Pat Saiki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pat Saiki
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| Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party | |
| In office March 19, 2014 – June 8, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | David S. Chang |
| Succeeded by | Fritz Rohlfing |
| 17th Administrator of the Small Business Administration | |
| In office April 16, 1991 – January 20, 1993 |
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| 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 |
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| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Neil Abercrombie |
| Succeeded by | Neil Abercrombie |
| Member of the Hawaii Senate from the district |
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| In office 1974–1982 |
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| In office 1968–1974 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patricia Hatsue Fukuda
May 28, 1930 Hilo, Hawaii Territory, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Stanley Saiki |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | University of Hawaii, Manoa (BS) |
Patricia Hatsue Saiki (born May 28, 1930), also known as Pat Saiki, is an American politician and former teacher from Hilo, Hawaii. She was a member of the Republican Party. She served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1991. Later, she became the head of the Small Business Administration under President George H. W. Bush.
Early Life and Becoming a Teacher
Pat Saiki was born in Hilo, Hawaii, on May 28, 1930. She finished Hilo High School in 1948. She then earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1952.
After college, Saiki became a teacher. She taught at schools like Punahou, Kaimuki Intermediate, and Kalani High. She also taught in Toledo, Ohio, when she moved there with her husband, Stanley Saiki. He was studying to become a doctor.
Saiki decided to run for office after helping to start a teachers' group. Her fellow teachers encouraged her to get involved in politics. She ran for the first time in 1968.
Serving Hawaii in Government
In 1968, Saiki joined the Hawaii Republican Party. She successfully ran for a seat in the Hawaii State House of Representatives. This is where laws are made for the state.
In 1974, she moved to the Hawaii State Senate. She served her district there until 1982. In 1986, she won an election to represent Hawaii in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. She served two terms there.
Her election in 1986 was a big deal. She became the first Republican to represent Hawaii in the U.S. House since Hawaii became a state. For many years, she was the only Republican from Hawaii in the House. She was also the second woman from Hawaii to be elected to Congress.
While in Congress, Saiki cared a lot about education. She worked on groups that focused on improving higher education. Even though she believed in careful spending, she also supported a special program. This program helped Japanese Americans who were unfairly held in camps during World War II.
In 1990, she ran for the United States Senate but did not win. However, President George H. W. Bush then appointed her to lead the Small Business Administration. This agency helps small businesses grow and succeed.
Later, in 1994, she ran for Governor of Hawaii but lost. She continued to be involved in politics. She helped with presidential campaigns and other elections in Hawaii. From 2014 to 2015, she was the leader of the Republican Party in Hawaii.
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
