Congressional Record—Senate S2475
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April 26, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2475 The girls who have returned have Guard. He was one the first cosponsors fore the United States attacked that coun- told of the deplorable abuses Boko to support my National Guard Em- try, he warned the Senate: Haram fighters made them suffer. powerment Act and give the Guard the ‘‘If we pursue our current path, we will No one should be subject to the de- representation that it deserved. He will have a war lacking in many things essential to achieving complete success. It will be a pravity of an organization that doesn’t also be remembered for fighting to war without broad international support, value human life, let alone young girls have the valor and sacrifice of Asian- without sufficient planning for post-conflict simply trying to get an education. American soldiers in World War II rec- reconstruction and stability, without a defi- Unfortunately, since 2012, Boko ognized, sponsoring legislation that nite exit time and strategy, and without a Haram has conducted a violent cam- awarded long overdue Medals of Honor firm price tag. paign of mass kidnappings of women, to those who had been discriminated ‘‘Moreover,’’ he continued, ‘‘it will be a girls, and boys in Nigeria, Cameroon, against because of their race. war with serious ramifications for our long- Chad, and Niger. Hawaiians were lucky to have him as term readiness capabilities for homeland se- curity and for managing other crises.’’ Boko Haram remains one of the dead- a champion in the Senate, and I was A steadfast liberal on most issues, he was liest terrorist groups in the world, kill- lucky to have him as a friend. known as a champion of federal workers, ing more than 13,000 people since 2013. I ask unanimous consent that the complaining that his Senate colleagues too The United Nations High Commis- New York Times article ‘‘Daniel often denigrated them and cheerfully froze sioner for Refugees says almost 2.5 mil- Akaka, Former Democratic Senator their pay. lion people in Nigeria, Cameroon, From Hawaii, Dies At 93’’ be printed in He chaired a Senate subcommittee on the Chad, and Niger have been displaced— the RECORD. federal work force and was the chief sponsor that is forced from their homes—be- There being no objection, the mate- of the 2012 Whistleblower Protection Act, rial was ordered to be printed in the which provided safeguards against retalia- cause of Boko Haram’s brutality. tion to federal workers who report waste, And the terror continues. RECORD, as follows: fraud and abuse. Just in February, Boko Haram mili- [From the New York Times, Apr. 6, 2018] Daniel Kahikina Akaka was born in Hono- tants stormed the town of Dapchi in DANIEL AKAKA, FORMER DEMOCRATIC lulu on Sept. 11, 1924, the youngest of eight Nigeria and abducted 111 girls and 1 SENATOR FROM HAWAII, DIES AT 93 children. His father was of Chinese and Ha- boy. (By Adam Clymer) waiian descent; his mother was Hawaiian. He Thankfully, most of those children Former Senator Daniel K. Akaka, a Demo- attended public schools. have been returned to their families, crat who represented Hawaii for 36 years in After service with the Army Corps of Engi- Congress and successfully fought for the be- neers, he graduated from the University of but, heartbreakingly, some died during Hawaii in 1952 with a degree in education and their ordeal, and one girl still remains lated recognition of Asians and Asian-Ameri- cans who had fought for the United States in taught music, social studies and math in ele- a hostage. World War II, died on Friday in Honolulu. He mentary, middle and high schools. He later The New York Times recently ran a was 93. became a school principal and earned a mas- stirring front page piece about some of Jon Yoshimura, the senator’s former com- ter’s degree. the Chibok girls who have been freed. I munications director, confirmed the death, After Hawaii was admitted into the union applaud the extraordinary bravery of saying Mr. Akaka had been hospitalized for in 1959, he was an official in the state’s De- those survivors, who have come for- several months, The Associated Press re- partment of Education and was named direc- tor of the Hawaii Office of Economic Oppor- ward to share their stories and experi- ported. A World War II veteran, Mr. Akaka spon- tunity, an antipoverty program. ences at great risk to themselves. sored legislation in 1996 that led to a re-eval- Mr. Akaka was first elected to the House The courage and strength of the girls uation of the service records of Asian-Ameri- in 1976 and easily re-elected afterward. In who are still being held captive to re- cans who had fought in the 442nd Regimental 1990 he was appointed to fill a Senate va- main resilient in the face of unspeak- Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Bat- cancy caused