Daniel Akaka

Daniel Akaka
Daniel Akaka

United States Senator

from Hawaii
In office
May 16, 1990 January 3, 2013
Preceded by

Spark Matsunaga

Succeeded by

Mazie Hirono

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives

from Hawaii's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 1977 May 16, 1990
Preceded by

Patsy Mink

Succeeded by

Patsy Mink
Personal details

Born

Daniel Kahikina Akaka

September 11, 1924
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

Political party

Democratic Party

Spouse(s)

Mary Mildred Chong

Children

Alma mater

University of Hawaii, Manoa

Religion

Congregationalist

Signature
Military service
Allegiance
Service/branch
Years of service

United States
United States Army
19451947

Daniel Akaka

2
Rank
Corporal
Unit

Corps of Engineers

Battles/wars

World War II

Daniel Kahikina Akaka (/kk/;[1] born September 11, 1924) is an American politician who was a United States
Senator from Hawaii from 1990 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Akaka is the first U.S. Senator of
Native Hawaiian ancestry.[2]
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, he went on to
serve as a principal for six years. In 1969, he was hired by the Department of Education as a chief program planner.
In the 1970s, he served in various governmental positions. He was first elected to the United States House of
Representatives in 1976 to represent Hawaii's Second Congressional District, and he served for 13 years. In 1990, he
was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed the deceased Spark Matsunaga. Akaka would later be re-elected to three
full terms. In March 2011, he announced that he would not run for re-election in 2012. After fellow senator Daniel
Inouye died on December 17, 2012, Akaka became the state's senior senator, and remained so briefly until he left
office on January 3, 2013.

Early life, education, and teaching career

Akaka was born in Honolulu, the son of Annie (ne Kahoa) and Kahikina Akaka. His paternal grandfather was born
in China, and his other grandparents were of Native Hawaiian descent.[3] His brother was Rev. Abraham Akaka. He
served from 1945 to 1947. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including service
on Saipan and Tinian. He worked as a welder and a mechanic and spent his final months of the war as a first mate on
the vessel Morning Star.
Entering college (funded by the G.I. Bill), he 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. He worked as a high school teacher in
Honolulu from 1953 until 1960, when he was then hired as a vice principal. In 1963, he became head principal.

Early political career

In 1969, he was hired by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare as a chief program planner. Akaka then
continued working in government, holding positions as director of the Hawaii Office of Economic Opportunity,
human resources assistant for state Governor George Ariyoshi, and director of the Progressive Neighborhoods
Program.
Akaka was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 to represent Hawaii's 2nd
congressional district, comprising all of the state outside the inner ring of Honolulu. He was reelected seven times,
all by wide margins.

Daniel Akaka

U.S. Senate
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, and
sworn into office on May 16, 1990. In November of the same year, he was
elected to complete the remaining four years of Matsunaga's unexpired term,
defeating Congresswoman Pat Saiki with 53 percent of the vote. He was
re-elected in 1994 for a full six-year term with over 70% of the popular vote.
He was reelected almost as easily in 2000. For the 2006 election, he overcame
Akaka at Senate youth program
a strong primary challenge from Congressman Ed Case, then won a third full
term with 61 percent of the vote. Akaka was one of two senators in the 112th
Congress who were elected to the Senate multiple times after being appointed.

Tenure
Since 2000, Akaka has 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:
Akaka: It (the Akaka Bill) creates a government-to-government relationship with the United States.
NPR: Democratic Senator Dan Akaka, himself a native, wants Congress to let Hawaiians re-establish their
national identity. He says his bill would give them a kind of legal parity with tribal governments on the
mainland, but he says this sovereignty could eventually go further, perhaps even leading to outright
independence.
Akaka: That could be. As far as what's going to happen at the other end, I'm leaving it up to my grandchildren
and great-grandchildren."
The Akaka Bill has been supported as a means of restoring Hawaiian self-determination lost with the 1893
overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and 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 April 2006, he was selected 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".[4]
During Akaka's tenure as Senator (all but 16 days), the other Senator from Hawaii was Daniel Inouye. Despite
almost three decades' difference in Senate tenure, the two Daniels were born just four days apart. Akaka is married to
Mary Mildred "Millie" Chong; they have five children (four sons and a daughter), 14 grandchildren, and four
great-grandchildren.
Like Inouye and 21 other Senators, Akaka voted against authorization of the use of military force against Iraq.[5]
In February 2009, a bill was filed 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. He
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).[6]

