Daniel Akaka | |
|---|---|
李硕 | |
 Official portrait, 2006 | |
| United States Senator fromHawaii | |
| In office May 16, 1990 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Spark Matsunaga |
| Succeeded by | Mazie Hirono |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromHawaii's2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – May 16, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Patsy Mink |
| Succeeded by | Patsy Mink |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Daniel Kahikina Akaka (1924-09-11)September 11, 1924 |
| Died | April 6, 2018(2018-04-06) (aged 93) |
| Resting place | National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary Chong |
| Children | 5, includingAlan |
| Relatives | Abraham Akaka (brother) |
| Education | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (BEd,MEd) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1945–1947[1] |
| Rank |  Corporal[1] |
| Unit | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Daniel Akaka introduces the Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act Recorded May 7, 1992 | |
| Daniel Akaka | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 李硕 | ||||||
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Daniel Kahikina Akaka (/əˈkɑːkə/;[2] September 11, 1924 – April 6, 2018) was an American educator and politician who served as aUnited States Senator fromHawaii from 1990 to 2013. He was a member of theDemocratic Party.
Born inHonolulu, he served in theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers duringWorld War II. He attended theUniversity of Hawaiʻi, 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, theDepartment of Education hired him as a chief program planner. In the 1970s, he served in various governmental positions.
Akaka was first elected to theUnited States House of Representatives in 1976 to representHawaii's 2nd congressional district; he served for 13 years. In 1990, he was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed the deceasedSpark Matsunaga, subsequently winning thespecial election to complete Matsunaga's term. He would later be reelected to three full terms. During his Senate tenure, Akaka served as the Chair of theUnited States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and theUnited States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Akaka sponsored legislation that led to nearly two dozenMedals of Honor being belatedly awarded to Asian-American soldiers in the442nd Regimental Combat Team and the100th Infantry Battalion. In addition, he passed legislation compensatingPhilippine Scouts who were refused veterans benefits. Akaka also sponsored a bill that would have affordedsovereignty toNative Hawaiians. He did not seek reelection in2012.
Daniel Kahikina Akaka was born inHonolulu, the son of Annie (née Kahoa) and Kahikina Akaka. His paternal grandfather was born inShantou, Guangdong, China, and his other grandparents were ofNative Hawaiian descent.[3][4] His brother wasRev. Abraham Akaka.[5]
Akaka describedHawaiian as his "native tongue".[6]
Akaka graduated fromKamehameha Schools in 1942. DuringWorld War II he served in theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers, including service onSaipan andTinian. He served from 1945 to 1947.[1] He worked as a welder and a mechanic and in 1948 was a first mate on theschoonerMorning Star.[7]
Entering college (funded by theG.I. Bill), Akaka earned aBachelor of Education in 1952 from the University of Hawaiʻi. He later received aMaster of Education from the same school in 1966.[8]
Akaka worked as a high school teacher in Honolulu from 1953 until 1960, when he was hired as a vice principal.[8] In 1963, he became head principal.[7]
In 1969, theDepartment 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 GovernorGeorge Ariyoshi, and director of the Progressive Neighborhoods Program.[9][10]
Akaka was first elected to theUnited States House of Representatives in 1976 to representHawaii's 2nd congressional district, comprising all of the state outside the city of Honolulu.[11] 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.[citation needed]
Akaka voted for theEconomic Recovery Tax Act of 1981.[12] The Act aimed to stimulate economic growth by significantly reducingincome tax rates. It passed the House of Representatives in a 323–107 vote, the Senate via avoice vote, and it was signed into law by PresidentRonald Reagan on August 13, 1981.[12][13] However, Akaka voted against theOmnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981.[14] The Act decreased federal spending and increased military 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.[15]
Akaka voted for theAbandoned Shipwrecks Act of 1987.[16] 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 preventingtreasure hunters and salvagers from damaging them. PresidentRonald Reagan signed it into law on April 28, 1988.[17]
Akaka was appointed by GovernorJohn Waihee to the U.S. Senate in April 1990 to serve temporarily after the death of SenatorSpark Matsunaga.[18] In November of the same year, he waselected to complete the remaining four years of Matsunaga's unexpired term, defeating U.S. RepresentativePat Saiki with 53% of the vote. He was reelected in1994 for a full six-year term with over 70% of the vote. He was reelected almost as easily in2000.[19]
