Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 5, 1 May 2018 — SENATOR'S PASSING [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SENATOR'S PASSING

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Senate. In a statement, he said, "Miehelle - and I celebrate the life and service of our ffiend, Senator Daniel Akaka. He was a tireless advocate for working people, vet-

erans, native Hawaiian rights and the people of Hawai'i." As chairman of the Veterans Affairs committee, Akaka was instrumental in increasing heahh care funding for soldiers returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, expanding education benefits under the G.I. Bill and getting long overdue compensation to Filipino veterans who fought for the United States during World War II. His

eall for a review of Distinguished Service Cross medals awarded to Asian Americans led to 22 members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team being awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor, the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye among them. Akaka was an educator before he was a poliīieian, at one point teaching music at Kamehameha Schools, recalled his former student, KS Kāpalama study hall supervisor Moana Akana: "He was so 'olu'olu and kind to us. He never raised his voice, nor did he scold us. We learned a lot of church songs that he grew up with at Kawaiaha'o Church and also Hawaiian songs." Her family also belonged to Kawaiaha'o Church and Akana recalls that when her parents died on the same day, Akaka reached out with a phone eall and attended the burial. "We were so happy and joyful that he took the time to

eome and comfort my family," she said. Last year, Akaka published his memoir One Voice: My Life, Times and Hopes for Hawai'i, written with Jim Borg. The forward is penned by former U.S. Vice President A1 Gore, Akaka's 1976 freshman classmate in the U.S. House, who wrote: "In the House, and later in the Senate, Danny worked quietly, steadfastly, and effectively - usually behind the scenes - showing respect for even his most stubborn rivals and, in turn, winning their deep admiration. He didn't grandstand on the floor, a rare quality in Washington even then, but he kept his word and was willing to compromise to make our country a better plaee. Danny 's low-key Hawaiian style - soft spoken, humble, unfailingly polite - won him admiration and respect, and stands in stark contrast to the bitter, partisan atmosphere that permeates Capitol Hill today." In addition to his wife Millie, the late senator is survived by four sons and one daughter, 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grand-children. ■

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