Daniel K. Inouye 

LATE A SENATOR FROM 

HAWAII 

÷ 

MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND OTHER TRIBUTES 

HON. DANIEL K. INOUYE ÷ z 1924–2012 

HON. DANIEL K. INOUYE ÷ z 1924–2012 

Daniel K. Inouye 


77700.001.eps
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2013

S. DOC. 112–11 

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 

[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

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 

[ iv ] 

Page 

Proceedings in the Senate:—Continued 

Tributes by Senators—Continued 

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 

[ v ] 

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 rankVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ vi ] 

ing 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 

[ 3 ] 

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. 

[ 4 ] 

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 

[ 5 ] 

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 

[ 6 ] 

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 wellknown, 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 

[ 7 ] 

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. 

[ 8 ] 

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 

[ 9 ] 

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. 

[ 10 ] 

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 

[ 11 ] 

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. 

[ 12 ] 

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. 

[ 13 ] 

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 offhand 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 

[ 14 ] 

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. 

[ 15 ] 

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 

[ 16 ] 

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 

[ 17 ] 

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 IranVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 18 ] 

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 

[ 19 ] 

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. 

[ 20 ] 

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.’’ 

[ 21 ] 

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. 

[ 22 ] 

Over the years, so many of us have worked together on so 

many issues with DAN. I worked on bringing a state-of-theart, 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. 

[ 23 ] 

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 

[ 24 ] 

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 

[ 25 ] 

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 31⁄2 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 

[ 26 ] 

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. 

[ 27 ] 

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. 

[ 28 ] 

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. 

[ 29 ] 

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. 

[ 30 ] 

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. 

[ 31 ] 

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 deVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 32 ] 

termined 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. 

[ 33 ] 

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 

[ 34 ] 

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 

[ 35 ] 

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 

[ 36 ] 

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 

[ 37 ] 

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 

[ 38 ] 

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 

[ 39 ] 

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 

[ 40 ] 

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.’’ 

[ 41 ] 

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 

[ 42 ] 

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 

[ 43 ] 

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. 

[ 44 ] 

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 

[ 45 ] 

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 

[ 46 ] 

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 selfeffacing 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.’’ 

[ 47 ] 

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 

[ 48 ] 

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. 

[ 49 ] 

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. 

[ 50 ] 

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. 

[ 51 ] 

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, 

[ 52 ] 

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. 

[ 53 ] 

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. 

[ 54 ] 

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 hardfought 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. 

[ 55 ] 

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 NaVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 56 ] 

tion’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 

[ 57 ] 

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 selfpreservation 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. 

[ 58 ] 

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 

[ 59 ] 

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, 

[ 60 ] 

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. 

[ 61 ] 

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, HaVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 62 ] 

waii, 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. 

[ 63 ] 

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 

[ 64 ] 

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. 

[ 65 ] 

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 

[ 66 ] 

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 

[ 67 ] 

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 

[ 68 ] 

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 

[ 69 ] 

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-yearold 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. 

[ 70 ] 

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 swearin thing. He said, without thinking, ‘‘Raise your right hand 

and repeat after me.’’ Of course, Congressman INOUYE didn’t 

[ 71 ] 

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. 

[ 72 ] 

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 exVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 73 ] 

pressed 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 AsianAmerican 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 

[ 74 ] 

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. 

[ 75 ] 

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 

[ 76 ] 

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

[ 77 ] 

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?’’ 

[ 78 ] 

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. 

[ 79 ] 

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 GerVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
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mans 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. SenVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
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ators’’—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, 

[ 82 ] 

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 

[ 83 ] 

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. 

[ 84 ] 

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 

[ 85 ] 

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 GeneraVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
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tion, 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. . . . 

[ 87 ] 

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 

[ 88 ] 

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 

[ 89 ] 

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 giVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 90 ] 

ants 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. 

[ 91 ] 

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. 

[ 92 ] 

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 

[ 93 ] 

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. 

[ 94 ] 

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 

[ 95 ] 

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 

[ 96 ] 

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. 

[ 97 ] 

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. 

[ 98 ] 

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. 

[ 99 ] 

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 

[ 100 ] 

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 

[ 101 ] 

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 examVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00109 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 102 ] 

ple 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 

[ 103 ] 

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. 

[ 104 ] 

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 

[ 105 ] 

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 ConVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00113 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
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gressman 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. 

[ 107 ] 

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 

[ 108 ] 

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 

[ 109 ] 

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. 

[ 110 ] 

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 

[ 111 ] 

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 infanVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00119 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 112 ] 

try 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 

[ 113 ] 

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. 

[ 115 ] 

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. 

[ 116 ] 

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. 

[ 117 ] 

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. 

[ 118 ] 

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 

[ 119 ] 

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 

[ 120 ] 

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 famVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00128 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 121 ] 

ily 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 AsianAmerican veterans of World War II for their actions during the war: Now, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That— 

[ 122 ] 

(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 

[ 123 ] 

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. 

[ 124 ] 

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 

[ 125 ] 

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 

[ 126 ] 

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 

[ 127 ] 

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. 

[ 128 ] 

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. 

[ 129 ] 

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 

[ 130 ] 

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 

[ 131 ] 

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 

[ 132 ] 

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. 

[ 133 ] 

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 

[ 134 ] 

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. 

[ 135 ] 

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. 

[ 136 ] 

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 

[ 137 ] 

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. 

[ 138 ] 

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. 

[ 139 ] 


77700.004.eps
[ 140 ] 

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. 


77700.016.eps 77700.006.eps 77700.006.eps
[ 141 ] 

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 


77700.006.eps
[ 143 ] 

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


77700.003.eps
[ 144 ] 

UNITED STATES SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

1924–2012 


77700.016.eps 77700.004.eps
[ 145 ] 

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, 

[ 146 ] 

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. 

[ 147 ] 

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 

[ 148 ] 

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, 

[ 149 ] 

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 Pe`re, 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. 

[ 150 ] 

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, 

[ 151 ] 

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: 

[ 152 ] 

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 

[ 153 ] 

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 

[ 154 ] 

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 

[ 155 ] 

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. 

[ 156 ] 

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 

[ 157 ] 

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 

[ 158 ] 

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. 

[ 159 ] 

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-yearold 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 

[ 160 ] 

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! 

[ 161 ] 

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 

[ 162 ] 

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 

[ 163 ] 

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. 

[ 164 ] 

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 

[ 165 ] 

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 

[ 166 ] 

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 

[ 167 ] 

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. 

[ 169 ] 


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[ 170 ] 

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 


77700.008.eps
[ 171 ] 

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 


77700.008.eps 77700.008.eps
[ 172 ] 

‘‘I represented the people of Hawai‘i 

and this nation honestly 

and to the best of my ability. 

I think I did OK.’’ 

‘‘Aloha.’’ 


77700.007.eps
[ 173 ] 

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 


77700.002.eps
[ 174 ] 

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 

[ 175 ] 

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 

[ 176 ] 

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 beauVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:14 Nov 27, 2013 Jkt 077700 PO 00000 Frm 00184 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\INOUYE\77700.TXT KAYNE
[ 177 ] 

ty. 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 

[ 178 ] 

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. 

[ 179 ] 

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 

[ 180 ] 

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 

[ 181 ] 

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. 

[ 182 ] 

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. 

[ 183 ] 

December 23, 2012 

2:00 p.m. 

Harris United Methodist Church 

Prelude 

Welcome/Invocation Rev. Dr. Nobuko MiyakeStoner 

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 MiyakeStoner 

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. 

[ 184 ] 

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 

[ 185 ] 

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‘ı ̄

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 

[ 186 ] 

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 

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