[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1932-H1934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF CONCURRENT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PRINTING OF ``ASIAN 
              AND PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICANS IN CONGRESS''

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2001, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, in celebration of Asian Pacific American 
Heritage Month, I proudly rise to introduce a concurrent resolution 
authorizing the printing of a book entitled ``Asian and Pacific 
Islander Americans in Congress.''
  Each year during the month of May, we celebrate the rich heritage of 
Asian and Pacific Islander Americans throughout the country, thanks to 
the pioneering efforts of Congressmen Frank Horton and Norman Mineta, 
who sponsored legislation celebrating the first official Asian Pacific 
American Week in 1978. In 1992, Congressman Horton authored legislation 
expanding the week into a permanent month-long celebration of the proud 
mosaic of histories and ethnicities of this most diverse national 
community.
  Asian and Pacific Islanders are indeed a diverse constellation of 
peoples from 40 major subpopulation groups of Pacific Islander 
Americans including Chamorros, Native Hawaiians and Samoans; Southeast 
Asian Americans such as Cambodians, Vietnamese, Hmongs and Laotians; 
East Asian Americans including Chinese, Japanese and Koreans; and South 
Asian Americans, including Indians and Pakistanis. Our national 
community boasts the most diverse minority group within the country, 
comprised of both immigrant and indigenous populations.
  The history of Congress includes 33 Asian and Pacific Islander 
Americans that have served from 1903 to the present. These Members come 
from backgrounds ranging from Chinese, Chamorro, Filipino, Asian 
Indian, Japanese, Korean, Hawaiian, and Samoan. Thirteen of these 
Members were Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands during 
the time it was a territory from 1898 until it became independent in 
1946. Currently, there are nine Members serving in the 107th Congress. 
Amongst them are two Senators, two delegates, and five Representatives.
  Delegate Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, a Native Hawaiian prince and 
Member of the Hawaiian royal family, was the first Pacific Islander 
American elected to Congress. Delegate Kuhio represented the Territory 
of Hawaii from 1903 to 1923.
  Hawaii, not surprisingly being the State with the highest per capita 
population of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, has a history of 
many other firsts in Congress. Senator Hiram Fong was the first Chinese 
American in Congress. Representative Patsy Mink was the first Asian 
Pacific American woman in Congress. Senator Daniel K. Inouye is the 
first Japanese American and has served in Congress since being elected 
in 1959 after statehood for Hawaii. Senator Daniel K. Akaka is the 
first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
  Amongst the other firsts, Representative Dalip Signh Saund of 
California was the first Asian American U.S. Representative from 1957 
to 1963. Guam's first Delegate to Congress, Antonio Borja Won Pat, was 
the first Chamorro elected in 1973. Delegate Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia, 
the first American Samoan in Congress, was elected in 1981. And 
Representative Jay Kim was the first Korean American elected to the 
103rd Congress.

[[Page H1933]]

                              {time}  1245

  Benito Y Tuason Legarda and Pablo Ocampo were the first Filipinos 
elected as resident commissioners in the 60th Congress in 1907. Members 
also served in a variety of occupations before working in Congress. 
Seven were educators. Eight held law degrees or practiced law, and two 
had been judges. Others had won State and local elections before 
serving in Congress. Nine members have military experience, some such 
as Brigadier General Ben Blaz earning a Bronze Medal and Captain Daniel 
K. Inouye, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton 
last year.
  Some became great statesmen after serving in Congress, such as 
Brigadier General Carlos Pena Romulo who served with distinction as 
aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur. He was a Pulitzer Prize 
winner, one of the signatories of the U.N. Charter and President of the 
U.N. General Assembly from 1949 to 1950.
  Asian and Pacific Islander American members have also chaired several 
congressional committees. In the Senate, Senator Inouye chaired the 
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Secret Military Assistance to 
Iran and Nicaragua Opposition Select Committee, and Senate Committee on 
Indian Affairs.
  In the House, Representative Norm Mineta chaired the House Public 
Works and Transportation Committee. Mineta later went on to be the 
first Asian American member of a Presidential Cabinet, who was 
appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as Secretary of Commerce. 
He was tapped again this year by President George Bush to serve as 
Secretary of Transportation.
  As a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, one 
of our goals is to educate other Members and the country about the 
history and contributions of Asian Pacific Islander Americans.
  This concurrent resolution authorizing the printing of this book will 
enable us to meet this goal.
  I include in the Record a list of Members of Congress from the Asian 
Pacific Islander community at the end of my remarks.
  This concurrent resolution authorizing the printing of this book will 
not only enable us to meet that goal but also educate the general 
public on the diversity that exists in Congress. ``Asian and Pacific 
Islander Americans in Congress'' will follow in the same tradition as 
``Hispanic Americans in Congress'', ``Black Americans in Congress'', 
and ``Women in Congress.''
  It is not surprising that the top leaders of our great nation have 
recognized the importance of Asian and Pacific Islander American 
contributors. President Jimmy Carter was the first to proclaim Asian 
Pacific American Heritage Week in May 1978. Two years later, President 
George Bush was the first to issue a proclamation celebrating Asian 
Pacific American Heritage Month on May 7, 1990. Since then, President 
Bill Clinton has continued the tradition, proclaiming the celebration 
of Asian Pacific American Heritage during the Month of May. Clinton 
also issued an Executive Order establishing a White House Initiative on 
and Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to urge my 
colleagues and President George W. Bush to continue and share in the 
tradition of celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander American culture 
and history, and to recognize the significant contributions they have 
made to the growth of our great nation. Finally, I look forward to 
working with the Bush administration to continue the progress of the 
White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

