[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4533-H4538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ASIAN PACIFIC HERITAGE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 18, 2007, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HONDA. 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 subject of my special 
order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call upon my colleague, Ms. 
Bordallo, who hails from Guam.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Asian Pacific 
Heritage Month and to recognize the contributions of Asian and Pacific 
Island Americans to our Nation. First, I want to thank my colleague 
from California, the Honorable Mr. Honda, the chairman of the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, for his distinct 
leadership and dedication to the needs of our communities.
  Every May during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we recognize 
the contributions Asian and Pacific Island Americans make to the United 
States economically, culturally, politically, throughout its history. 
Asian and Pacific Islander Americans continue to make notable and 
diverse contributions to every aspect of American life. Asian and 
Pacific Island Americans also serve public interests by serving 
honorably in the United States Armed Services and ably at every level 
of government in the United States. I am proud to participate in the 
effort to honor their contributions to this country and celebrate our 
heritage with this month's events.
  Some people wonder why we continue to celebrate cultural diversity. I 
respond by saying that doing so helps to remind us that while many of 
us have no memory of fleeing oppression or desiring to live freely, 
many Vietnamese Americans can tell you of their desire to live freely 
and the risks that they took fleeing communism to do so. Or, the 
experiences of some Korean Americans can help us better understand the 
importance of family and the hardships and the pain created as a result 
of being kept apart from loved ones for generations. While many of our 
lives are relatively stable and certain, some Chinese Americans or 
Japanese Americans can inspire you with their stories of succeeding 
here in the United States after arriving with no money and no 
possessions.
  Freedom and economic opportunity are attributes of the United States 
that have, for generations, inspired hope among the repressed people of 
the world. Some of us take the United States and the American way of 
life for granted. The United States and the privilege and the goodness 
of America's way of life are particularly important for at least two 
groups among the Asian and Pacific Islander American community. They 
are Chamorro or Filipino-Americans. And I say that because Chamorro or 
Filipino-Americans are among the very few Americans who can identify 
with heart-swelling pride inspired by witnessing the striking and the 
unique beauty of the Stars and Stripes flying proudly at the top of 
flagpoles for the first time after enduring and being liberated from a 
brutal and extended occupation by the foreign power.
  To all Americans I say this: To learn of the experiences endured by 
these Americans during occupation and liberation will provide you 
invaluable perspective on what it means to be an American. In fact, 
before the House this week is H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty 
Recognition Act. This bill would help fulfill a moral obligation on the 
part of our national government to a group of citizens, the people of 
Guam, most of whom were indigenous Chamorros who bore the burden of a 
brutal occupation. The people of Guam were brutalized through public 
executions, beheadings, rape, and severe injury, forced labor, forced 
march, and internment in concentration camps.