Daniel Akaka

Akaka returned to the Senate on December 27, 2012 to introduce the new junior senator, Brian Schatz, who had the
previous day been appointed senator in place of the recently deceased Daniel Inouye.

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

Electoral history
United States Senate special election, 1990: Hawaii
Party

Candidate

Votes

Democratic Daniel Akaka (inc.) 188,901 53.72

Republican Pat Saiki

155,978 44.35

Libertarian Ken Schoolland

Majority

6,788

1.93

32,923

9.36

Turnout 351,666

Daniel Akaka

[7]

United States Senate election, 1994: Hawaii

Party

Candidate

Votes

Democratic Daniel Akaka (inc.) 256,189 71.8%

Republican Maria Hustace

86,320 24.2%

Libertarian Richard Rowland

14,393

4.0%

Majority
Turnout
Democratic hold

Swing

[8]

United States Senate election, 2000: Hawaii

Party

Candidate

Votes

Democratic

Daniel Akaka (inc.) 251,215 77.7%

Republican

John Carroll

84,701 24.5%

Natural Law Lauri A. Clegg

4,220

1.2%

Libertarian

3,127

0.9%

2,360

0.7%

Lloyd Jeffrey Mallan

Constitution David Porter

United States Senate Democratic primary election, 2006: Hawaii

Majority
Candidate

[9] Percentage
Votes

Daniel Akaka 129,158

54.2%

Ed Case

45.0%

107,163

United States Senate election, 2006: Hawaii

Party

Candidate

Votes

Democratic Daniel Akaka (inc.) 210,330 61.4 -11.5

Republican Cynthia Thielen
Libertarian Lloyd Mallan
Majority

126,097 36.8 +12.3

6,415

84,233 24.6

Turnout 342,842
Democratic hold

1.9

Swing

+1.0

Daniel Akaka

References
[1] AP pronunciation guide (http:/ / www. docstoc. com/ docs/ 17699842/ AP-PRONUNCIATION-GUIDE/ )
[2] About Senator Akaka (http:/ / akaka. senate. gov/ public/ index. cfm?FuseAction=Akaka. Home) Daniel Kahikina Akaka, U.S. Senator of
Hawaii
[3] Genealogy (http:/ / freepages. genealogy. rootsweb. ancestry. com/ ~battle/ senators/ akaka. htm) from ancestry.com
[4] Massimo Calabresi and Perry Bacon, Jr., "Daniel Akaka: Master of the Minor" (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ nation/ article/
0,8599,1183980,00. html), Time Magazine, April 24, 2006, page 30.
[5] U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote (http:/ / senate. gov/ legislative/ LIS/ roll_call_lists/ roll_call_vote_cfm.
cfm?congress=107& session=2& vote=00237)
[6] Sen. Daniel Akaka says 'a hui hou' to Congress (http:/ / www. khon2. com/ news/ local/ story/ Sen-Daniel-Akaka-says-a-hui-hou-to-Congress/
6ymRwwfpAU-wxHwpwBA5HA. cspx). KHON-TV, 2012-12-12.
[7] http:/ / hawaii. gov/ elections/ results/ 1994/ 94gen. pdf
[8] http:/ / clerk. house. gov/ member_info/ electionInfo/ 2000/ 2000Stat. htm
[9] Primary Election 2006 - State of Hawaii - Statewide (http:/ / hawaii. gov/ elections/ results/ 2006/ primary/ pdf/ histatewide. pdf)

