Daniel Akaka

Daniel Kahikina Akaka (; September 11, 1924 – April 6, 2018) was an American educator and politician who served as a United States Senator from Hawaii from 1990 to 2013. He was a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Honolulu, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He attended the University of Hawaii, where he received his bachelor's and master's degrees. Originally a high school teacher, Akaka went on to serve as a principal for six years. In 1969, the Department of Education hired him as a chief program planner. In the 1970s, he served in various governmental positions.

Akaka was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 to represent Hawaii's 2nd congressional district; he served for 13 years. In 1990, he was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed the deceased Spark Matsunaga, subsequently winning the special election to complete Matsunaga's term. He would later be reelected to three full terms. In March 2011, he announced he would not run for reelection in 2012.

After fellow U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye died on December 17, 2012, Akaka became the state's senior senator for 2 weeks until he left office on January 3, 2013. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Mazie Hirono.

Early life, family, and education

Daniel Kahikina Akaka was born in Honolulu, the son of Annie (née Kahoa) and Kahikina Akaka. His paternal grandfather was born in Shantou, Guangdong, China, and his other grandparents were of Native Hawaiian descent. His brother was Rev. Abraham Akaka.

Akaka described Hawaiian as his " native tongue".

Akaka graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1942. During World War II he served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, including service on Saipan and Tinian. He served from 1945 to 1947. He worked as a welder and a mechanic and in 1948 was a first mate on the schooner ''Morning Star''.

Akaka married Mary Mildred "Millie" Chong on May 22, 1948. The Akakas had five children. His granddaughter, Kalei Akaka, is a statewide elected official on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees (first elected in 2018).

Entering college (funded by the G.I. Bill), Akaka earned a Bachelor of Education in 1952 from the University of Hawaii. He later received a Master of Education from the same school in 1966.

Early career

Akaka worked as a high school teacher in Honolulu from 1953 until 1960, when he was hired as a vice principal. In 1963, he became head principal.

In 1969, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare hired Akaka as a chief program planner. Akaka continued working in government, holding positions as director of the Hawaii Office of Economic Opportunity, human resources assistant for Governor George Ariyoshi, and director of the Progressive Neighborhoods Program.

U.S. House of Representatives (1977-1990)

Akaka was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 to represent , comprising all of the state outside the city of Honolulu. He was reelected seven times, all by wide margins; apart from 1986, when he obtained 76%, he never received less than 80 percent of the vote.

Akaka voted for the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. The Act aimed to stimulate economic growth by significantly reducing income tax rates. It passed the House of Representatives in a 323–107 vote, the Senate via a voice vote, and it was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 13, 1981. However, Akaka voted against the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. The Act decreased federal spending and increased millitary funding. Despite his vote against it, the bill passed the House of Representatives in a 232–193 vote, the Senate via a voice vote, and it was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan the same day.

Akaka voted for the Abandoned Shipwrecks Act of 1987. The Act asserts United States title to certain abandoned shipwrecks located on or embedded in submerged lands under state jurisdiction, and transfers title to the respective state, thereby empowering states to manage these cultural and historical resources more efficiently, with the goal of preventing treasure hunters and salvagers from damaging them. President Ronald Reagan signed it into law on April 28, 1988.

U.S. Senate (1990-2013)

Elections

Akaka was appointed by Governor John Waihee to the U.S. Senate in April 1990 to serve temporarily after the death of Senator Spark Matsunaga. In November of the same year, he was elected to complete the remaining four years of Matsunaga's unexpired term, defeating U.S. Representative Pat Saiki with 53% of the vote. He was reelected in 1994 for a full six-year term with over 70% of the vote. He was reelected almost as easily in 2000.

For the 2006 election, he overcame a strong primary challenge from U.S. Representative Ed Case, then won a third full term with 61 percent of the vote, defeating Cynthia Thielen.

Tenure

During his Senate tenure, Akaka served as the Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

In 1996, Akaka sponsored legislation that led to nearly two-dozen Medals of Honor being belatedly awarded to Asian-American soldiers in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion. He also passed legislation compensating Philippine Scouts who were refused veterans benefits.

From 2000 until his retirement from the Senate in 2013, Akaka sponsored legislation, known as the Akaka Bill, to afford sovereignty to Native Hawaiians. In 2005, Akaka acknowledged in an interview with NPR that the Akaka Bill could eventually result in outright independence.

The Akaka Bill has been supported as a means of restoring Hawaiian self-determination lost with the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It would include giving up the ability to sue for sovereignty in federal courts in exchange for recognition by the federal government (but would not block sovereignty claims made under international law.) The bill has been criticized as discriminating on the basis on ethnic origin in that only Native Hawaiians would be permitted to participate in the governing entity that the bill would establish.

In October 2002, Akaka voted against authorizing the use of military force against Iraq.

In April 2006, Akaka was ranked by ''Time'' as one of America's Five Worst Senators. The article criticized him for mainly authoring minor legislation, calling him "master of the minor resolution and the bill that dies in committee".

In February 2009, a bill was authored in the Philippine House of Representatives by Rep. Antonio Diaz seeking to confer honorary Filipino citizenship on Akaka, Senators Daniel Inouye and Ted Stevens and Representative Bob Filner, for their role in securing the passage of benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.

On March 2, 2011, Akaka announced he would not be running for re-election in the 2012 U.S. Senate elections. The 88-year-old Akaka attended his final session in the Senate on December 12, 2012. He closed his speech with a traditional Hawaiian farewell, "a hui hou" (until we meet again).

Committee assignments

* Committee on Armed Services
** Subcommittee on Personnel
** Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
** Subcommittee on SeaPower
* Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
** Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
** Subcommittee on Financial Institutions
** Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment
* Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
** Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information and International Security
** Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia (Chairman)
** Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
*Committee on Indian Affairs (Chairman)
* Committee on Veterans' Affairs
*Congressional Task Force on Native Hawaiian Issues (Chairman)

Caucus memberships

*Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
*Congressional Biotechnology Caucus
*Congressional Postal Caucus (Vice Chair)
* International Conservation Caucus
*Senate Anti-Meth Caucus
*Senate Army Caucus (Co-Chair)
*Senate Sweetener Caucus (Co-Chair)
* Senate Oceans Caucus

Death

Akaka died of organ failure at a Honolulu care facility on April 6, 2018, at the age of 93. Former president Barack Obama remembered Akaka as "a tireless advocate for working people, veterans, native Hawaiian rights, and the people of Hawaii.  ..He embodied the aloha spirit with compassion and care."

Electoral history

See also

* List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akaka, Daniel
1924 births
2018 deaths
20th-century Hawaii politicians
21st-century Hawaii politicians
Akaka family
American military personnel of Chinese descent
American military personnel of Native Hawaiian descent
Members of the United States House of Representatives of Asian descent
United States senators of Asian descent
Burials at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Deaths from organ failure
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Hawaii
Democratic Party United States senators from Hawaii
Hawaii politicians of Chinese descent
Hōkūleʻa
Kamehameha Schools alumni
Members of the United States Congress of Chinese descent
Military personnel from Hawaii
Native Hawaiian politicians
Politicians from Honolulu
Schoolteachers from Hawaii
State cabinet secretaries of Hawaii
United Church of Christ members
United States Army Corps of Engineers personnel
United States Army non-commissioned officers
United States Army personnel of World War II
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni
21st-century United States senators
20th-century United States senators
20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives