like a strange thing to say in this great
cathedral: with the exception of my father, and there are
great men and women in this chamber right now, there are
few people I've ever looked at and said, ``I wish I could
be more like that man. He's a better man than I am.''
That's how I looked at Danny and I told him so. In his
characteristic way, he told me my judgment was flawed. But
the truth of the matter is there is no one that I ever met
like Danny.
I think the highest compliment a man or woman can give
to another man or woman is to look at them and say to
their own children, ``You see that man? You see that
woman? There is not a single character trait they have
that I do not wish for you.'' Over 35 years ago, I told
that to my sons. I meant it then and I mean it now. I
guess that's why my sons called me immediately, separately
from different parts of the world, on hearing of Danny's
passing. They knew him, and most important to them, they
knew that he knew them. Think of that. How important it is
to them to be able to say, not just ``I knew Dan Inouye,''
but also ``he knew me.'' It's one of the treasures of
their lives. ``Danny Inouye knew me.'' It mattered then,
and it matters now. His passing marks the end of an era.
We've lost one of the greatest leaders of the Greatest
Generation. A man who everyone in this cathedral will
miss. A man who taught every one of us something about
ourselves that we probably didn't know before we met him.
President Barack Obama. To Irene, Ken, Jennifer, Danny's
friends and former colleagues, it is an extraordinary
honor to be here with you in this magnificent place to pay
tribute to a man who would probably be wondering what all
the fuss is about.
This Tuesday was in many ways a day like any other. The
sun rose; the sun set; the great work of our democracy
carried on. But in a fundamental sense it was different.
It was the first day in many of our lives--certainly my
own--that the Halls of the U.S. Congress were not graced
by the presence of Daniel Ken Inouye.
Danny was elected to the U.S. Senate when I was 2 years
old. He had been elected to Congress a couple of years
before I was born. He would remain my Senator until I left
Hawaii for college.
Now, even though my mother and grandparents took great
pride that they had voted for him, I confess that I wasn't
paying much attention to the U.S. Senate at the age of 4
or 5 or 6. It wasn't until I was 11 years old that I
recall even learning what a U.S. Senator was, or it
registering, at least. It was during my summer vacation
with my family--my first trip to what those of us in
Hawaii call the Mainland.
So we flew over the ocean, and with my mother, and my
grandmother, and my sister, who at the time was 2, we
traveled around the country. It was a big trip. We went to
Seattle, and we went to Disneyland--which was most
important. We traveled to Kansas where my grandmother's
family was from, and went to Chicago, and went to
Yellowstone. And we took Greyhound buses most of the time,
and we rented cars, and we would stay at local motels or
Howard Johnsons. If there was a pool at one of these
motels, even if it was just tiny, I would be very excited.
And the ice machine was exciting, and the vending machine.
I was really excited about that.
This is at a time when you didn't have 600 stations and
24 hours' worth of cartoons. So at night, if the
television was on, it was what your parents decided to
watch. My mother that summer would turn on the television
every night during this vacation and watch the Watergate
hearings. I can't say that I understood everything that
was being discussed, but I knew the issues were important.
I knew they spoke in some basic way about who we were and
who we might be as Americans.
And so, slowly, during the course of this trip, which
lasted about a month, some of this seeped into my head.
The person who fascinated me most was this man of Japanese
descent with one arm, speaking in this courtly baritone,
full of dignity and grace. Maybe he captivated my
attention because my mom explained that this was our
Senator and that he was upholding what our government was
all about. Maybe it was a boyhood fascination with the
story of how he had lost his arm in a war. But I think it
was more than that.
Now, here I was, a young boy with a white mom, a black
father, raised in Indonesia and Hawaii. And I was
beginning to sense how fitting into the world might not be
as simple as it might seem. So to see this man, this
Senator, this powerful, accomplished person who wasn't out
of central casting when it came to what you'd think a
Senator might look like at the time, and the way he
commanded the respect of an entire nation, I think it
hinted to me what might be possible in my own life.
This was a man who as a teenager stepped up to serve his
country even after his fellow Japanese Americans were
declared enemy aliens; a man who believed in America even
when its government didn't necessarily believe in him.
That meant something to me. It gave me a powerful sense--
one that I couldn't put into words--a powerful sense of
hope.