                              {time}  2000

  H.R. 1595 is called the Loyalty Recognition Act because the loyalty 
of the people of Guam to the United States during this 32-month enemy 
occupation should be honored.
  It is a tragic injustice of history that, following liberation, 
Congress did not provide for war claims for the people of Guam in the 
same manner and with the same opportunities that were afforded to other 
Americans. The people who carried a disproportionate burden of the war 
were given less than other Americans when it came time to make our 
Nation whole. Those who gave more in blood got less in recognition. 
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month would be especially noteworthy if 
this legislation were to be agreed to by the House of Representatives.
  Asians and Pacific Islanders have a powerful story to tell, and they 
have a love for this Nation that many take for granted. Our 
contribution to America is not just the great food and the intriguing 
cultures that we have introduced to this land; it is also the stories 
of our incredible journeys to freedom.
  Our heritage is our gift to this Nation. Our unique cultures have 
survived and continue to thrive because America has come to know and 
appreciate how our contributions enrich our Nation.
  I am very, very proud of the Chamorro culture on Guam and take every 
opportunity to share our culture and our traditions.
  Today it is worth reflecting on who we are as a Nation and what 
values we stand for. We are a Nation of immigrants whose parents and 
grandparents have come to these shores seeking individual liberty, 
prosperity and human dignity. The Nation we call our own is one of 
compassion and of justice. And when it comes to our heritage, we may be 
Chamorros, Hawaiian, Japanese, Samoan, Chinese, Filipino, Palauan, 
Chuukese, Korean or any of the various proud cultures of Asia and the 
Pacific, but we all share a common love for this country.
  So as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, let us 
honor the contributions of all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, 
and let us appreciate the cultural diversity, the patriotism and the 
communities that make our country, that make America so great.
  Dangkulo na Si Yu'os Ma'ase.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call upon our good friend, 
colleague from Texas, Representative Al Green.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to be here tonight to 
celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And I want to 
especially thank Chairman Honda for the outstanding job that he has 
done, not only with this event, but also what he does year round, year 
in and year out with our caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific 
American Caucus. I thank you for what you have done.
  Mr. Speaker, I represent the Ninth Congressional District in Houston, 
Texas. The Ninth Congressional District is one of the most diverse 
districts in the country. It is 36 percent African American, 31 percent 
Hispanic, 21 percent Anglo and 12 percent Asian. And I am proud to say 
that this district, the Ninth Congressional District, has the ballot 
printed in three languages, English, Spanish and Vietnamese, soon to 
have it in a fourth language, Chinese.
  I'm also proud to say that we have elected a Vietnamese to the State 
House in the State of Texas. The honorable Hubert Vo is a State 
Representative from a district that is within my Ninth Congressional 
District.
  I am so honored that we have selected the theme ``Meeting the 
Challenges for Asian Pacific Americans.'' This is most appropriate. 
Why? Because in spite of discrimination and degradation, Asian 
Americans have met the challenges for America. They were there when 
America needed a national rail connectivity. In spite of discrimination 
and humiliation, they

[[Page H4534]]

helped to construct the first transcontinental railroad.
  When the greatest generation went to war in World War II, they were 
there, not only for America, but for the entire world. Notwithstanding 
dehumanization and incarceration, Americans of Japanese ancestry were 
some of America's most decorated soldiers.
  They were also there from the Philippines. During World War II, over 
200,000 Filipinos fought in defense of the United States of America. 
More than half died. They answered President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt's clarion call for help. They met the challenges of America, 
and it's time for America to meet the challenges of the Filipino 
veterans, who were promised, I might add, the same benefits as other 
veterans and who have not received them to this day.
  It is time for Congress to pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 
2007. It is time to treat all who sacrificed during World War II the 
same.
  Asian Americans have been there for us. It is time for us to be there 
for them.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call upon our good friend 
from California, Congressman Xavier Becerra.
  Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, more than anything else I'd like to thank 
Chairman Mike Honda from California for organizing tonight's special 
order to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month because it's 
important for us to not only say it today, but have it recorded in the 
Congressional Record for all time that we appreciate what members of 
American society have done for us, especially members, this month we 
want to celebrate of Asian Pacific American heritage, who are 
Americans, patriotic, hardworking, and in every respect trying to live 
the American dream.
  And so I stand here with a great deal of pride as a Member of 
Congress who represents a portion of the city of Los Angeles, a very 
diverse district with a substantial Asian Pacific American population. 
I stand here as a very proud member of the Congressional Asian Pacific 
American Caucus' Executive Committee.
  And I also stand here very proud to say that on many occasions I've 
had the opportunity to author legislation very important to the Asian 
and Pacific American community here in this country, whether it has 
been the issue of reuniting families of Korean descent who have not 
seen family members in North Korea for many, many years, or whether 
it's been legislation to try to help obtain justice for Asians of 
Latino descent who were deprived of their rights back during World War 
II and never, never received the recognition they deserved to get their 
rights and their property back. I had that opportunity.
  But rather than talk about the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act which began 
the whole process of discrimination and racism towards Asian and 
Pacific Americans in this country, or rather than dwell much longer on 
the history of the internment of Japanese Americans, some 120,000 back 
during World War II for no reason, without due process, when, in fact, 
we found out that Japanese Americans served this country proudly and 
patriotically. In fact, they were among the most decorated of American 
soldiers during World War II.
  And rather than talk about, as I just mentioned, the plight of 
Filipino soldiers during World War II, who as Filipino veterans, served 
under the American flag, yet, by an act of Congress in 1946, were 
deprived of the rights to veterans benefits in this country, let me 
talk about something else, and not in general terms.
  Let me talk to you a little bit about America's leaders today and 
tomorrow. Just yesterday I had the opportunity to award the winner of 
my Congressional Arts Competition, which we do every year, so the one 
winner in my district in high school who has an opportunity to present 
his or her piece of art work in the Capitol of the United States is 
introduced on that day of the selection. And that was yesterday.

