2006-05-25 Akaka Fact Check

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No speech given today

On Monday May 8, Senator Lamar Alexander gave a speech urging his colleagues to oppose the Akaka bill, citing the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report as a good reason for opposing it.

On Monday, May 8 Senator Akaka responded to Senator Alexander's speech.

Senator Akaka promised to give a speech every day the Senate is in session to explain why his bill should be passed.

I will be coming to the floor to talk about my bill every day until we begin debate on the bill. I will use every day to talk about what my bill does and does not do, and to respond to the outright mistruths that have been spread about the legislation. I will use every day to help share Hawai'i's history with my colleagues as the opponents to this legislation have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the tragedies of Hawaii's history in a manner that suits them for the purposes of opposing this legislation. - Senator Akaka, May 8, 2006

But today, May 25, 2006, although debate has not begun on S.147, Senator Akaka failed yet again to give such a speech.

Thursday, May 25 was very busy. The Senate has been debating the comprehensive immigration reform bill for about two weeks, with many amendments being considered. A cloture petition was filed and passed. Today was the final day for amendments and debate on that bill.

Nevertheless, there was time during numerous quorum calls when nobody was speaking, and also at the endof the day. Senator Akaka could have stepped up, but chose not to.

For example, Senator Jeff Sessions (R,AL) took time to congratulate the American Idol winner (a TV program), who is from Alabama.

Perhaps Senator Akaka is out of ideas, or has finally been mollified by the promise of a cloture vote after the Memorial Day recess.

If Senator Akaka speaks on the issue again, we will provide more fact checking of what he says.