As I watched those hearings, listening to Danny ask all
those piercing questions night after night, I learned
something else. I learned how our democracy was supposed
to work, our government of and by and for the people; that
we had a system of government where nobody is above the
law, where we have an obligation to hold each other
accountable, from the average citizen to the most powerful
of leaders, because these things that we stand for, these
ideals that we hold dear are bigger than any one person,
or party, or politician.
Somehow, nobody communicated that more effectively than
Danny Inouye. You got a sense, as Joe mentioned, of just a
fundamental integrity; that he was a proud Democrat, but
most important, he was a proud American. Were it not for
those two insights planted in my head at the age of 11, in
between Disneyland and a trip to Yellowstone, I might
never have considered a career in public service. I might
not be standing here today.
I think it's fair to say that Danny Inouye was perhaps
my earliest political inspiration. And then, for me to
have the privilege of serving with him, to be elected to
the U.S. Senate and arrive, and one of my first visits is
to go to his office, and for him to greet me as a
colleague, and treat me with the same respect that he
treated everybody he met, and to sit me down and give me
advice about how the Senate worked and then regale me with
some stories about wartime and his recovery--stories full
of humor, never bitterness, never boastfulness, just
matter-of-fact--some of them I must admit a little off
color. I couldn't probably repeat them in the cathedral.
Danny once told his son his service to this country had
been for the children, or all the sons and daughters who
deserved to grow up in a nation that never questioned
their patriotism. ``This is my country,'' he said. Many of
us have fought hard for the right to say that. Obviously,
Rick Shinseki described what it meant for Japanese
Americans, but my point is that when he referred to our
sons and daughters he wasn't just talking about Japanese
Americans. He was talking about all of us. He was talking
about those who serve today who might have been excluded
in the past. He's talking about me.
That's who Danny was. For him, freedom and dignity were
not abstractions. They were values that he had bled for,
ideas he had sacrificed for, rights he understood as only
someone can who has had them threatened, had them taken
away.
The valor that earned him our Nation's highest military
decoration--a story so incredible that when you actually
read the accounts, you think this--you couldn't make this
up. It's like out of an action movie. That valor was so
rooted in a deep and abiding love of this country. He
believed, as we say in Hawaii that we're a single ohana--
that we're one family. And he devoted his life to making
that family strong.
After experiencing the horror of war himself, Danny also
felt a profound connection to those who followed. It
wasn't unusual for him to take time out of his busy
schedule to sit down with a veteran or a fellow amputee,
trading stories, telling jokes--two heroes, generations
apart, sharing an unspoken bond that was forged in battle
and tempered in peace. In no small measure because of
Danny's service, our military is, and will always remain,
the best in the world, and we recognize our sacred
obligation to give our veterans the care they deserve.
Of course, Danny didn't always take credit for the
difference he made. Ever humble, one of the only landmarks
that bear his name is a Marine Corps mess hall in Hawaii.
When someone asked him how he wanted to be remembered,
Danny said, ``I represented the people of Hawaii and this
Nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I
did okay.''
Danny, you were more than okay. You were extraordinary.
It's been mentioned that Danny ended his convention
speech in Chicago in 1968 with the word, ``aloha.'' ``To
some of you who visited us, it may have meant hello,'' he
said, ``but to others, it may have meant goodbye. Those of
us who've been privileged to live in Hawaii understand
aloha means I love you.''
As someone who has been privileged to live in Hawaii, I
know that he embodied the very best of that spirit, the
very best of aloha. It's fitting it was the last word that
Danny spoke on this Earth. He may have been saying goodbye
to us. Maybe he was saying hello to someone waiting on the
other side. But it was a final expression most of all of
his love for the family and friends that he cared so much
about, for the men and women he was honored to serve with,
for the country that held such a special place in his
heart.
So we remember a man who inspired all of us with his
courage, and moved us with his compassion, that inspired
us with his integrity, and who taught so many of us,
including a young kid growing up in Hawaii, that America
has a place for everyone.
May God bless Daniel Inouye. And may God grant us more
souls like his.
Rear Admiral Barry C. Black. Irene and family, President
Obama, Vice President Biden.
I thought that Senator Inouye was indestructible. If I
had not been honored to be at his bedside when he died, I
still would not believe that he is gone. He was generous
to the very end, for he gave me the great gift of
instructive closure.