  My winner, for the 31st Congressional District, was Julie Lee, a high 
school student in my congressional district who did a phenomenal piece 
of art work. She will be a leader tomorrow. We know it not just because 
of her artistic talents, but because she came forward to participate in 
this process.
  I could name the various military academy nominees that I've sent off 
to, whether it's West Point or the Air Force Academy of Japanese, 
Chinese or Korean American descent that I've had the pleasure and honor 
to send on to become leaders of this country.
  Or I could simply talk about someone by the name of Christine Oh, who 
happens to be a legislative assistant in my Congressional office here, 
or Henry Truong, who happens to be my executive assistant here in my 
Washington, D.C. office, who many would consider my gatekeeper because 
he decides what my schedule looks like; or perhaps Melvin Tabilas in my 
district office in Los Angeles, who is one of my field representatives 
who helps me manage an area that has some 650,000 people there to try 
to make sure we give the people in my district the coverage they need.
  Or perhaps I could mention the names of people like Stuart Kwoh, who 
has been a champion for civil rights and simply the rights of 
Americans, especially those of Asian Pacific American descent in Los 
Angeles through his work with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center.
  Or I could speak to you about Grace Shimizu, who has been a champion 
to have restored to those Japanese Latin Americans the rights they lost 
during World War II through the organization Campaign For Justice, 
which she is a part of and leads.
  Or I could mention Hyepin Im, who is the leader of the Korean 
Churches for Community Development in the Los Angeles area, now a 
national organization, which tries to help, through the Korean churches 
throughout this country, to bring Korean Americans forward and to 
receive the benefits of what this society offers to Americans.
  Or perhaps I could mention Joel Jacinto, who is the Director of the 
Search to involve Filipino Americans, SIPA, an organization which truly 
goes out into the community, especially in the Filipino American 
community in Los Angeles to make sure that whether it's on education, 
housing, health care issues, SIPA is there to offer Filipino Americans 
those services.
  Mr. Speaker, to Mr. Honda we say, thank you for letting us have this 
opportunity to talk about the achievements, the accomplishments of 
people of Asian Pacific and American descent. Clearly, these are 
Americans who have persevered and excelled in this country.
  We could talk about the difficulties of discrimination and racism, 
the violence that has been experienced by many. But rather than that, I 
think it's better, most fitting to talk about today's leaders, and 
tomorrow's leaders in this country.
  So to one of today's leaders, Congressman Mike Honda, I say thank you 
for letting us talk today about tomorrow's leaders in this country as 
well. And with that, with great pride in helping to celebrate Asian 
Pacific American Heritage Month, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HONDA. Just to comment about both Congressmen Al Green and Xavier 
Becerra, they too are also members of the Congressional Black Caucus 
and the Hispanic Caucus, and so they serve dual roles in their 
leadership. And I think CAPAC, the Congressional Asian Pacific American 
Caucus, enjoys the leadership, experience and the insights of these two 
gentlemen, and it makes our caucus stronger and partners with the other 
caucuses.
  And it's no wonder that they come to Congress on behalf of the 
community because the communities there trust these two men and they 
trust their leadership and their insights and their conscience. So to 
both I say, thank you.
  I'd like to call upon a Congresswoman who hails from the Aloha State 
who, I think, is probably the re-incarnation of the spirit of Patsy 
Mink, Mazie Hirono.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my fellow Congressional 
Asian Pacific American Caucus, CAPAC members, and my other colleagues 
in celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  I'd like to, of course, thank Congressman Honda for organizing this 
special order tonight, and for his leadership shown throughout the year 
in his service as chairman of CAPAC.
  The heritage month theme is ``Meeting the Challenges for Asian 
Pacific Americans.'' The APA community has

[[Page H4535]]

come a long way since the days when laws excluded us from coming to 
this country, barred us from many places, public places, and worse, 
interned us in camps solely because of our ethnic heritage.

