[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S14322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mr. Akaka):
  S. 2160. A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to 
authorize grants for institutions of higher education serving Asian 
Americans and Pacific Islanders; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, as a member of the Congressional Asian 
Pacific American Caucus, the only Chinese American in the U.S. Senate, 
and sole native Hawaiian in the U.S. Congress, I thank my colleague 
from California, Senator Boxer, for introducing a bill to establish 
Asian American and Pacific Islander, AAPI, Serving Institutions which 
will improve the educational opportunities available to Asian Americans 
and Pacific Islanders throughout our Nation. I am proud to stand with 
her as a cosponsor of her bill. I also commend my colleagues, 
Congressmen David Wu and Mike Honda, in the other body for working to 
advance an AAPI Serving Institution bill.
  This legislation would authorize the Department of Education to 
establish an Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution 
designation under the Higher Education Act. A higher education 
institution with an AAPI undergraduate enrollment of at least 10 
percent would be eligible for grants to address and improve the 
institution's capacity to serve the AAPI community. In the Higher 
Education Act, titles III and V were established to provide aid for 
colleges and universities to expand educational opportunities for 
historically under represented and financially disadvantaged students. 
However, we need a program specifically for Asian American and Pacific 
Islander Americans. This legislation would assist in providing AAPI 
students with the equal opportunity to pursue a quality education.
  The AAPI community has made many significant contributions to our 
country, and is known as having the highest percentage of undergraduate 
and advanced degrees when compared to other racial or ethnic groups 
according to the College Board. However, as one of the most ethnically, 
culturally, and linguistically diverse groups in America, the success 
of the community as a whole masks the needs of its disparate groups who 
may not be doing so well. This is the ``model minority'' myth. In fact, 
serious challenges face Cambodian, Hmong, and Pacific Islander 
students, particularly in the acquisition of the English language.
  The AAPI population is one of the fastest growing populations in this 
country, including nearly 12 million Asian Americans and 1 million 
Pacific Islanders. Census projections show the AAPI population more 
than doubling by 2050 and comprising about 9 percent of the total U.S. 
population. As a significant part of our society, AAPIs and their 
higher education needs should be better understood and addressed, and 
the establishment of AAPI Serving Institutions would be a major step in 
the right direction for this multifaceted population.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting Senator Boxer's 
legislation to enhance educational opportunities for Asian Americans 
and Pacific Islanders.
                                 ______