I was with him in Alaska at Senator Stevens' memorial
service and, the President mentioned a courtly baritone.
He gave one of the most amazing tributes I had ever heard.
I made him promise that he would teach me how to speak
like that. He said, modestly, ``What do you mean,
Chaplain?'' I said, ``I want your eloquence of diction, I
want your brilliance of metaphor, I want your poetry of
imagination.'' And he smiled and dismissed my request. So
I had the opportunity of reminding him at Walter Reed that
he still had unfinished work to do with me. ``Please, I
still need your help.''
I was blessed to be able to hold his hand. I was blessed
to be able to recite the Scriptures. The last passage that
I recited before he transitioned from time into eternity
is a passage with words that have been whispered by more
people in trouble, spoken in more hospital rooms, uttered
by more dying lips, than perhaps any other words in
Scripture--the 23rd Psalm. Irene, you may remember, I was
standing behind you.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me
lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still
waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of
righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort
me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of mine
enemies, you anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
The curtain was soon drawn on the life of this great
American. I offered a prayer, and as I headed through rush
hour traffic trying to get back to the Capitol for a vigil
we were having for the Newtown, CT, atrocity, I kept
remembering the words. ``Even though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for
you are with me.'' I found myself asking in the car, ``How
was it that he was able to walk so confidently through the
valley of the shadows of death?'' I began to speculate. I
thought perhaps he could do it because he had been in that
valley before. I heard the story of the silver dollar that
saved his life. He was shot, but he had two silver dollars
in his pocket. He had been in the shadows before, walking
through. Not scurrying, not jogging, not running. With an
equanimity of temperament, he could walk through.
But I said, ``There has to be more than that.'' I
continued to drive and I thought perhaps he was able to
walk so confidently into the valley of the shadow because
he knew there was light in that valley. You can't have
shadows without light. I remembered his Prayer Breakfast
speech, only a few weeks ago. How he talked about his
faith's roots. And I knew that he had illumination in that
valley.
As the dome of the Senate came into view, it finally
dawned on me, why my friend was able to walk so
confidently through the valley of shadows. That was
because, Irene, he knew he was not alone. This was not a
solo walk. ``Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadows, I will fear no evil for you are with me.'' The
one who walked with him through that valley had promised,
in Matthew 28:20, ``Lo, I am with you always.'' He
promised in Hebrews 13:5, ``I will never leave you or
forsake you.'' He was that light in the valley, that
companion in the valley. My good friend was not alone.
He lived the way he died: with grace and dignity. When I
reflect on the serenity in which he transitioned from time
into eternity, I think of those words of William Cullen
Bryant in his immortal ``Thanatopsis'':
So live, that when your summons comes to join that
innumerable caravan, where each must choose his chamber in
the solemn halls of death, go thou not like the quarry-
slave, scourged to his dungeon at night, but, sustained
and soothed by an unfaltering trust, approach your grave,
as one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him, and
lies down to pleasant dreams.
My dear friend Antony had it right. Your life was
gentle, and the elements so mixed in you that nature could
stand up and say to all the world, ``This was a man.'' God
bless you.
Mahalo
from Dan's family
Wife
Irene Hirano Inouye
Son
Daniel Ken Inouye, Jr.
Daughter-in-law
Jessica Carroll Inouye
Granddaughter
Maggie
Stepdaughter
Jennifer Hirano
Daniel K. Inouye--A Life of Service
William McKinley High School, Graduated 1942
U.S Army 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 1943-1947
Medal of Honor
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
University of Hawai`i at Manoa, Graduated 1950
George Washington University Law School, Graduated 1952
Hawai`i Territorial House of Representatives, 1954-1958
Hawai`i Territorial Senate, 1958-1959
U.S. House of Representatives, 1959-1963
U.S. Senate, 1963-2012
President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate, 2010-2012
``I represented the people of Hawai`i
and this nation honestly
and to the best of my ability.
I think I did OK.''
``Aloha.''
December 22, 2012
5:00 p.m.
