[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2493-H2495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING AND HONORING CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIAN AMERICANS TO ECONOMIC
INNOVATION AND SOCIETY GENERALLY
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 227) recognizing and honoring the
contributions of Indian Americans to economic innovation and society
generally.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 227
Whereas the United States is deeply enriched by its Indian
American residents;
Whereas the Indian American community and the graduates of
the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in the United
States have made valuable and significant contributions to
society in every profession and discipline; and
Whereas IIT graduates are highly committed and dedicated to
research, innovation, and promotion of trade and
international cooperation between India and the United
States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the valuable and significant contributions
of Indian Americans to American society;
(2) honors the economic innovation attributable to
graduates of the Indian Institutes of Technology; and
(3) urges all Americans to recognize the contributions of
Indian Americans and have a greater appreciation of the role
Indian Americans have played in helping to advance and enrich
American society.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
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The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).
General Leave
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 227, which I
introduced to recognize the contributions to our Nation of Indian
Americans, and specifically the graduates of the Indian Institutes of
Technology.
After winning independence in 1947, India began building a democratic
nation to provide its citizens with equal opportunities.
{time} 1530
One of the successes of the new nation was the Indian Institute of
Technology, or IIT, which was established in Kharagpur in May, 1950.
Today there are seven IIT campuses across India. IITs have become
synonymous with excellence in technology and engineering education.
Since the inception of IIT, thousands of graduates have sought and
achieved the highest levels of professional successes in the United
States and indeed throughout the world. IIT graduates are estimated to
have stimulated the creation of over 150,000 jobs in the U.S. Most
Silicon Valley firms have at least one IIT graduate among their top
executives. In my district in Northern Virginia, we literally have
dozens of IIT executives running their own companies, producing
thousands of jobs. Almost all IIT alumni attribute their success to the
rigorous educational foundation they received at IIT.
Mr. Speaker, the U.S. has attracted more IIT graduates than any other
country because we remain on the cutting edge of the science and
technology fields. In recognition of IIT graduates' contributions to
our Nation, the second Global IIT Alumni Conference will be held in
nearby Bethesda, Maryland from May 20 through 22. The conference will
attract over 1,500 attendees from all over the United States and around
the world.
Mr. Speaker I am pleased that the House is recognizing the
achievements of Indian Americans and IIT graduates in helping to make
the United States the global leader it is. Indian Americans are
wonderful ambassadors of their homeland, and they strengthen the strong
friendship between India and the United States, the two largest
democratic nations in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognition of
the important contributions made by Indian Americans and IIT graduates
to our national economy. I thank the House India Caucus and all the
cosponsors for their support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that we acknowledge from time to time
our individual histories and what makes us unique. I believe that it is
our differences that make our Nation strong. Therefore, I am very happy
to join the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), the distinguished
chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, in support of H.
Res. 227, recognizing and honoring the contributions of Indian
Americans to economic innovation and to society generally.
According to a 2000 census, the Indian American population stands at
over 1.6 million. This represents a 106 percent increase over the 1990
census figures. In fact, Indian Americans are the largest-growing Asian
American community in the United States.
In addition to being a growing community within our society, the
Indian American population also is a wonderful contributor to our
Nation's well-being. The Indian American median family income is
$60,093, which is significantly higher than the national median family
income of $38,885. This high-income level is not only an example of
their determination and hard work, but it is also a testament to the
strong regard they hold for education. More than 87 percent of Indian
Americans have completed high school, while at least 62 percent have
completed some college. The value that members of the Indian American
community place on education allows them and helps them to succeed in
this country and to become positive role models and economic forces for
all of us.
As our Nation struggles to teach the value of education to our young,
I strongly believe that we should hold in high regard the Indian
American community's commitment to higher education. It is indeed
inspirational. So once again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for his leadership on this
issue and reiterate my strong support for H. Res. 227.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal).
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of what I think is
a very appropriate resolution.
I am very proud to be the son of Indian immigrants to this country.
Though born and raised in Louisiana, I am very proud of their
background. Certainly I think not only my parents but the interior
Indian American community is a great example of living the American
dream. And so many stories have been told, and there are so many
wonderful examples.
