Daniel K. Inouye, the third most senior member of the U.S. Senate, is known for his distinguished record as a legislative leader, and as a World War II combat veteran who earned the nation's highest award for military valor, the Medal of Honor.

Although he was thrust into the limelight in the 1970s as a member of the Watergate Committee and in 1987 as Chairman of the Iran-Contra Committee, he has also quietly made his mark as a respected legislator able to work in a bipartisan fashion to enact meaningful legislation.

As Chairman and formally as Co-Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Inouye has been able to address important issues, such as aviation and maritime transportation and the requisite security related to both, that are crucial for Hawaii, given its location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  Hawaii is unable to depend on freight trucks and trains the way mainland states can, Senator Inouye notes.  The Senator has also focused extensively on communications issues and ocean policy.

As Chairman and formally as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Inouye has been able to focus on defense matters that strengthen national security, and enhance the quality of life for military personnel and their families. This reflects his hope for a more secure world, and his desire to provide the best possible assistance to the men and women who put their lives at risk to protect the United States.

Senator Inouye has also championed the interests of Hawaii's people throughout his career. He was instrumental in engineering the restoration and return of Kahoolawe, the island that had been used for target practice by the U.S. military, to the State of Hawaii. He continues to press for the passage of legislation that would establish a process by which Hawaii's indigenous people would be able to form their own sovereign government.

Senator Inouye also continues to push for improved education and healthcare for all children, additional jobs for Hawaii's economy, health and human services in rural communities, affordable housing, and the protection of the nation's natural resources. He was instrumental in setting the groundwork for the National Park Service's acquisition of approximately 115,000 acres of the Kahuku Ranch in Kau to expand the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The initiative is key to protecting rare and endangered bird and mammal species found in the varied habitats of Kahuku Ranch.

Senator Inouye was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962 and is now serving his eighth consecutive term. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, he was elected the first Congressman from the new state, and was re-elected to a full term in 1960.