         TABLE 1.--ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN MEMBERS AND DELEGATES IN THE 58TH-107TH CONGRESSES (1903-2003)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Congress                 Dates                  House                            Senate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
58th-67th........................    1903-1923  Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole\1\      --
68th-84th........................    1923-1957  --                               --
85th.............................    1957-1959  Dalip Singh Saund                --
86th.............................    1959-1961  Daniel Ken Inouye                Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Dalip Singh Saund
87th.............................    1961-1963  Daniel Ken Inouye                Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Dalip Singh Saund
88th.............................    1963-1965  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                                                 Daniel Ken Inouye.
89th.............................    1965-1967  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink              Daniel Ken Inouye.
90th.............................    1967-1969  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink              Daniel Ken Inouye.
91st.............................    1969-1971  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink              Daniel Ken Inouye.
92nd.............................    1971-1973  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink              Daniel Ken Inouye.
93rd.............................    1973-1975  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink              Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Antonio Borja Won Pat
94th.............................    1975-1977  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga         Hiram Leong Fong.
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta             Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Antonio Borja Won Pat
95th.............................    1977-1979  Daniel Kahikina Akaka            Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa.
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta             Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Antonio Borja Won Pat            Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
96th.............................    1979-1981  Daniel Kahikina Akaka            Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui              Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta             Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
                                                Antonio Borja Won Pat
97th.............................    1981-1983  Daniel Kahikina Akaka            Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui              Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta             Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
                                                Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia
                                                Antonio Borja Won Pat
98th.............................    1983-1985  Daniel Kahikina Akaka            Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui              Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta
                                                Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia
                                                Antonio Borja Won Pat
99th.............................    1985-1987  Daniel Kahikina Akaka            Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Ben Garrido Blaz                 Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta
                                                Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia
100th............................    1987-1989  Daniel Kahikina Akaka            Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Ben Garrido Blaz                 Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta
                                                Patricia Fukuda Saiki
                                                Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia\2\
101st............................    1989-1991  Ben Garrido Blaz                 Daniel Kahikina Akaka.\3\
                                                Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui              Spark Masayuki Matsunaga.
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Patricia Fukuda Saiki
102nd............................    1991-1993  Ben Garrido Blaz                 Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
                                                Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink

[[Page H1934]]

 
103rd............................    1995-1997  Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
                                                Jay C. Kim                       Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta\2\
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Robert C. Scott
                                                Robert Anacletus Underwood
104th............................    1995-1997  Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
                                                Jay C. Kim                       Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Norman Yoshio Mineta\4\
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Robert C. Scott
                                                Robert Anacletus Underwood
105th............................    1997-1999  Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
                                                Jay C. Kim                       Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Robert C. Scott
                                                Robert Anacletus Underwood
106th............................    1999-2001  Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui              Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Robert C. Scott
                                                Robert Anacletus Underwood
                                                David Wu
107th............................    2001-2003  Eni F.H. Faleomavaega            Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
                                                Michael M. Honda                 Daniel Ken Inouye.
                                                Robert Takeo Matsui
                                                Patsy Takemoto Mink
                                                Robert C. Scott
                                                Robert Anacletus Underwood
                                                David Wu
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Del. Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole died on January 7, 1922.
\2\ Del. Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia resigned on September 6, 1988.
\3\ Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka also served in the House in the 101st Congress until May 15, 1990. However, he
  appointed was to the Senate and was sworn on May 16, 1990, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator
  Spark Masayuki Matsunaga on April 15, 1990. Subsequently, he was elected to the Senate in November 1990.
\4\ Rep. Norman Yoshio Mineta resigned on October 10, 1995.


