[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2022

  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart 
to honor and mourn former Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, My thoughts and 
sympathies are with his wife Deni, his children Stuart, David, Mark and 
Bob, and his family and friends. He was a truly remarkable, 
trailblazing individual who became one of the most prominent Asian 
American figures in our country. His legacy included many firsts, and 
his life was a source of inspiration, a testament to the American 
spirit of fighting for justice and equality.
  I met Norm when I was working for the late, beloved Congressman Ron 
Dellums. Norm was very kind to me, taught me a lot, listened to my 
ideas, and was a close friend of Ron's. In many ways, he was a mentor 
to me. Later, when I became a member of Congress, he always sought me 
out to tell me how proud he was of me. Such support coming from this 
giant of a man, always humbled me. I always told him how much he 
influenced my life, and I was deeply grateful for his friendship.
  His success did not come without sacrifice. When Secretary Mineta was 
ten years old, our government forcibly removed him and his family from 
their home in San Jose to a World War II Japanese American 
incarceration camp, the Heart Mountain camp in Wyoming. Decades later, 
he led the passage of the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, which granted 
reparations and a formal apology to Japanese Americans wrongfully 
incarcerated by our govenunent solely on the basis of race, due to 
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's issuance of Executive Order 9066 on 
February 19, 1942.
  Having endured such blatant racism and discrimination against 
Japanese Americans, he understood the importance of fighting for people 
who never had a voice in our political process. Throughout his career, 
he was the first Asian American mayor of San Jose, the first Japanese 
American member of Congress from the lower 48 states, and the first 
Asian American Cabinet Member, serving as both the Secretary of 
Commerce for President Clinton and Secretary of Transportation for 
President Bush. In 2006, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom 
for his achievements.
  During his time in Congress, Secretary Mineta co-founded the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and its sister 
organization, the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional 
Studies (APAICS), to advocate for issues concerning the AAPI community. 
It is because of his efforts that the Asian American and Pacific 
Islander community has a greater voice in this chamber. My prayers are 
with his family, friends, and the AAPI community. We have all lost an 
icon.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the entire House to continue to honor Secretary 
Mineta's legacy through our commitment to justice and equality for all.

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