For the2006 election, he overcame a strong primary challenge from U.S. RepresentativeEd Case,[20] then won a third full term with 61 percent of the vote, defeatingCynthia Thielen.[21]
During his Senate tenure, Akaka served as the Chair of theUnited States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and theUnited States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.[21]
In 1996, Akaka sponsored legislation that led to nearly two dozenMedals of Honor being belatedly awarded to Asian-American soldiers in the442nd Regimental Combat Team and the100th Infantry Battalion.[22] He also passed legislation compensatingPhilippine Scouts who were refused veterans benefits.[22]
From 2000 until his retirement from the Senate in 2013, Akaka sponsored legislation, known as theAkaka Bill, to affordsovereignty toNative Hawaiians. In 2005, Akaka acknowledged in an interview with NPR that the Akaka Bill could eventually result in outright independence.[23]
The Akaka Bill has been supported as a means of restoring Hawaiianself-determination lost with the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.[24] 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.)[25] 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.[26]
In October 2002, Akaka voted against authorizing theuse of military force against Iraq.[27][28]
In April 2006, Akaka was ranked byTime 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".[29]
In February 2009, a bill was authored in thePhilippine House of Representatives by Rep.Antonio Diaz seeking to confer honoraryFilipino citizenship on Akaka, SenatorsDaniel Inouye andTed Stevens and RepresentativeBob Filner, for their role in securing the passage ofbenefits for Filipino World War II veterans.[30]
On March 2, 2011, Akaka announced he would seek re-election in 2012.[31]
After fellow U.S. SenatorDaniel Inouye of Hawaii died on December 17, 2012, Akaka "took to the Senate floor to speak of Inouye's legacy. He called him 'the man who changed the islands forever.' 'It is very difficult for me to rise today with a heavy heart and bid aloha to my good friend, colleague and brother Dan Inouye', he said. 'It is hard for me to believe the terrible news I received is true. Sen. Inouye was a true patriot and an American hero in every sense'".[32]
Following Inouye's death, Akaka became the state'ssenior senator for two weeks until he left office on January 3, 2013. He was succeeded by fellow DemocratMazie Hirono.[33]
Akaka married Mary Mildred "Millie" Chong on May 22, 1948. The Akakas had five children.[34] His granddaughter, Kalei Akaka, has served as a statewide elected official on theOffice of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees (first elected in 2018).[35]
Akaka died oforgan failure at a Honolulu care facility on April 6, 2018, at the age of 93.[34] Former presidentBarack 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."[36]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Akaka | 188,901 | 53.72 | ||
| Republican | Pat Saiki | 155,978 | 44.35 | ||
| Libertarian | Ken Schoolland | 6,788 | 1.93 | ||
| Majority | 32,923 | 9.36 | |||
| Turnout | 351,666 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Akaka (incumbent) | 256,189 | 71.8% | ||
| Republican | Maria Hustace | 86,320 | 24.2% | ||
| Libertarian | Richard Rowland | 14,393 | 4.0% | ||
| Majority | |||||
| Turnout | |||||
| Democratichold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Akaka (incumbent) | 251,215 | 77.7% | ||
| Republican | John Carroll | 84,701 | 24.5% | ||
| Natural Law | Lauri A. Clegg | 4,220 | 1.2% | ||
| Libertarian | Lloyd Jeffrey Mallan | 3,127 | 0.9% | ||
| Constitution | David Porter | 2,360 | 0.7% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Akaka (incumbent) | 210,330 | 61.4 | −11.5 | |
| Republican | Cynthia Thielen | 126,097 | 36.8 | +12.3 | |
| Libertarian | Lloyd Mallan | 6,415 | 1.9 | +1.0 | |
| Majority | 84,233 | 24.6 | |||
| Turnout | 342,842 | ||||
| Democratichold | Swing | ||||
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| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromHawaii's 2nd congressional district 1977–1990 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator from Hawaii (Class 1) 1990,1994,2000,2006 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Hawaii 1990–2013 Served alongside:Dan Inouye,Brian Schatz | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theSenate Veterans' Affairs Committee 2005–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theSenate Veterans' Affairs Committee 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theSenate Indian Affairs Committee 2011–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Territorial delegate (1899–1959) |  | ||||
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| One at-large seat (1959–1963) | |||||
| Two at-large seats (1963–1971) |
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| Districts (1971–present) |
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Chairs of theUnited States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs | ||
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| Full Committee (1820–1947) |  | |
| Select Committee (1977–1993) | ||
| Full Committee (1993–) | ||
Chairs of theUnited States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
