Daniel Akaka

Presidents Johnson and Nixon respectively introduced policies supporting Tribal self-determination.

This Country made treaties with the Indian Tribes, just as we did with a diversity of foreign nations.

From the Constitution, it is clear our Founding Fathers understood the sovereign authority of Tribal nations and their governments.

I would like to reiterate this Administration's commitment to the government-to-government relationship with tribes.

The policy of banning Native language use in schools was adopted by the Territory of Hawaii.

All of us here in this room and the Committee staff, all will have to continue to educate our colleagues here in the Congress to know as much as they can about our indigenous people.

This Government needs to continue to adjust those changes as we move along in the best interests of the people.

I think sequestration itself would have a negative impact.

Overall, these policies of assimilation failed to meet the Federal trust responsibility to Native peoples.

We have worked with you, Senator Akaka, to craft the Federal Supervisor Training Act.

You have stood firm on the issues of sequestration.

You stood firm and said, no, it is about protecting Federal employees.

It has been good leadership. It has been a great strategic plan.

I am pleased with the reforms that are underway now.

You have always believed that collective bargaining was the right way to go for Federal employees.

You have stood firm when folks have said, cut Federal employee pay. Cut their retirement. Cut their benefits.

Your advocacy on behalf of Federal employees, from your efforts to ensure fair pay and benefits to your actions to protect collective bargaining rights, will be truly missed.

I introduced the Save More Tomorrow Act, which will encourage Federal employees to add to their retirement savings.

I want to thank the two of you for your excellent work that you have been doing for our country.

I will miss all of this and the friendships and the work here, but I know you will carry it on.

At my request, I want to tell the panel, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report last week that highlighted troubling vulnerabilities in the security of radiological materials used at medical facilities across the…

We all owe a debt of gratitude to those that have made essential contributions to fighting terrorism.

I want to join all Americans in mourning the loss of the four brave and dedicated American public servants who died as a result of what we consider senseless attacks in Libya last week.

I want to commend the Departments of our witnesses for your increased efforts for protecting our Nation against terrorist attacks.

I support the President's use of his authorities to improve cybersecurity of the Nation's critical infrastructure such as the power grid.