                              {time}  2015

  Nationwide, we are now 14 million strong, and in the next 30 years 
the APA population is expected to double to about 8 percent of the 
entire U.S. population.
  Because of our history of labor immigration and our indigenous island 
population, Hawaii has had a head start in terms of political 
representation. Our APA communities have lived and worked in our 
islands since the mid-1800s, when the first Chinese laborers were 
imported to work in the sugarcane fields. Since 2000, three of our 
communities, the Okinawans, Koreans, and the Filipinos, have celebrated 
their centennial anniversaries of arrival to the United States and to 
Hawaii.
  Hawaii produced the first Governors in the Nation of Japanese and 
Filipino ancestry, George Ariyoshi and Ben Cayetano; the first Native 
Hawaiian Governor, John Waihee; the first Asian American Senators, 
Hiram Fong and Daniel Inouye; the first Senator of Native Hawaiian 
ancestry, Daniel Akaka; the first Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 
Member of Congress, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole; and the first 
woman of color to serve in Congress, Patsy Takemoto Mink. And I am 
privileged to have served as Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor, becoming the 
first immigrant woman of Asian ancestry elected to statewide office and 
to be able to continue my service here as the first immigrant born in 
Japan serving in Congress.
  Asian and Pacific Islander Members of Congress currently number only 
nine, including Eni Faleomavaega, our delegate from American Samoa. 
Also with me in the House are Congress Members Mike Honda and Doris 
Matsui, Oregon's David Wu, Virginia's Robert Scott, and Louisiana's 
Bobby Jindals. In the Senate we have Hawaii's two senior statesmen, 
Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka.
  Although the successes of our APA community over the years have been 
many, there is another side to our story that is not often discussed. 
While more Asians have college degrees than any other group in the 
country, we also have more people who have not graduated from high 
school compared with other ethnic groups. And while APAs have higher 
incomes, the U.S. Census counts 1.3 million Asian and Pacific Islanders 
living in poverty. There are still many wrongs to be righted. Some of 
them are decades old.
  On March 1, 2007, I reintroduced the Filipino Veterans Family 
Reunification Act, H.R. 1287, a companion bill to S. 671, introduced by 
Senator Akaka. It will accelerate the immigration process for the sons 
and daughters of the Filipino veterans who fought with our American 
troops in World War II. I am also a cosponsor of the Filipino Veterans 
Equity Act, H.R. 760, to fulfill our promise of full veterans' benefits 
to those Filipino soldiers.
  I know that questions have been raised about the cost of carrying out 
our obligation to the Filipino World War II veterans. The Congressional 
Budget Office has estimated that the cost of enacting H.R. 760 will be 
$1 billion over a 10-year period. While this is a large sum, it is 
worth noting that the United States spends approximately $9 billion 
each month in the war in Iraq.
  Challenges are also facing our Native Hawaiian population. The desire 
for self-determination by the indigenous people of my home State has 
been ignored for far too long by the Federal Government. Native 
Hawaiians remain the only indigenous group in our country still 
awaiting Federal recognition similar to the recognition Congress has 
granted to American Indians and Alaska Natives. H.R. 505, the Native 
Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, would set up a process for 
Native Hawaiians to organize a government entity.
  By continuing to work together, I am hopeful that we will be able to 
meet these challenges as we have overcome others in the past. This 
month Washington, D.C. is hosting the Eighth Pacific Islands Conference 
of Leaders, PICL. The triennial PICL brings together the heads of 
government and senior officials from the Pacific, including Hawaii and 
