He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 to represent Hawaii's Second Congressional District. He won seven consecutive elections by wide margins.
Akaka was appointed to the Senate in April 1990 to serve temporarily in place of the late 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. He was re-elected in 1994 for a full six-year term, and, with over 70 percent of the popular vote, again in 2000.
As of 2002-2003, he serves on the Select Committee on Ethics, and the following Senate committees:
Armed Services,
Energy and Natural Resources,
Governmental Affairs (GAC),
Veterans' Affairs,
Indian Affairs.
He is married to Mary Mildred Chong; they have 5 children, 14 grandchildren, and one great grandson.
The Akaka Bill is the common name applied to legislation proposed in the United States Congress between 2000 and the present that seeks to achieve for Native Hawaiians the same federal recognition and right to self-governance that most Native American tribes possess.
It takes its common name from U.S. Senator DanielK. Akaka, D-HI, a Native Hawaiian who is the chief proponent of the legislation.
The Akaka Bill enjoys the strong support of Hawaii's all-Democratic congressional delegation, as well as that of Republican Governor Linda Lingle, who has made its passage one of her priorities.
DanielK. Inouye was born in Honolulu and lives there.
DanielK. Akaka was born in Honolulu and lives there.
Akaka was a public school teacher, a principal, and Hawaii Department of Education program specialist for 18 years before he became director of the Hawaii Office of Economic Opportunity in 1971.
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