Certainly we can talk in terms of numbers. We can talk in terms of
the IIT graduates who are now doing so well in Fortune 500 companies in
this country. Certainly we can talk about the academic achievements. We
can talk about the contributions to our high-tech industry in this
country. We can talk about the contributions in medicine, in small
business ownership. And the numbers are phenomenal. One of the most
successful, if not the most successful, immigrant group. But I do not
think the numbers tell the entire story. I think sometimes we have to
look beyond the numbers and hear the personal stories.
My father, for example, is one of nine children, the first one in his
family and the only one to go to high school, much less beyond high
school. I am certainly very proud of everything my father has
accomplished in this country. But it is not just my father. I am very
proud of all the different Indian Americans I have the privilege of
meeting who have achieved so much in their respective fields, and again
I think a wonderful example of the American dream, a wonderful example
that in this country we do provide opportunity if one works hard and
pursues that education.
I often tease my parents. Mark Twain said that the older we become,
the smarter our fathers become, the smarter our parents become. And I
tease my parents because, now being the father of two children, I
appreciate more and more what my parents have sacrificed, what they
have endured and what they have accomplished. I appreciate more the
significance of the accomplishments of the Indian American community.
Some of those things we took for granted. I did, anyway, growing up. We
did not really realize the significance of those struggles, those
sacrifices, and how remarkable have been their collective and
individual achievements.
Again, it is hard to exaggerate. The Indian American population
numbers, according to census numbers, 1\1/2\ million people in this
country. We are talking about the Indians in America, 87 percent have
completed high school, almost two-thirds have at least some college
education. Remarkable numbers, remarkable contributions. But, again,
the numbers do not tell the entire story.
In my State, Indian American physicians serve some of the neediest
areas, allow emergency rooms to stay open, provide primary care to
those who would not otherwise have access to care. The numbers are
amazing; 300,000 Indian Americans working in Silicon Valley, 750 of
those companies headed by people of Indian American descent,
responsible for 15 percent of the high-tech startups in the area.
Again when we look at the numbers, they tell an amazing story, but it
is not just the numbers. Again, in my
[[Page H2495]]
home State, in my home district, Indian Americans own businesses in the
biggest cities to the smallest communities, the most rural parts of my
State, employing thousands of my citizens, of my constituents. So,
again, I think it is a wonderful success story.
I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) for
highlighting, through this resolution, the accomplishments of the
Indian American people.
But I will just remind my colleagues two things in closing: One, it
is my belief that the Indian American success story is a great
testimony to the strength of the American dream, that the American
dream is alive and well. One of the reasons I was so passionate to
become a Member of this body was to nurture that dream for our
children, to make sure that all of our children continue to have the
same opportunities that brought my parents and others like them here in
the first place. And, secondly, to say it is not just the numbers. It
is not just the IIT graduates. It is not just the high-tech startups.
It is not just the educational achievement. It is also the personal
stories. Stories like my dad's, and others like him, who have not only
done so well but have given so their kids and others around them might
have a better quality of life.
Again, I want to thank the chairman and my colleagues for sponsoring
and supporting this resolution. I am very proud to not only cosponsor
the resolution but to be a part of a community that is so grateful and
has done so much to contribute to this country.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I just want to thank the gentleman from Illinois on the other side of
the aisle for helping us bring this bill to the floor and the gentleman
from Louisiana, a Rhodes scholar and one who has brought credit to his
heritage, to his State, and this body by serving here.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 227,
which would honor the contributions of Indian Americans in the field of
information technology.
Like so many other groups, Indian Americans lend creativity,
technical expertise, and innovation to their chosen fields. Every day,
they show their dedication not only to improving the economy and
competitiveness of this country, but to advancing a positive
relationship between the United States and India.
This resolution presents us with an opportunity to thank those who
have such an important impact on our society. Indian Americans have
created thousands of jobs in the U.S. and hold senior positions at
Fortune 500 companies, national labs, universities, and venture capital
firms. And through their work as economists, researchers, educators,
and social and political leaders, they have ensured that their
extraordinary commitment will benefit not only this generation, but the
next, as well.