PROGRAM
--The Honorable Brian Schatz, Lt. Governor, Master of Ceremonies
--Procession
--National Anthem and Hawai`i Pono`i, SSgt. Samuel Hesch, 111th Army Band,
Hawai`i Army National Guard
--Invocation, Reverend Kordell Kekoa
--The Honorable Shan Tsutsui, Senate President
--The Honorable Calvin Say, House Speaker
--Danny Boy, Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawai`i
--The Honorable Mark Recktenwald, Chief Justice
--The Honorable Neil Abercrombie, Governor
--Hawai`i Aloha and Aloha `Oe, SSgt. Samuel Hesch, 111th Army Band, Hawai`i
Army National Guard
December 23, 2012
10:00 a.m.
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Arrival
National Anthem--25th Infantry Division Band
Hawaii Ponoi--Amy Hanaialii
Welcome--Colonel Walter Kaneakua (USAF ret),
Executive Assistant on Military Affairs,
Office of U.S. Senator Inouye
Queen's Prayer--Amy Hanaialii
Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, III
The Honorable Harry Reid, U.S. Senator
The Honorable Daniel K. Akaka, U.S. Senator
Army Song--25th Infantry Division Army Band
Brigadier General James T. Hirai (USA ret)
Ms. Jennifer Sabas, Chief of Staff,
Office of U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye
Danny Boy--Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawaii
Military Honors
Taps--The Honorable Jon Tester, U.S. Senator
Closing
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. President Obama, First
Lady Michelle, Governor Abercrombie, Vermont Senator
Patrick Leahy, now the President pro tempore of the
Senate, the most senior Member of the Senate following the
death of Danny, Members of Congress, friends all: It was
just a few days ago I spent a full hour with Senator
Inouye, in his office. Just the two of us, we talked as if
there were many tomorrows. There wouldn't be any
tomorrows; the next day, he was taken to the hospital. It
surprised us all.
He nor I had no inkling that in 8 days, he would be
gone. Our visit wasn't our first, but it would be our
last. Oh, in reflection do I cherish that hour. Just the
two of us. We were serious--some of the time. We laughed,
we discussed our youths, we discussed our service in the
Senate. I, as always when we were alone, asked him to talk
about the war. Alone, he was willing to share. Publicly,
he wasn't. Memories are made of this, memories are really
made of moments like this. And like this:
Last Thursday, I received a phone call, that Senator
Dole had asked if I would walk over to the Rotunda with
him and allow him to give his last respects to Senator
Inouye. This tall man, well over 6 feet, Bob Dole is now
in a wheelchair most of the time. He and Senator Inouye
were soldiers. Both grievously wounded a hill apart, a
week apart, in the mountains of Italy. Both were right
handed. Both, as a result of that war, lost the use of
their right arms. They spent 21 months together at an Army
hospital in Michigan. One from Kansas, one from Hawaii,
they became friends. They were there learning to live
again. As we proceeded to the Rotunda, there was a little
alcove just before you get to the Rotunda and Senator Dole
wanted to be taken to that alcove and I went there with
him. He looked up and said, ``Danny's not going to see me
in a wheelchair.'' And this man got up out of his
wheelchair, and even though he needed a little assistance,
he walked, and it wasn't a short distance, he walked to
that catafalque. That same one that the casket of Abraham
Lincoln stood on. And he wasn't satisfied just to be
there. He wanted up on that platform so that he could
reach his friend of 60 years, Dan Inouye. He got up there.
It was a little struggle, but he got up there. Soldier to
soldier, with his left hand, he saluted his soldier friend
of 60 years. There wasn't a dry eye anyplace in that
facility. It's a moment I will never forget.
As the tragic events of recent days remind us, often
when death visits, it comes too soon. An airplane crash, a
parent is taken from us in unusual circumstances, cancer
deprives us of a sibling or a friend. A baby drowns in a
swimming pool. An automobile accident steals away someone
else. Lives are cut short, dreams are denied. Often death
is troubling, and we ask, ``Why? Why him? Why her? Why
now?'' Although I wish I could answer those questions with
authority, I can't. Often the why of death is a mystery.
In the case of Senator Daniel Inouye, there is no
mystery. Although there is sadness, there is no regret. In
the Old Testament, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3,
verse 2 tells us ``To everything there is a season, a time
to every purpose under Heaven. A time to be born, and a
time to die.'' You see, this was Daniel Inouye's time. He
lived a full and productive life. He was 88 years old, and
he lived each of those 88 years to its fullest. He was a
war hero, a decorated soldier who left the innocence of
youth, and most of his right arm, on an Italian
battlefield, where he defended our Nation's freedom, even
as that Nation questioned the loyalty of patriots who
looked like him. He was a healing hero, an example of the
resilience of the human body and the human spirit, whose
resolve to live a life of service was hardened, not
broken, by those many months recovering from his wounds in
an Army hospital in Michigan.
