[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 73 (Monday, April 27, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. JAMES S.C. CHAO

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on May 2, 2026, Maine Maritime Academy 
bestows an honorary degree upon Dr. James S. C. Chao in recognition of 
his extraordinary contributions to global shipping, education, and 
public service. Dr. Chao's lifelong commitment to maritime commerce and 
leadership development has had a lasting impact on the industry and on 
generations of young professionals.
  It is fitting that the keynote speaker for the academy's 83rd 
commencement is Dr. Chao's daughter, the Honorable Elaine Chao, who 
served our Nation with distinction as both Secretary of Labor and 
Secretary of Transportation. In that latter role, Secretary Chao was a 
champion of America's maritime academies that prepare the next 
generation of leaders for our Navy, Coast Guard, and maritime industry. 
When the new training vessel State of Maine was delivered in March of 
this year, I was proud to stand with Secretary Chao as cosponsor of 
that magnificent ship.
  Appreciating the vital role the oceans play in commerce, security, 
and the environment is a family tradition. Dr. Chao was born 99 years 
ago in a small, rural farming community in China. Despite the danger 
and privations of World War II and the Chinese Civil War, he excelled 
in his educational pursuits and became one of the youngest captains in 
the Chinese Merchant Marines. After being separated by the war, Dr. 
Chao searched relentlessly for the love of his life Ruth Mulan Chu and 
finally found her by chance in Taiwan. They were wed in 1951, beginning 
a marriage that lasted for 57 years until her passing in 2007.
  In 1958, Dr. Chao achieved a record-high score on the Chinese 
Merchant Marine Master's Special Qualification Examination, which gave 
him the opportunity to continue his studies in the United States. 
Arriving in New York alone and with little money, he secured a low-
paying job with a Chinese shipping company and, with persistence, 
eventually gained admission to graduate programs at Columbia University 
and St. John's University. Balancing his studies with three jobs, he 
finally was able to bring Ruth and their three children to America in 
1961.
  After earning a master's degree in business administration in 1964, 
he founded his own company, Foremost Maritime Corporation. Among his 
early accomplishments was managing emergency food shipments during the 
wars in Vietnam and Bangladesh. Today, the company, now part of the 
Foremost Group, is global leader in international shipping, trading, 
and finance. Foremost Group is a leader in green technology in 
shipping, continuously upgrading its fleet with energy-saving devices, 
and building new ships with alternative fuel and carbon capture 
features.
  Foremost's fleet is ranked among the world's most eco-friendly bulk 
carriers. For his outstanding contributions to the maritime industry, 
Dr. Chao was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame at 
the United Nations. Among his many other honors are the Ellis Island 
Medal of Honor, the Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans at 
the U.S. Supreme Court, and an Outstanding American by Choice 
recognition by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  Together, Dr. and Mrs. Chao devoted their business success to 
philanthropy, particularly in providing scholarships to deserving 
students. Since four of their daughters attended Harvard Business 
School, the couple endowed the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center as part of a 
$40 million gift to the university that also supports the Chao Family 
Fellowship Fund.
  Dr. Chao credits his remarkable accomplishments to courage, 
determination, confidence, and trust. As our Nation celebrates its 
250th anniversary, we do well to heed his words, as one who achieved 
the American dream: ``I could not have had the same success anywhere 
else as I have in this country. In America, you don't need to have a 
connection or a certain background. All you need is to have a goal. 
After that, all you have to do is work hard and help others.''
  America is so fortunate to have such an outstanding individual come 
to our shores and contribute so much. I congratulate Dr. James S.C. 
Chao on this recognition from Maine Maritime Academy and wish him all 
the best.

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