Pat Saiki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pat Saiki
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party | |
| In office March 19, 2014 – June 8, 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | David S. Chang |
| Succeeded by | Fritz Rohlfing |
| 17th Administrator of the Small Business Administration | |
| In office April 16, 1991 – January 20, 1993 |
|
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Susan Engeleiter |
| Succeeded by | Erskine Bowles |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 1st district |
|
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1991 |
|
| Preceded by | Neil Abercrombie |
| Succeeded by | Neil Abercrombie |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patricia Hatsue Fukuda
May 28, 1930 Hilo, Hawaii Territory, U.S. |
| Died | September 30, 2026 (aged 96) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Stanley Saiki |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | University of Hawaii, Manoa (BS) |
Patricia Hatsue Saiki (May 28, 1930 – September 30, 2026) was an American teacher and leader from Hilo, Hawaii. As a member of the Republican Party, she became a famous lawmaker. She served in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1991. Later, she led the Small Business Administration under President George H. W. Bush. She spent many years working to help students, schools, and families across Hawaii and the entire nation.
Contents
Early Life and Teaching Career
Patricia grew up in the town of Hilo, Hawaii. She attended Hilo High School and graduated in 1948. She loved learning and went to college at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952.
After college, she decided to become a teacher. She taught children at several schools, including Punahou and Kalani High. When her husband, Stanley Saiki, needed to complete his medical training, they moved to Toledo, Ohio. She continued teaching classes there too. Other educators saw how well she stood up for classrooms. They encouraged her to run for public office to help schools even more.
Service in the Hawaii Legislature
In 1968, she joined the Hawai`i Republican Party to help make laws. She won an election to the Hawaii State House of Representatives. She worked hard for local families. In 1974, she was elected to the Hawaii State Senate, serving until 1982.
Throughout her time as a state lawmaker, she focused on making schools better. She cared deeply about fair treatment for everyone. She also helped organize groups to make sure state workers were treated properly.
Work in the United States Congress
A special seat opened in Congress when Representative Cecil Heftel resigned. Saiki ran in that special election against Democrat Neil Abercrombie. Although she did not win that first race, she ran again in the general election against Democrat Mufi Hannemann. Saiki won that race and went straight to the nation's capital.
She made history in 1986. She became the first Republican from Hawaii elected to the House since it became a state. She won reelection in 1988 after running against Mary G. F. Bitterman, who had led the Voice of America. Along with famous leader Patsy Mink, she was one of the first women ever elected to Congress from Hawaii. For a long time, only Saiki, Charles Djou, and Senator Hiram Fong were elected Republicans representing Hawaii in Congress.
Important Laws and Projects
While serving as a Member of Congress, Saiki cared about several major projects:
- She worked hard on education policies.
- She served on special groups for higher education.
- She was careful with government money.
- She strongly supported the apology and fairness efforts for families affected by the wartime relocation during World War II.
- She voted for the Abandoned Shipwrecks Act, which protected historic sunken ships from harm by treasure hunters and damage from underwater salvage teams. President Ronald Reagan signed this idea into law.
Later Leadership Roles
In 1990, Saiki ran for the United States Senate against Daniel Akaka. She did not win, but President George H. W. Bush chose her as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. This job meant helping small shops and companies grow across America.
Later, in the 1994 election, she ran for Governor of Hawaii against Ben Cayetano and Frank Fasi. Even after that election, she remained very active in civic life. She helped the campaign of Rudy Giuliani in 2008 and supported Charles Djou in his elections. From 2014 to 2015, she served as the leader of the state Republican Party. She lived a long life dedicated to public service before passing away in Honolulu at the age of 96.
See Also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