He was really a legislative hero. To that, I can
testify. A progressive Democrat who would never hesitate
to collaborate with a Republican colleague for the good of
the country.
He was also a Hawaiian hero, a champion of this State,
its people and its natural beauty. His dedication to
building a better Hawaii was unquestionable.
Senator Inouye was often asked by children, especially
as he got older, how long it takes to become a good
Senator. This is what he said:
You can do it in 2 years. It depends on what you mean by
``good.'' There are some who feel that being good is
giving good speeches. But if you're talking about making
certain people, your constituents, get what they're
entitled to and deserve, well that's another story.
Well by that measure and any other, Danny was the best
Senator among us all.
The trust he built up over five decades in Congress paid
dividends for the people of Hawaii, and ensured that they
got all they deserved and everything to which they were
entitled. Over the course of his Senate career, Danny
steered billions of dollars to Hawaii. That wasn't a
mistake: billions of dollars to Hawaii. To improve
infrastructure, schools, military bases, and to protect
and restore Hawaii's natural beauty. As chairman of the
Senate Appropriations Committee, he was in a unique
position to ensure the Islands he loved so much were not
forgotten in the national discussion.
But it wasn't only the people of Hawaii who turned to
Dan Inouye for support. His Nation and his Senate
colleagues also relied on him. Whenever there was a
difficult job to do, whether it was defending a Senator
charged with doing something unethical, it didn't matter
what it was, whenever we needed a noble man to lean on, we
turned to Senator Dan Inouye. He was fearless. Dan once
said, ``My biggest challenge is to convince myself that on
this day, I did my best.'' I can't think of a single day
during the 30 years that I've known Senator Inouye that he
didn't give his best or do everything he could.
So it should come as no surprise that Danny died as he
lived: with great dignity. Minutes before he passed, he
shook the hands of friends and caressed family who
surrounded him. He thanked the doctors and the nurses for
their care and their attention. He thanked his security
detail for their careful protection over the years. He
wrote notes, not one, he wrote notes, detailing his last
wishes. Working until mere moments before he passed. He
told his wife, lovely Irene, that he would appreciate my
speaking before you today, a gesture that touched my heart
more than words can express. Then he said, ``Aloha,'' and
quietly joined the Lord.
He faced death many times, especially during that awful
war. He would often tell us that he had been lucky. Lucky,
his whole life. But I don't believe that Dan was lucky at
all. Dan Inouye was a blessed man. He had work to do among
us, and he stayed until that work was done. The 24th Psalm
asks us, ``Who may ascend of the mountain of the Lord? Who
may stand in His holy place?'' It answers, ``The one who
has clean hands and a pure heart.'' That's Daniel Inouye.
A man pure of heart, clean of hand.
During his 1968 speech before Chicago's Democratic
National Convention, he taught the Nation, taught all of
us, that ``aloha'' doesn't just mean ``hello,'' and it
doesn't just mean ``goodbye.'' It means, ``I love you.''
Aloha was Dan's last word on earth.
So I say to my friend in return: ``Danny, aloha. I love
you. So long, until we meet again.''
Senator Daniel K. Akaka. Aloha. Mr. President, First Lady,
all of you dignitaries gathered here today, Irene, Ken: be
strong. You carry an American hero inside of you. Standing
here in this hallowed cemetery, where so many American
heroes are laid to rest, saying goodbye to my friend, my
brother, Dan Inouye, is very difficult for me. Today, Dan
rejoins his brothers in arms. Those who left for war and
never returned. And those tenacious, like Dan, who carried
the scars of battle with them through life, but never
stopped giving back to our great Nation.
