COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS AND CAUCUS MEMBERSHIPS

Senator Akaka is well-situated to have a direct impact on issues critical to Hawaii and the Nation. He serves on the following Senate committees:

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS At the start of the 109th Congress, Senator Daniel K. Akaka was tapped to serve as the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. In this role, he leads the Democrats in the Senate with regard to policy and services for our nation's 25 million veterans.

A strong and vocal advocate for veterans, Senator Akaka has served on the Committee on Veterans Affairs each year of his tenure since his arrival to the Senate in 1990.

As Ranking Member of the Committee, Senator Akaka is currently fighting to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and to reduce the claims backlog VA is facing. On January 14, 2005, Senator Akaka and 32 of his colleagues sent the President a letter urging him to increase VA's funding in the Administration's 2006 budget request. Veterans are seeking care at VA hospitals and clinics as never before, and Senator Akaka is working to ensure funding keeps pace with demand. In addition to health care issues, Senator Akaka is committed to assuring that VA strikes a more balanced approach between timeliness and accuracy of claims' decisions.

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES Hawaii is home to military installations from every branch of our Armed Services and enjoys an excellent relationship with the military. As a member of the Committee, Senator Akaka continues to work with the DOD to meet our nation's security interests in the Pacific and around the world.

  • Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
  • Member, Subcommittee on Strategic
  • Member, Subcommittee on Personnel
  • Member, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS The Committee's broad legislative and oversight responsibilities of the Federal government has lead to greater accountability, responsiveness, and efficiency in government. Hawaii's 58,000 Federal employees, civilian defense workers, and retirees, plus the State's 2,665 postal workers are served by the Committee. Senate oversight of national security and arms proliferation, as well as the management of U.S. nuclear export policy, rest with the Committee.

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES This post serves the Senator's longstanding commitments to safeguard our precious natural resources, ensure greater energy independence and security for Hawaii, assist the U.S. Pacific insular areas, and oversee Hawaiian home lands programs.

  • Ranking Member, Subcommittee on National Parks
  • Member, Subcommittee on Energy
  • Member, Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS Senator Akaka's seat on Indian Affairs is critical to his efforts to bolster health care, education, housing and other vital programs for indigenous peoples, including Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives, and Native Americans.

AKAKA CAUCUS MEMBERSHIPS

  • Afterschool Caucus
  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education) Caucus
  • Congressional Coalition on Adoption
  • Senate Cultural Caucus
  • Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Executive Board
  • Senate Army Caucus, Co-Chair
  • National Guard Caucus
  • Senate Anti-Meth Caucus
  • Congressional Public Service Caucus, Co-Chair
  • Congressional Biotechnology Caucus
  • Senate Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus
  • Congressional Fire Services Caucus
  • Congressional Port Security Caucus
  • Senate Caucus on Natural Hazards
  • Congressional Friends of Human Rights Monitors
  • Senate Sweetener Caucus
  • Senate Rural Health Caucus
  • Senate Tourism Caucus
  • Congressional Postal Caucus, Co-Chair