by the death of Spark Matsu- able brutality is deeply moving. talion during the war. naga. He was elected that fall and re-elected As a testament to their fortitude, let As a result, almost two dozen Medals of in 1994, 2000 and 2006. He announced in March us all recommit ourselves to ending Honor, the military’s highest award, were ul- 2011 that he would not run again in 2012. discrimination and violence against timately bestowed belatedly, some post- Mr. Akaka, who lived in Honolulu, is sur- humously, on Asian-American veterans, vived by his wife, Mary Mildred Chong, women and girls, to ensuring the safety most of them of Japanese heritage. Only one whom he married in 1948; a daughter, and welfare of women and girls, to pur- had been awarded during the war itself. Millannie Akaka Mattson; four sons, Daniel suing policies that guarantee girls edu- After a White House awards-presentation Jr., Gerard, Alan and Nicholas; and many cation, and to the release of the re- ceremony led by President Bill Clinton in grandchildren and great-grandchildren. maining Boko Haram captives. 2000, Senator Akaka said the medals had dis- While he was never known as a key law- Thank you. pelled apparent wartime discrimination maker, Mr. Akaka was familiar to watchers against Asian-American military personnel. of C-Span: his name came first whenever the f The most prominent recipient was Senator Senate roll was called and, in his early REMEMBERING DAN AKAKA Daniel K. Inouye, Mr. Akaka’s much better- years, he relished presiding over that body, a known colleague—and Hawaii’s senior sen- duty many of his colleagues regarded as tedi- Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ator—for 22 years in the Senate. Mr. Inouye, ous. would like to take a moment to recog- who died in 2012, had lost his right arm while In 1992, the Senate presented him with its nize the life and achievements of Dan serving with the 442nd in Europe. Golden Gavel Award for presiding for at least Akaka, a veteran, educator, U.S. Sen- Senator Akaka also successfully pursued 100 hours. ator, and most importantly, a dear legislation that provided onetime compensa- ‘‘I really was proud of being able to chair friend of mine. Dan passed away re- tion for members of the Phillipine Scouts, an the Senate floor over the years and really American-led unit of mostly Filipino and looked forward to it,’’ he said in a 2011 inter- cently after 93 years of life imbued Filipino-American recruits who fought with the aloha spirit, and I have been view for this obituary. alongside United States troops but did not Even in his final years, he left instructions reflecting on his legacy of quiet but ef- qualify for Veterans Administration bene- with the Democratic cloakroom that he fective work in the Senate. fits. would preside in a pinch, saying, ‘‘Any time Dan Akaka was a tireless advocate And he secured a formal apology for the you can’t find somebody, call me.’’ United States’s role in the overthrow of for indigenous people. As I was working f on the 2013 reauthorization of the Vio- Queen Lili’uokalani of Hawaii in 1893 as well lence Against Women Act, his coopera- as a transfer of land that the federal govern- REMEMBERING HESTER ment had taken. GOODENOUGH CALDWELL tion and persistence as chairman of the But he failed in repeated legislative efforts Indian Affairs Committee helped in- to have native Hawaiians recognized as an Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I clude important provisions to protect indigenous people so that they might receive want to take a moment to remember a Native-American women from violence. federal benefits similar to those provided to Vermonter who, with seemingly bound- He also worked hard to support vital American Indians and natives of Alaska. less energy and enthusiasm, devoted programs that provided education, During his Senate years Mr. Akaka had her life to her family, her students, her stints as chairman of its Committee on Vet- friends, and her community. Hester healthcare, housing, and other basic erans Affairs and of its Committee on Indian services for Tribes across the country. Affairs. ‘‘Hep’’ Caldwell, who died on April 10, A World War II veteran himself, Dan Mr. Akaka was an outspoken critic of the 2018, will be forever remembered and was a strong supporter of the National war in Iraq. On March 17, 2003, three days be- admired for a life well lived. VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:59 Apr 27, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A26AP6.052 S26APPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S2476 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 26, 2018 Hep, who lived to be 89, was one of have to wade into the swamp mud to remove There being no objection, the mate- those people who just about everybody the water-cress that had infested the pond’s rial was ordered to be printed in the liked immediately.