Today we remember a keiki o ka aina, a child of these
Islands, who achieved greatness. Dan Inouye became one of
the most powerful and respected lawmakers in history. His
lifetime of service is celebrated around the world. He was
a shining star of the Greatest Generation. Dan embodied
Hawaii. His love of culture and traditions was instilled
by his mother, who was adopted by a Native Hawaiian
family. As you know, we call that hanai. Dan was a
Hawaiian at heart. Dan's ``go for broke'' attitude was
noted on this Island of Oahu. A product of President
William McKinley High School, he stepped forward to defend
our country at a time that same Nation was mistreating his
fellow Japanese Americans. His heroism in battle was
celebrated with the Medal of Honor.
After the war, the GI bill helped him earn a degree from
the University of Hawaii. He went on to break so many
barriers. He opened doors and made it possible for
minorities like me, and later like President Obama and so
many others to serve at the highest levels. He shot all
the way to the top of the Senate, becoming the Senate
President pro tempore, just to make sure that the ceiling
was completely demolished. Mahalo nui loa, Dan.
I treasure the time I spent with Dan during my 36 years
in Congress. I expected him to be there long after I
retired. It is hard to believe he will no longer be seen
in a Capitol office, working for Hawaii, supporting our
troops, fighting for justice. Dan Inouye's legacy is not
only the loving family he leaves behind. It can be seen on
every part of every island in this place we call Hawaii.
Dan is a part of every community health clinic, every
national park, every airport, every harbor, every military
base, every veterans cemetery. Dan Inouye is Hawaii, and
Hawaii is Dan Inouye.
Ken, you gave him his dream of being a grandfather. We
talked about some of these when we had the chance, and
when Maggie was born, Dan joked that you, Ken, finally
figured out how to do it. She lit up his life. Some day,
Maggie will watch this service and know what a special
person her grandfather was, and how much he meant to all
of us, and how much he loved her.
Mahalo nui loa Dan, for your lifetime of service to
Hawaii and our great Nation. God bless you on your journey
after this life. My brother, aloha `oe a hui hou.
Brigadier General James T. Hirai. Mr. President, Mrs.
Obama, Irene, Ken and family, friends, Admiral and Mrs.
Locklear: Aloha. I was asked to provide a perspective on
Senator Inouye's legacy, a soldier's perspective. It is
within the broader context of his amazing life and all he
accomplished and the many ways that he made our lives
better, our Nation stronger, and more compassionate.
When I was in high school, my mother would recommend
books for me to read that included hints at her
aspirations for me as an adult. When she recommended
Senator Inouye's autobiography, ``Journey to Washington,''
she was, perhaps, hinting to me about becoming a lawyer. I
disappointed her, for not the last time, by instead being
inspired by his leadership and valor as an infantry
soldier.
In my early years in the Army, I witnessed from the very
far sideline Senator Inouye's steady progression in
importance to the State of Hawaii and to the Nation. I
also saw the Senator, as he rose in stature, remaining
loyal to his war buddies, his band of brothers. And they
to him. When he was with the boys, even as a senior
Senator, protocol was set aside. It was them and Danny. As
their ranks thinned, Senator Inouye supported the
preservation of their story, the story of the 442nd, the
100th Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service,
and their experience during the war and the post-war
period. He well understood that theirs was an American
story. An American story of overcoming obstacles and
finding success and excellence, a story that this country
should not forget.
As my Army vantage point moved me slightly closer to
more directly observing the Senator's congressional role,
I saw how Senator Inouye took his combat experiences to
heart in building a professional armed force. There is no
aspect of military readiness today that does not have the
Inouye mark. The Senator knew that our military needed and
deserved world-class combat systems as well as sustainment
and repair, realistic training, engagement with other
militaries, and capable Reserves and National Guards.
Senator Inouye, along with his colleague and friend,
Senator Ted Stevens--what a team, what a buddy team--would
enable this remarkable transformation. Take a look around
this morning. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and
coast guardsmen, active or in reserve, are certainly part
of his legacy. These men and women will be respectfully
treated when they leave service as veterans thanks to
another great team of Senators, Akaka and Inouye.
Senator Inouye had early awareness of the importance of
the Asia Pacific region and Hawaii's unique role in this
region. Through many initiatives to promote engagement
with other Asia Pacific nations in areas from business and
tourism to disaster preparedness and medicine, and with
tools such as the University of Hawaii, the East-West
Center, and the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies,
the Senator ensured that Hawaii would be well postured to
assist in the renewed national focus on this crucial part
of the world.
