Scores of members of the US Congress put aside partisan fights yesterday to gather in solemn tribute to Senator Daniel Inouye, who represented Hawaii in Congress since its statehood and received the rare honour of lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
A highly decorated second World War veteran who lost an arm in battle, the Democrat, who led the powerful appropriations committee, was remembered as quiet, unassuming and genuine.
Mr Inouye (88) died on Monday. He was chairman of the appropriations committee, the second-longest-serving senator and third in the line of presidential succession as the senate's senior member.
Mr Inouye became Hawaii's first member of the US House of Representatives on August 21st, 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th state. He was elected to the senate in 1962.
He was the highest-ranking elected Asian-American official in US politics.
- (Reuters)