the U.S. Pacific Territories. This is the first time that the group has 
met in Washington, D.C., and it is quite an opportunity for all of us 
here to find common ground on issues facing the Pacific region and our 
world.
  In closing, I would again like to thank Congressional Asian Pacific 
American Caucus Chairman Honda for allowing us this opportunity to 
reflect upon how far our APA community has come and yet, of course, 
remember how much further our community has to go.
  Mahalo and aloha.
  Mr. HONDA. Mahalo. Thank you very much.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Asian American Pacific 
Islander community and to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage 
Month.
  As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, commonly 
known as CAPAC, I feel privileged to be here tonight to speak of the 
Asian and Pacific Islander American history and accomplishments.
  And before I continue, I would also like to recognize you, Mr. 
Speaker, for presiding over this Special Order and also knowing that 
you too have worked with other Asian American leaders in your home 
State, specifically Senator Stan Matsunaga. For that we are grateful.
  Additionally, I will be highlighting those isues affecting our 
community and the priorities for CAPAC.
  The history of APA Heritage Month: In celebrating APA Heritage Month, 
I want to give thanks to the late Representative Frank Horton from New 
York and my good friend Secretary Norman Mineta, along with Senators 
Daniel Inouye and Spark Masayuki Matsunaga, that May is now designated 
as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  The first 10 days of May coincide with two important anniversaries: 
the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, to the 
U.S. and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 
1869.
  In 1992 Congress passed public law No. 102-450, the law that 
officially designated May of each year as ``Asian Pacific American 
Heritage Month.'' The first AAPI settlement in this country dates back 
to 1763, when Filipinos escaped imprisonment aboard Spanish galleons 
and established a community near New Orleans.
  The AAPI community quickly expanding. Currently, there are 
approximately 14.6 million AAPIs living in the United States, 
comprising just over 5 percent of the total U.S. population. By the 
year 2050, there will be an estimated 33.4 million individuals living 
in the United States who identify as Asian alone, representing a 213 
percent increase from 2000, comprising 8 percent of the total U.S. 
population. My home State of California has both the largest AAPI 
population, 4.9 million, and the largest numerical increase of AAPIs 
since 2000.
  There are some needs. Mr. Speaker, this year's theme for Asian 
Pacific American Heritage Month, ``Meeting the Challenges for Asian 
Pacific Americans,'' reflects hardships overcome by the AAPI community 
while highlighting the hope we maintain as we contribute to the 
prosperity of this great Nation. As our community expands, we must also 
continue to educate our fellow citizens about the uniqueness of our 
experiences.
  The AAPI community is often misperceived as monolithic. Our community 
is extremely diverse in our languages, ethnicities, culture, and 
challenges. Aggregating such a large and diverse group makes it 
difficult to understand the unique problems faced by the individual 
ethnicities and subgroups, such as the Southeast Asian Americans, who 
are refugees that fled their home countries during the late 1970s and 
the early 1980s. As a country, we need to better address the needs of 
the AAPI community when we discuss comprehensive immigration reform, 
education, health issues, and veterans' affairs.
  Comprehensive immigration reform: Mr. Speaker, our Nation was founded 
by immigrants who valued freedom and liberty, who sought to be free 
from persecution and from tyranny. Families fled their home countries 
to seek refuge in this great Nation because they too believed in 
``liberty, justice, and freedom for all.'' It is in this spirit that