Senator Inouye's vision was only matched by his ability
to courageously overcome challenges. His personal courage
in the now legendary battle that earned him the Medal of
Honor is well known and will not be forgotten. Not as well
known is that he somehow endured, after that wound, a
medical evacuation by stretcher that lasted 9 hours. Also
not as well known was his experience after the war: while
still in the uniform of a U.S. Army Infantry Captain, with
his right sleeve pinned, he was denied service in a
restaurant in Honolulu. He did not accept that status quo,
and he worked to change laws and perceptions so we can
live in a nation today that is now much closer to our
constitutional ideals.
In that autobiography, Senator Inouye wrote that
opportunity awaited those who had the heart and strength
to pursue it. Through his personal example, in war and
peace, as combat soldier and statesman, he demonstrated
time and again he had the heart and strength to pursue
those sometimes-limited opportunities. What an
inspiration. In all he did as a leader in our Congress,
Senator Inouye championed opportunity without caveats. The
opportunities that await all of us today are much more
secure because of him. What an incredible legacy.
Sir: go for broke.
Jennifer Sabas. It has been my incredible privilege to
work for, and with, Senator Dan Inouye for more than 25
years. It has been an amazing living lesson on leadership.
His only instruction: to make life better for everyday
people. So simple, yet oftentimes very difficult. I had
many hours to reflect, on the long plane ride home, about
the last 6 days. I had the bittersweet honor of
accompanying Irene to bring our Senator home.
Senator Inouye left us on Monday, December 17, in the
same way in which he lived his life: in control,
peacefully calm, and, believe me, giving out instructions
until the very end. As our Leader mentioned, his last act
was to call in the medical staff at Walter Reed to thank
them for their incredible and heroic efforts. He said,
``aloha,'' and went on to a better place.
It reminded me of a story that he would often tell us
about his father taking him to Chinatown to buy a koi, or
a carp. They went to Chinatown, they picked out the fish,
they put it in a big burlap bag and returned home. Then
they put it in a big bucket of water. And the koi would
thrash and splash water all over young Dan, violently
attempting to elude capture. But once his father was able
to catch the fish and put it on the cutting board, the koi
lay very still. Our beloved Senator fought gallantly to
overcome his health challenges over these last 6 months.
He fought like a warrior. But when it was time, he went
like the koi: with discipline and dignity.
His Senate colleagues and House colleagues paid him the
greatest tribute by unanimously passing a joint resolution
on Tuesday, December 18, to allow his body to lie in state
in the Rotunda of our Nation's Capital. He is 1 of only 32
Americans to receive this high honor. His casket lay on
the wooden foundation that was made for President Abraham
Lincoln. Just think about it: this young boy from
Mo`ili`ili, who was deemed an enemy alien by his country,
went on to receive the Medal of Honor from President
Clinton and then to become the President pro tempore of
the Senate, and he lay on the same foundation made for the
President who abolished the most egregious and
reprehensible form of racial discrimination which nearly
severed our Nation.
Mr. President, your comments at the National Cathedral
were beautiful. Your comments about our generation
definitely hit a chord. Similar to you--I'm a little
younger--I was about a year old when Dan Inouye became
Hawaii's Senator. Our generation, and every generation
that has followed, has only known life with Senator
Inouye. If there was a problem: ``Let's call Senator
Dan.'' If there was an opportunity to be seized, ``Let's
call Senator Dan.'' Even if you actually didn't call, you
always knew that you could. It didn't matter if you were
rich or poor, Democrat or Republican, or from which island
you came. The people of Hawaii had Dan Inouye on speed
dial. More often than not, Dan delivered. In so many ways,
he was our security blanket. Hawaii is grieving a
monumental loss. There is sorrow, there is despair, and
there is a fear about our future without him.
I am reminded of comments that were so kindly and
personally made to Irene the day after the Senator passed
by Vice President Biden and Leader Reid. They both said
very similar things. That ``Dan encouraged me to do
things, pursue things I didn't think I could do. He was
confident in me, at times, more than I was of myself.
Then, he supported me every step of the way.'' As I
thought about it, the Senator has done exactly that for
the more than 100 men and women, many of whom are here
today, who were fortunate enough to call him simply, and
affectionately, ``Boss.'' He also infused a similar
confidence in the countless business, government, and
community leaders throughout Hawaii: that they were good
enough, they were smart enough, and tough enough to
compete and to be successful.
