[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 127 (Friday, July 29, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE LIFE OF TO VAN LAI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MICHELLE STEEL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 29, 2022

  Mrs. STEEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of 
one of my constituents. To Van Lai of Westminster lived a truly vibrant 
life and touched the lives of Vietnamese communities in Orange County 
and around the world.
  After working as a university professor, To Van Lai established Thuy 
Nga Productions in Saigon, bringing the joy of music to the people of 
Vietnam.
  When the communist government there banned his work, he took his 
company to France. There, he produced his most well-known and beloved 
work: Paris by Night, a renowned variety show that has brought 
Vietnamese entertainment to homes around the world.
  Throughout his career, he valued the history, language, and tradition 
of the Vietnamese people.
  He believed deeply that ``If you still have the Vietnamese language, 
then you still haven't lost the people.'' To Van Lai's life reminds us 
to treasure and honor the rich heritage and culture of our Vietnamese 
communities.
  My prayers are with his family during this difficult time. May his 
memory of preserving the heritage of our Vietnamese neighbors live on, 
and may he rest in peace.

                          ____________________