[[Page H4536]]

CAPAC supports immigration legislation that shifts the debate from an 
exclusionary, anti-immigrant, enforcement-only approach to one that 
confronts the social and economic realities behind immigration; honors 
the dignity of all families and communities; and recognizes the 
economic, social, and cultural contributions of immigrants to our great 
country.
  Today, AAPIs constitute a growing and vibrant piece of the American 
fabric. In 2005 close to 9 million of this Nation's foreign born were 
born in Asia, constituting approximately one quarter of the foreign-
born population and over one half of the total AAPI population. Even 
with a relatively high naturalization rate, there are approximately 1.5 
million Asian undocumented immigrants living, working, or studying in 
the U.S., representing 14 percent of the undocumented immigrants in the 
United States. These include victims of immigration fraud, who have 
become undocumented due to no fault of their own. Many work and study 
hard, pay taxes, and yet live in fear with no hope of gaining a path to 
legal permanent resident status. Let's give these workers and these 
students an opportunity.
  In addition to an earned pathway to citizenship, family reunification 
is a high priority in the AAPI community. Immigration reform must 
espouse the family values that are so fundamental to our national 
ideals. Family members provide care for the sick, for their children, 
and for their elderly. Family members are crucial for small businesses 
and educational opportunities. Close to 2 million AAPIs wait years, 
sometimes even decades, in order to reunite with their families in the 
United States. AAPI families who seek to be reunited with their family 
members overseas have not seen their dreams come true because of our 
dysfunctional immigration system. We need comprehensive immigration 
reform to address these backlogs.
  And education: In addition to immigration reform, expanding 
educational access for all Americans is also a high priority for CAPAC. 
Mr. Speaker, as Americans, we need to ensure that our children receive 
a quality education by providing adequate teacher training, funds for 
after-school and extra-curricular activities, and ensuring that college 
is affordable for every student who desires to receive a higher 
education.
  According to the U.S. Census, 41 percent of Asians age 25 and over 
have a bachelor's degree or higher level of education. However, when 
the data is disaggregated for AAPI subgroups, we find that the ``model 
minority'' stereotype is, in fact, a myth. According to the 2000 
Census, only 9.1 percent of Cambodian Americans, 7.4 percent of Hmong 
Americans, 7.6 percent of Lao Americans, 19.5 percent of Vietnamese 
Americans, and 16.5 percent of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders 
who are 25 years and older have a bachelor's degree or higher degrees.
  These numbers show that we must do a better job of disaggregating the 
data and information about our communities to assess the needs of those 
hardworking Americans who still falter behind.
  To address the disparities between subgroups of the larger AAPI 
community, we need Congress to pass the Asian American Pacific Islander 
Serving Institutions bill, which my colleague from Oregon, 
Representative David Wu, has introduced in January. This legislation 
will provide Federal grants to colleges and universities that have an 
enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent AAPI 
and at least 50 percent of its degree-seeking students receive 
financial assistance.
  As a caucus, we will work to increase the availability of loan 
assistance, scholarships, and programs to allow AAPI students to attend 
a higher education institution; to ensure full funding for teachers and 
bilingual education programs under the No Child Left Behind law to 
support English language learners; and to support full funding of 
minority outreach programs for access to higher education such as the 
TRIO programs to expand services to serve AAPI students.
  In health, Mr. Speaker, a common misperception of AAPIs is that as a 
group, we face fewer health problems than other racial and ethnic 
groups. But, in fact, AAPI as a group, and specific populations within 
this group, do experience disparities in health and health care. For 
example, AAPIs have the highest hepatitis B rates of any racial group 
in the United States.

                              {time}  2030

  This week, health advocates from around the country will be 
participating in a National Awareness Campaign to bring attention to 
and educate their communities about prevention of hepatitis B through 
testing and vaccination. In the United States, 12 million people have 
been infected at some time in their lives with the hepatitis B virus, 
and more than 5,000 Americans die from hepatitis B related liver 
complications each year.
  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders account for more than half of 
the chronic hepatitis B cases and half of the deaths resulting from 
chronic hepatitis B infections in the United States. In order to break 
the silence surrounding this deadly disease and bring awareness to the 
American people, Congressman Edolphus Towns, Congressman Charlie Dent 
and I have introduced H.R. 366, which supports the goals and ideals of 
National Hepatitis B Awareness Week. I hope my colleagues will join me 
in educating our communities about the dangers of this disease.
  AAPIs are also five times more likely to develop cervical and liver 
cancer than any other ethnic and racial group. Furthermore, according 
to the Census Bureau, 18 percent of AAPIs went without insurance for 
the entire year in 2000. This means that the uninsured are not only 
more likely to go without health care for serious medical conditions, 
they are also more likely to go without routine care, less likely to 
have a regular source of care, less likely to use preventive services, 
and have viewer visits per year.
  At the same time, without appropriate language translation services 
or properly translated materials, limited English proficient immigrants 
cannot receive adequate care as well as State and Federal benefits for 
which they may be eligible. In the AAPI community, 76 percent of Hmong 
Americans, 61 percent of Vietnamese Americans, 62 percent of Korean 
Americans and 39 percent of Tongans speak limited English. Therefore, 
eliminating health care disparities in the AAPI community must include 
data collection, linguistically appropriate and culturally competent 
services and access to health insurance.
  CAPAC has been working with both the Congressional Hispanic and Black 
Caucuses on the Health Care Equity and Accountability Act to eliminate 
ethnic and racial health disparities for all of our communities. The 
act would expand the health care safety net, diversify the health care 
workforce, combat diseases that disproportionately affect racial and 
ethnic minorities, emphasize prevention and behavioral health, and 
promote the collection and dissemination of data and enhance medical 
research.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to extend my gratitude to the 
patriotic men and women serving our country in the military, including 
the 62,378 AAPIs who are on active duty in the military, and the 7,904 
AAPIs who are currently deployed in the global war on terrorism. I also 
commend and thank the 446,000 AAPI veterans who have fought for our 
country.
  I would like to highlight and honor the Filipino veterans who have 
not been compensated or recognized for their service, which I believe 
is a national disservice to these brave veterans. As a country, it is 
our duty to ensure these veterans have equal access to all of the 
benefits and treatment that other veterans receive. We believe that our 
troops should be taken care of when we send them into battle and that 
they should be given the respect when they return home. Therefore, 
CAPAC endorses H.R. 760, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act introduced by 
Representative Bob Filner, who chairs the House Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs. CAPAC thanks Representaive Filner for his leadership on this 
issue.
  H.R. 760 would do justice by providing the full benefits promised to 
all Filipino veterans who fought in World War II under the command of 
the U.S. military. The Filipino Veterans Equity Act would eliminate the 
disparities and