 TABLE 4.--RESIDENT COMMISSIONERS FROM THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 60th-79th
                          CONGRESSES 1907-1946)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Congress              Dates          Resident commissioners
------------------------------------------------------------------------
60th......................    1907-1909  Benito Y Tuason Legarda.\1\
                                         Pablo Ocampo.\1\
61st......................    1909-1911  Benito Y Tuason Legarda.\1\
                                         Pablo Ocampo.\1\
                                         Manuel Luis Quezon.\3\
62nd......................    1911-1913  Benito Y Tuason Legarda.
                                         Manuel Luis Quezon.
63rd......................    1913-1915  Manuel Luis Quezon.
                                         Manuel Earnshaw.
64th......................    1915-1917  Manuel Luis Quezon.\4\
                                         Manuel Earnshaw.
65th......................    1917-1919  Jaime Carlos de Veyra.
                                         Teodoro Rafael Yangco.
66th......................    1919-1921  Jaime Carlos de Veyra.
                                         Teodoro Rafael Yangco.\5\
                                         Isauro Gabaldon.\6\
67th......................    1921-1923  Jaime Carlos de Veyra.
                                         Isauro Gabaldon.
68th......................    1923-1925  Isauro Gabaldon.
                                         Pedro Guevara.
69th......................    1925-1927  Isauro Gabaldon.
                                         Pedro Guevara.
70th......................    1927-1929  Isauro Gabaldon.\7\
                                         Pedro Guevara.
71st......................    1929-1931  Pedro Guevara.
                                         Camilo Osias.
72nd......................    1931-1933  Pedro Guevara.
                                         Camilo Osias.
73rd......................    1933-1935  Pedro Guevara.
                                         Camilo Osias.
74th......................    1935-1937  Pedro Guevara.\8\
                                         Francisco Afan Delgado.\8\
                                         Quintin Paredes.\9\
75th......................    1937-1939  Quintin Paredes.\10\
                                         Joaquin Miguel Elizalde.\11\
76th......................    1939-1941  Joaquin Miguel Elizalde.
77th......................    1941-1943  Joaquin Miguel Elizalde.
78th......................    1943-1945  Joaquin Miguel Elizalde.\12\
                                         Carlos Pena Romulo.\13\
79th......................    1945-1947  Carlos Pena Romulo.\14\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Elected November 22, 1907, for a term of two years, granted the
  privileges of the floor of the House of Representatives, with the
  right of debate, February 4, 1908.
\2\ Term expired November 22, 1909.
\3\ Elected for a term of two years beginning November 23, 1909.
\4\ Resigned October 15, 1916, vacancy throughout the remainder of 64th
  Congress.
\5\ Term expired March 3, 1920.
\6\ Elected for a term of three years beginning March 4, 1920.
\7\ Resigned July 16, 1928, having been nominated for election to the
  Philippine House of Representatives, vacancy throughout the remainder
  of the 70th Congress.
\8\ When the new government of the Commonwealth of the Philippine
  Islands was inaugurated, the terms of office of the Resident
  Commissioners of the Philippine Islands expired. Both resident
  Commissioners served until February 14, 1936, when a selected
  successor qualified (48 Stat. 456). Under this law, the number of
  Resident Commissioners was reduced from two to one.
\9\ Appointed December 21, 1935, to fill vacancy caused by the
  expiration of the terms of Pedro Guevara and Francisco A. Delgado, due
  to the new form of government, and took his seat on February 14, 1936.
\10\ Resigned September 29, 1938.
\11\ Appointed September 29, 1938, to fill vacancy caused by resignation
  of Quintin Paredes; service began on January 3, 1939, upon convening
  of 76th Congress.
\12\ Resigned August 9, 1944.
\13\ Appointed to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Joaquin M.
  Elizalde, and succeeded him on August 21, 1944.
\14\ Office of Resident Commissioner terminated on July 4, 1946.
 
Note.--The Philippine Islands were part of territory ceded to the United
  States by Spain under the Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898. The
  Act of July 1902 granted the Philippine Islands the right to elect two
  Resident Commissioners to the United States. In 1935, the Philippine
  Islands became the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the number of
  Resident Commissioners was reduced from two to one. In 1946, the
  Philippines became fully independent, and the office of the Resident
  Commissioner was terminated.

  

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