So I say to you, this is our turn, Hawaii. To step
forward and to demonstrate that we have been paying
attention, and we have been listening to his lifetime
lesson on leadership and humanity. Because you know he is
watching us right now. My friends, this is Dan Inouye's
legacy. It is not simply all the stuff that he delivered
for 50 years. It is also that fighting spirit, that risk-
taking confidence, ever-filled with hope that he has
infused in all of us. So let us pick up the baton that he
has laid at our feet and carry forward in his name and for
our beloved Hawaii. Aloha, Boss. A hui hou, until we meet
again.
December 23, 2012
2:00 p.m.
Harris United Methodist Church
Prelude ..............................................
Welcome/Invocation Rev. Dr. Nobuko Miyake-Stoner
The Lord's Prayer Rufino-Dan Magliba and Peter Boylan
Moments of Reflection Jeff Watanabe
............................................ Ken Inouye
............................................ Walter Dods
Musical Tribute Kaimana Hila by Holunape
Moments of Reflection Mayor Billy Kenoi and
............................................ Mayor-Elect Kirk Caldwell
............................................ Jennifer Sabas
Musical Tribute Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Holunape
Benediction Rev. Dr. Nobuko Miyake-Stoner
Postlude ..............................................
Fellowship to follow at Miyama Hall ..............................................
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
December 27, 2012
1:00 p.m.
Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium
Welcome Skylark Rossetti,
............................................ Mistress of Ceremonies
National Anthem & Hawaii Ponoi Cindy Intendencia
Ekolu Mea Nui The Honorable Malama Solomon, State Senator
Invocation Kahu Daniel ``Kaniela'' Akaka, Jr.
Testimonials Dwight Takamine, Director, Hawaii State
Department of Labor
............................................ Barry Taniguchi, CEO, KTA Super Stores
............................................ Herbert ``Monty'' Richards, Chairman, Kahua
Ranch, Ltd.
Danny Boy & Kaimana Hila Mark Yamanaka & Friends
Testimonials Kaiu Kimura, Director, Imiloa Astronomy Center
............................................ The Honorable Billy Kenoi, Mayor, County of
Hawaii
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Mark Yamanaka & Friends
Benediction Kahu Daniel ``Kaniela'' Akaka, Jr.
Closing Remarks Skylark Rossetti
December 28, 2012
5:00 p.m.
Kaua`i War Memorial Convention Center
Prelude Shirley Iha
Welcome/Processional Mattie Yoshioka
National Anthem & Hawai`i Pono`i Keola Alalem Worthington
............................................ Shelly Koerte
............................................ Joni Keamoi
............................................ DJ Yaris
Opening Remarks Dave Kane
Lord's Prayer Chipper Wichman
Amazing Grace Keola Alalem Worthington
............................................ Shelly Koerte
............................................ Joni Keamoi
............................................ DJ Yaris
Moments of Reflection Gladys Okada
............................................ Charles and Derek Kawakami
Over the Rainbow Aldrine Guerrero
Moments of Reflection Captain Nicholas Mongillo
............................................ Ron Sakoda
............................................ Mayor Bernard Carvalho
Aloha `Oe Mayor Bernard Carvalho
Benediction Dave Kane
Closing Remarks Mattie Yoshioka
............................................ ..............................................
............................................ ..............................................
December 29, 2012
10:00 a.m.
Maui Arts and Cultural Center
Castle Theater
Oli Royal Order of Kamehameha
God Bless America Uluwehi Guerrero
Welcome Tony Takitani
Prayer Kahu Kealahou Alika
Amazing Grace Uluwehi Guerrero
............................................ Gale Wisehart
............................................ Choir
Moments of Reflection Mayor Alan Arakawa
............................................ Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui
............................................ Speaker Emeritus Joe Souki
Kaimana Hila Mele: Ron Kualaau
............................................ Hula: Tori Hulali Canha
Moments of Reflection Councilmember Riki Hokama, Lanai
............................................ Chair Colette Machado, Office of Hawaiian
Affairs, Molokai & Lanai
............................................ Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto, University of
Hawaii, Maui College
Benediction Kahu Kealahou Alika
Closing Remarks Tony Takitani
Danny Boy Willie K