[[Page H4537]]

benefits between some Filipino veterans and restore the honor and 
dignity they so deserve. With Congressman Filner as the Chair of the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee, we have a great chance to get this bill to 
the floor.
  There are many firsts among the AAPIs. I am proud of our community's 
accomplishments, and I would like to recognize many of the AAPIs first 
in areas of art, film, sports, science, academia and politics, but also 
emphasize that they should not be the last.
  In 1847, Yung Wing, a Chinese American, graduated from Yale 
University and became the first AAPI to graduate from an American 
university.
  In 1863, William Ah Hang, a Chinese American, became the first AAPI 
to enlist in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War.
  In 1922, Anna May Wong, in her lead role in ``The Toll of the Sea,'' 
at the age of 17 became the first AAPI female to become a movie star, 
achieving stardom at a time when prejudice against the Chinese in the 
United States was rampant.
  In 1944, An Wang, a Chinese American who invented the magnetic core 
memory, revolutionized computing and served as a standard method for 
memory retrieval and storage. And today we have iPods that are smaller 
than a deck of cards that can hold up to four gigabytes of information, 
all coming from this 1944 invention by An Wang.
  During World War II, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United 
States Army, comprised mostly of Japanese Americans, became the most 
highly decorated unit of its size in the history of the U.S. Army, 
including 22 Medal of Honor recipients, Senator Daniel Inouye being one 
of them.
  In 1946, Wing F. Ong, a Chinese American of Arizona, became the first 
AAPI to be elected to State office.
  In 1947, Wataru ``Wat'' Misaka became the first ethnic minority and 
the first AAPI to play in the National Basketball Association for the 
New York Knicks. How about that?
  In 1948, two Californian divers, Dr. Samuel Lee, a Korean American, 
and Victoria Manalo Draves, a Filipina American, became the first AAPIs 
to win Olympic gold medals for the U.S.
  In 1956, Dalip Singh Saud, an Indian American, became the very fist 
AAPI to be elected to the U.S. Congress.
  In 1959, Hiram Leong Fong, a Chinese American, became the first AAPI 
to be elected as a United States Senator and is the only AAPI to 
actively seek the Presidential nomination of a major party.
  In 1965, Patsy Takemoto Mink, a Japanese American, becames the first 
AAPI woman and woman of color elected to the United States Congress.
  In 1971, Judge Herbert Choy, late Ninth Circuit Court judge, became 
the first AAPI to sit on the Federal bench.
  In 1985, Haing Ngor, a Cambodian American survivor of the Khmer Rouge 
regime, became the first AAPI to win an Academy Award for his role in 
``The Killing Fields'' movie.
  In 1985, Ellison Onizuka, grandson of a Japanese immigrant, became 
the first AAPI astronaut to reach outer space, and in 1986 died in the 
space shuttle explosion of the Challenger.
  In 2000, Secretary Norman Mineta was confirmed as Secretary of 
Commerce under President Clinton and became the very first AAPI to hold 
a cabinet post; then continued his service to America as Secretary of 
Transportation under President Bush.
  In 2001, Secretary Elaine Chao was confirmed as Secretary of Labor 
under President George W. Bush, becoming the first AAPI female to hold 
a cabinet position.
  Mr. Speaker, the Asian and Pacific Islander American community 
continues to fight for our civil rights as Americans. Even after the 
internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, we as a community 
did not grow embittered or cowed by discrimination; instead, we 
progressed and moved forward.
  I am a proud member of the AAPI community, and I am proud to be one 
because we continue to serve as positive contributors to our many 
communities by investing in education, business and cultural 
opportunities for all Americans.
  In closing, this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month we take pride 
in our history, accomplishments and the promise of our future as we 
continue to pave the way for a better tomorrow and a better America.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in celebration of Asian Pacific 
American Heritage Month.
  I am proud to represent the city of San Francisco, where we are 
blessed in our community to have a thriving Asian American and Pacific 
Islander (AAPI) population. It is home to our Nation's oldest 
Japantown, one of the largest Chinatowns, and countless other ethnic 
communities.
  As one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in our country, Asian 
Americans and Pacific Islanders contribute to our economic prosperity, 
