ANCHORAGE, Alaska >> U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski bid farewell to her colleague and friend, the retiring Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii.

In a speech on the U.S. Senate floor Thursday, Murkowski said she wanted to tell Akaka “mahalo” from the bottom of her heart. 

Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, praised Akaka’s willingness to work across party lines. She said his bipartisan approach and willingness to work toward success will be missed by her and many of their Senate colleagues.

Akaka, a Democrat, is retiring after 22 years in the Senate.