Patricia Saiki, pioneering Hawaii lawmaker, dies at 96

Patricia Saiki, a pioneering lawmaker and the first Republican elected to represent Hawaii in the U.S. Congress after statehood, has passed away at the age of 96. She died peacefully at her home in Honolulu on Wednesday, September 30.

Saiki’s political career spanned several decades. She served in the Hawaii State House from 1968 to 1974 and in the State Senate until 1982. In 1986, she became the first Republican and second woman elected to represent Hawaii in the U.S. House of Representatives. During her federal service, she was instrumental in passing legislation for financial reparations for Japanese Americans and immigrants detained in internment camps during World War II. She was also noted for her support of women’s reproductive freedoms and her ability to work across party lines.

Following her congressional terms, Saiki was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to lead the U.S. Small Business Administration, a role she held until 1993. Earlier in her career, she was credited with helping form the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

In honor of her legacy, Governor Josh Green has ordered that the United States and Hawaii state flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol, state offices, and National Guard facilities from sunrise on October 2 through sunrise on October 5.