cultural diversity, and political process. Representing 11 different 
ethnicities, they have a unique voice, which plays a role in the work 
that we do in Congress to improve the lives of Americans every day.
  While the debate about comprehensive immigration reform intensifies 
across the country, it is recognized by many of my colleagues as a 
hurdle that particularly affects Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 
Whether it is a Chinese student waiting for a visa, or the South Asian 
worker waiting to be reunited with his family, comprehensive 
immigration reform is a challenge that must be met. Their experiences 
reflect that of the first immigrants to our country, who dreamt of a 
better life for themselves. Within the AAPI community, there is a 
beautiful diversity that reflects the ideals of family values, hard 
work, and a wonderful optimism that our nation was founded upon.
  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders also face the tragic challenge 
of combating hate crimes. Last week, the House of Representatives 
passed legislation that strengthened the ability of local, state, and 
federal law enforcement agencies to solve a wide range of violent hate 
crimes based on religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, 
national origin, or disability. Although a hate crime may affect the 
life of one victim, its impact reaches deep into the community. All 
Americans have a right to feel safe in their community. Sadly, we 
remember Song Sun Lee, Stephen Kam Yan Li, and Robert Stanford, all 
recent victims of hate, whose lives were unjustly cut short.
  As we work on legislation to improve lives for the future, we must 
remember the challenges from the past. World War II set the stage for 
courageous acts of heroism, but at the same time generated acts of 
grave injustice and discrimination. I salute the Filipino Veterans who 
fought bravely during World War II and join them in their fight for 
full veterans' benefits. I recognize the courage of the remaining 
comfort women and will work to ensure that their rights are protected.
  I am pleased to stand here with my colleagues who also recognize the 
efforts and accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in 
this country. I thank Chairman Mike Honda and the rest of the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus for their continuous 
efforts to ensure that the millions of voices of Asian Americans and 
Pacific Islanders are heard.
  As we celebrate, let us continue well past Asian Pacific Heritage 
Month to value and appreciate the contributions of Asian Americans and 
Pacific Islanders living in the United States.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and pleasure that I join 
my fellow members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to 
celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This May marks the 
29th time that America has recognized and celebrated the many 
contributions and achievements of Asian Pacific Americans.
  America has reached greatness in part by the accumulation of ideas 
from those with varied heritage and backgrounds. In particular, Asian 
Pacific Americans have made profound contributions to the arts, 
education, science, technology, politics and athletics. Asian Pacific 
Americans have played an active and crucial role in the development of 
the United States, from linking the coasts of the nation with the 
transcontinental railroad to bringing the world closer through 
development of the latest Internet technology.
  This year, Congress will be debating and voting to reauthorize No 
Child Left Behind and the Higher Education Act. As a member of the 
Education and Labor Committee as well as the Congressional Asian 
Pacific American Caucus, I am working hard to ensure that the Asian 
Pacific American community not only has a seat at the table of these 
debates, but also a strong voice to shape the national conversation.
  The Asian Pacific American community remains and always will be an 
integral and vibrant part of American society. As we take part in the 
celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I urge everyone 
to participate more deeply in the civic life of our nation. Asian 
Pacific American civic engagement will help to define our collective 
future and ensure that we move forward with determination and unity. 
Let us work together to build bridges and strengthen our great nation's 
diverse communities.

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  I encourage Congress and the American people to spend the month of 
May absorbing the legacy, culture and achievements of the Asian Pacific 
American community.

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