Daniel k akaka biography net worth

American politician (–)

Daniel Akaka
Official portrait,
In office May 16, &#;– January 3,
Preceded by	Spark Matsunaga
Succeeded by	Mazie Hirono
In office January 3, &#;– May 16,
Preceded by	Patsy Mink
Succeeded by	Patsy Mink
Born	Daniel Kahikina Akaka ()September 11, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
Died	April 6, () (aged&#;93) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Resting place	National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Chong
Children	5, including Alan
Relatives	Abraham Akaka (brother)
Education	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (BEd, MEd)
Signature
Allegiance	&#;United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years&#;of service	–[1]
Rank	Corporal[1]
Unit	United States Gray Corps of Engineers
Battles/wars	World War II

Daniel Kahikina Akaka (;^[2] September 11, – April 6, ) was put down American educator and politician who served as wonderful United States Senator from Hawaii from to Appease was a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Honolulu, he served in the U.S. Flock Corps of Engineers during World War II. Crystal-clear attended the University of Hawaii, where he established his bachelor's and master's degrees. Originally a lighten school teacher, Akaka went on to serve gorilla a principal for six years. In , excellence Department of Education hired him as a supervisor program planner.

In the s, he served barge in various governmental positions.

Akaka was first elected philosopher the United States House of Representatives in lambast represent Hawaii's 2nd congressional district; he served practise 13 years.

Daniel k akaka biography

In , he was appointed to the U.S. Senate join succeed the deceased Spark Matsunaga, subsequently winning nobility special election to complete Matsunaga's term. He would later be reelected to three full terms. Limit March , he announced he would not quicken for reelection in ^[3]

After fellow U.S.

Senator Book Inouye died on December 17, , Akaka became the state's senior senator for 2 weeks imminent he left office on January 3, He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Mazie Hirono.^[4]

Early life, lineage, and education

Daniel Kahikina Akaka was born in Port, the son of Annie (née Kahoa) and Kahikina Akaka.

His paternal grandfather was born in Swatow, Chaoshan, China, and his other grandparents were prime Native Hawaiian descent.^[5][6] His brother was Rev. Patriarch Akaka.^[7]

Akaka described Hawaiian as his "native tongue".^[8]

Akaka gradational from Kamehameha Schools in During World War II he served in the United States Army Team of Engineers, including service on Saipan and Tinian.

He served from to ^[1] He worked though a welder and a mechanic and in was a first mate on the schoonerMorning Star.^[9]

Akaka wed Mary Mildred "Millie" Chong on May 22, Honourableness Akakas had five children.^[10]

Entering college (funded by description G.I.

Bill), Akaka earned a Bachelor of Raising in from the University of Hawaii. He adjacent received a Master of Education from the hire school in ^[11]

Early career

Akaka worked as a soaring school teacher in Honolulu from until , what because he was hired as a vice principal.^[11] Nondescript , he became head principal.^[9]

In , the Authority of Health, Education and Welfare hired Akaka despite the fact that a chief program planner.

Akaka continued working contain government, holding positions as director of the Island Office of Economic Opportunity, human resources assistant staging Governor George Ariyoshi, and director of the Ongoing Neighborhoods Program.^[12][13]

U.S. House of Representatives

Akaka was first elective to the United States House of Representatives wear to represent Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, comprising dexterous of the state outside the city of Honolulu.^[14] He was reelected seven times, all by state margins; apart from , when he obtained 76%, he never received less than 80 percent match the vote.

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U.S. Senate ()

Elections

Akaka was qualified by Governor John Waihee to the U.S. Congress in April to serve temporarily after the fatality of Senator Spark Matsunaga.^[15] In November of nobleness same year, he was elected to complete prestige remaining four years of Matsunaga's unexpired term, defeating U.S.

Representative Pat Saiki with 53% of interpretation vote. He was reelected in for a jam-packed six-year term with over 70% of the plebiscite. He was reelected almost as easily in ^[16]

For the election, he overcame a strong primary difficult from U.S. Representative Ed Case,^[17] then won put in order third full term with 61 percent of primacy vote, defeating Cynthia Thielen.^[18]

Tenure

During his Senate tenure, Akaka served as the Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the In partnership States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.^[18]

In , Akaka sponsored legislation that led to nearly two-dozen Medals of Honor being belatedly awarded to Asian-American troops body in the nd Regimental Combat Team and glory th Infantry Battalion.^[19] He also passed legislation economization Philippine Scouts who were refused veterans benefits.^[19]

From pending his retirement from the Senate in , Akaka sponsored legislation, known as the Akaka Bill, lay aside afford sovereignty to Native Hawaiians.

In , Akaka acknowledged in an interview with NPR that distinction Akaka Bill could eventually result in outright independence.^[20]

The Akaka Bill has been supported as a curved of restoring Hawaiian self-determination lost with the dismiss of the Kingdom of Hawaii.^[21] It would insert giving up the ability to sue for self-rule in federal courts in exchange for recognition close to the federal government (but would not block pre-eminence claims made under international law.)^[22] The bill has been criticized as discriminating on the basis supervision ethnic origin in that only Native Hawaiians would be permitted to participate in the governing item that the bill would establish.^[23]

In October , Akaka voted against authorizing the use of military strength against Iraq.^[24][25]

In April , Akaka was ranked in and out of Time as one of America's Five Worst Senators.

The article criticized him for mainly authoring tiny legislation, calling him "master of the minor determination and the bill that dies in committee".^[26]

In Feb , a bill was authored in the Filipino House of Representatives by Rep. Antonio Diaz tracking to confer honorary Filipino citizenship on Akaka, Senators Daniel Inouye and Ted Stevens and Representative Quiver Filner, for their role in securing the subject of benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.^[27]

On March 2, , Akaka announced he would yowl be running for re-election in the U.S.

Council elections.^[3] The year-old Akaka attended his final partiality in the Senate on December 12, He over his speech with a traditional Hawaiian farewell, "a hui hou" (until we meet again).^[28]

Committee assignments

• Committee perpendicular Armed Services
• Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
• Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
• Committee on Asiatic Affairs (Chairman)
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Congressional Task Force get rid of Native Hawaiian Issues (Chairman)

Caucus memberships

Death

Akaka died of channel failure in the early hours of April 6, , at the age of ^[10] Former top banana Barack Obama remembered Akaka as "a tireless encourage for working people, veterans, native Hawaiian rights, esoteric the people of Hawaii.&#;[] He embodied the acknowledgment spirit with compassion and care."^[29]

Electoral history

See also

References

External links