External links
Biography (http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=a000069) at the Biographical Directory
of the United States Congress
Profile (http://www.votesmart.org/candidate/53286) at Project Vote Smart
Financial information (federal office) (http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?&
tabIndex=1&candidateCommitteeId=S0HI00084) at the Federal Election Commission
United States House of Representatives
Precededby
Patsy Mink

MemberoftheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives
from Hawaii's 2nd congressional district
May 16, 1990 January 3, 2013

Succeededby
Patsy Mink

United States Senate

Precededby
Spark Matsunaga

U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Hawaii

19902013
Served alongside: Daniel Inouye, Brian Schatz

Succeededby
Mazie Hirono

Precededby
Larry Craig

Chairperson of the Senate Veterans' Affairs

Committee
20072011

Succeededby
Patty Murray

Precededby
Byron Dorgan

Chairperson of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee

20112013

Succeededby
Maria
Cantwell
Designate

Party political offices

Precededby
Spark Matsunaga

Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Hawaii

(Class 1)
1990, 1994, 2000, 2006

Succeededby
Mazie Hirono

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Daniel Akaka Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=580745737 Contributors: 1.21 jigwatts, 172, A Stop at Willoughby, AMittelman, Aaaccc, Academic Challenger, Acalamari,
Aesco77, Akwdb, Alfredsp39, All Hallow's Wraith, Americus55, Anna Roy, Anomalocaris, Anyo Niminus, Asarelah, Astuishin, Athaenara, Bdb484, Bgwhite, Billso, Biruitorul, Bjones,
BorgHunter, Bridge Partner, CRock692, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Canuckian89, Caracas1830, Catapult, Cgingold, Chairlunchdinner, Chargarther, Connormah, Cool Hand Luke, Cosmic
Latte, CrazyLegsKC, CreatureKawa, Cresix, D6, DLJessup, Darth Kalwejt, Db099221, Dcmacnut, Deflective, Designate, Dhwani1989, Downtown dan seattle, Dr who1975, Drilnoth, Drmies,
DuKot, Duffy2032, Dunstvangeet, EATC, Elendil's Heir, Eliyak, Ellsworth, Empire2000, Enredados, Esprqii, Everyking, Fdewaele, Finlay McWalter, Flatterworld, Folksong, GageSkidmore,
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IAmVendetta, Iamwisesun, Iman2464, Isaac Crumm, J3ff, JForget, Jack Cox, James Kemp, Jamo58, Japanese Searobin, Jbruin152, JereKrischel, Jerzeykydd, Jerzy, Jetman, Jiang, John
Broughton, John K, Jonathan.s.kt, Joseph Solis in Australia, Jsnruf, Jun Nijo, Jvcdude, Kalathalan, Kaneshirojj, KeithH, Kinneyboy90, Kiwidude, Klemen Kocjancic, Kowloonese, Kransky,
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Mannyburn13, Matjlav, Michael Devore, Mindspillage, Minesweeper, MinuteHand, Minutiaman, ModRocker86, Monegasque, Moodyfloydwhofan, Mr Beale, Mr. Gowens, Mtstroud,
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Rodchen, Rougher07, Rrius, SMasters, Savidan, Seaphoto, Shem, Shumanka, Smm650, SoCalSuperEagle, Synthe, Tabanger, The wub, TheCatalyst31, Therequiembellishere, Thinking of
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Nexoth, WhisperToMe, Wikster72, Willhsmit, Wisl, Wmahan, Wulf Isebrand, Xyzzyva, Zzedar, 138 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Daniel Akaka official photo.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Daniel_Akaka_official_photo.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Tktru
File:Daniel Akaka Signature.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Daniel_Akaka_Signature.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Daniel Akaka
File:Flag of the United States.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Anomie
File:United States Department of the Army Seal.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:United_States_Department_of_the_Army_Seal.svg License: Public Domain
Contributors: U.S. Dept. of Defense
File:US Army WWII CPL.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:US_Army_WWII_CPL.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Keenan Tims, derived from works by
and
File:Daniel Akaka at senate youth program.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Daniel_Akaka_at_senate_youth_program.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors:
Bukk, Javierme, Tom, Vsk

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