That is why I support this resolution. The cornerstone of our society
was built on the contributions of many groups who brought intelligence
and originality to their work in this country. And that is why I urge
my colleagues to join me today in thanking Indian Americans by
recognizing their contributions to information technology.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, as the former Co-Chair of the Caucus on
India and Indian Americans and the representative of one of the largest
concentrations of Indian Americans in the United States, I have seen
firsthand the contributions my friends from India have made.
I commend my colleague and good friend Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) for
introducing this legislation and talking about the contributions of
Indian Americans. Representing the second highest concentration of
Indian Americans in the country, I have seen for myself on 74th Street
in Jackson Heights, Queens how successful and industrious Indian
Americans are. That recipe for success starts with institutions like
the Indian Institute of Technology, which we recognize today, and the
far-reaching success of their graduates.
The Indian Institute of Technology (lIT) has had a long history of
grooming fine minds that have gone on to achieve incredible success in
India and around the world.
The first IIT was established in 1950 in Kharagpur and now 50 plus
years later they have a total of seven institutes, with the newest one
established by recognizing University of Roorkee, one of Asia's oldest
engineering institutions, as IIT Roorkee. Many of the top Indians in
industry have graduated from India's prestigious Indian Institute of
Technology, like Vinod Khosla, founder of Sun Microsystems, to Rajat
Gupta, the first non North America born head of the venerable
consulting company McKinsey & Co.
I have had an opportunity to meet many graduates of IIT and all have
spoken about the benefits of attending the institute.
I believe in today's current educational environment in the United
States we can learn from the history of how the Indian government went
about establishing this institute. After the Indians gained their
independence from the British, they formed committees to explore ways
of creating an educated class of people to move the country forward.
What they found was that to be competitive in the world they needed
to excel in technology and engineering, which is where we in the United
States find ourselves to be lacking today. We need to follow the
example of our Indian friends and the example we set in the 1960's and
create a national strategy to make the way we teach our children in the
United States more focused on the math and sciences so we are not left
behind.
Instead of fearing India as an economic competitor, we should be
embracing India as an economic and political ally. The over 1 billion
consumers in India and the market for U.S. goods and services in India
allows for unprecedented opportunities for American companies, and job
growth for Americans.
I want to thank Mr. Davis for introducing this resolution and urge
all my colleagues to support it.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be a co-sponsor
of H. Res. 227 to honor all that Indian Americans have contributed to
our country. Specifically, I would like to commend the graduates of the
Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) for their economic innovations
and technological expertise.
After India gained its independence and began its new life as a
democratic nation, a committee was formed to create institutes of
higher education that would focus on technology to fuel the post-war
industrial development of India. After looking at the committee
recommendations, the first Indian Institute of Technology was created
in May 1950. The campus was placed at the site of the Hijli Detention
camp, which used to house young Indian freedom fighters during the
independence movement.
Since that time 6 more campuses have been formed throughout India.
IIT offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in more than 25
engineering, science, technology and management disciplines. Students
are admitted after taking a national entrance exam and the student body
is a diverse mixture of socio-economic backgrounds, cultures,
languages, and religions.
After graduating from IIT, alumni are able to take the knowledge they
gained and excel in technology and engineering sectors. Graduates are
currently serving in senior positions at Citigroup and Sun
Microsystems, among other established and Fortune 500 companies. They
are also serving as Deans and Professors at the best universities in
the United States, including Harvard, MIT and Carnegie Mellon.
The United States economy has felt the impact of IIT graduates. Over
25 percent of graduates since 1990 have been entrepreneurs and have
started numerous companies that have fueled job creation in their
communities. IIT alumni are also performing cutting edge research that
is needed by U.S. companies, and a great number have received patents
for their innovations.
The effect of Indian Institute of Technology graduates is felt here
in the United States and throughout the world. It is important that all
Americans recognize the great impact Indian Americans and IIT graduates
have had on our society and economy. Without their knowledge, skill,
and drive to achieve, our economy would not have as many technological
innovations which enrich our daily lives.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 227.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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