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Biography

-- Biographical sketch

-- Chronology

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-- University of Hawaii Endowment

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-- Personal Stories

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-- Wife Ellyn Lo Fong

-- Becoming American Video

Business & Political Endeavors

-- Senate Tribute booklet

-- Finance Factors History Video

-- Hawaii Congressional Papers

-- Senator Fong's Plantation & Gardens

Memorial

-- Funeral

---- Eulogies

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---- Newspaper tributes

---- Senator Akaka

---- President G. W. Bush

---- President G. Bush

Photo Gallery

-- Senator Fong's History

-- Friends and Family

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Foundations

Senator Hiram L. Fong

First Asian American elected to the U.S. Senate

Political Career

Hawaii Territorial Legislature 1938-1954

                        1944-1948 Serves as Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives

                        1948-1954 Serves as Speaker of the House of Representatives

In 1938, three years after returning from law school Hiram Fong became involved in local politics. As president of the newly formed Kalihi Community Club, a neighborhood improvement association, he was already active in his district. His previous campaign experience working for Mayor Fred Wright and Patrick Gleason also influenced his decision to seek public office. On August 5^th  he announced that he would run for the House of Representatives from the Fifth District. The district would have six elected House members and ran from Nuuanu Avenue to Kahuku excluding the town of Kailua . Hiram Fong ran on the slogans “Vote for a lawyer to make laws for the good of the people” and “local boy makes good.” In his first bid for public office, he drew the second largest number or votes in the district and was elected with four other Republicans and one Democrat. He continued his political career serving as Vice-Speaker and later Speaker of the Territorial House of Representatives until being defeated in the Democratic party sweep in 1954.

United States Senate   1959-1977                

In August, 1959 Hawaii became the 50^th state to join the Union . To represent the new state, elections were held for its first congressional delegation. Hiram Fong, with the urging of friends, decided to run for one of two U.S. Senate seats. His defeated opponent in that election was Frank Fasi, later to be elected Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu . The other Senator elected was Oren E. Long, a former Governor of the Territory of Hawaii . Prior to their swearing in on the Senate floor, the decision of who was to serve the longer term as Senior Senator was decided. By pulling the longer straw, Hiram Fong became the Senior Senator from Hawaii . He would be re-elected twice over opponents Thomas Gill and Cec Heftel. Senator Fong has been the only Republican to win election to the Senate seat from Hawaii and served his state for seventeen years in Washington .

Highlights of his Congressional career

Civil Rights Act of 1960, 1964, and 1968

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Immigration Reform Act of 1965

Repeal of the Emergency Detention Provisions of the Internal Security Act that allowed the US to set up relocation camps for Americans of Japanese ancestry

GI and Job Training Act

Sea Grant College Act

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Health Professions Education Act

Funding for the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii

Solar Energy Research Act of 1974

National Energy Research and Development Policy Act of 1974

Japan-US Friendship Act of 1975

Commissioner on Revision of the Federal Court Appellate System    Commission, 1975

Favorite Son candidate for President of the United States at the 1964 & 1968 GOP conventions