[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 7485-7496]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRESSIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC CAUCUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Inglis of South Carolina). Under the 
Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Honda) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of 
the minority leader.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the gentleman from 
Texas, Congressman Al Green.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 
contributions of the Asian Pacific Islander American community and to 
celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  I also want to take this opportunity to thank and commend my good 
friend from California, Congressman Honda, for his strong leadership as 
Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
  Mr. Speaker, for over 200 years, Asian Americans have played a 
pivotal role in the development of our great Nation. When it was time 
to build the transcontinental railroad, they were there. Chinese 
immigrants were paid $28 a month to do the very dangerous work of 
blasting and laying ties over treacherous terrain. It was their labor 
under harsh working conditions, for meager wages, that helped in the 
development and progress of our Nation.
  When our Nation was drawn into war, they were there. From World War 
II through the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Asian Americans 
have been on the front lines in our battle to defend and protect our 
Nation. There are 32 Asian American Medal of Honor recipients, and 
thousands of others who have served and continue to courageously serve 
our Nation.
  When hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from Louisiana 
and Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, they were there. The Asian 
American community in my home city of Houston joined all Americans 
around the country in welcoming Katrina evacuees and assisting the 
relief efforts. In Houston, the Asian American community raised more 
than $200,000 for the Katrina Relief Fund and took in over 15,000 
displaced Americans.
  And the contributions of this community will continue far into the 
future. Tomorrow, when it is time to cure the diseases of the future, 
they will be there. There are more than 105,000 Asian American doctors 
in the United States.
  Tomorrow, when new worlds are to be explored, they will be there. 
There are thousands of Asian Americans working in the space program.
  And tomorrow, when it is time to elect the leaders that will guide 
our great Nation, they will be there, in Congress, on the Supreme 
Court, and as President. If our country is to live up to its promises 
in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, every ethnic 
group will have one of its own to serve as President.
  This is why we must protect the voting rights of Asian Americans and 
others to vote under the Voting Rights Act. We must win this battle 
now, so that the 14 million Asian Americans, together with all 
Americans, can have the equitable input that they justly deserve into 
our political process.
  They helped to make America great. The greatness of America rests on 
the shoulders of all Americans, none more so than our Asian American 
brothers and sisters.
  Mr. HONDA. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for his wonderful 
words, and we shall be there.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring up now the gentlewoman from 
California, Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my dear friend and 
colleague, Congressman Mike Honda, who is just a great leader, not only 
for the great State of California, but for this great Nation. He is our 
chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and I 
thank him for convening us here tonight.
  It is with great pride and pleasure that I rise as a proud member of 
the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and on behalf of the 
over 80,000 Asian Pacific Americans who reside in my district in 
commemoration of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I am so 
pleased to call him my friend, and all of my Asian friends, and I am 
here to celebrate with them this great heritage month because they have 
provided so much to this country.
  Since the early 1800s, Asian Pacific Americans have played a 
significant role in the development of our Nation. They have joined 
hands with the many who came to our shores in search of opportunity, 
freedom of expression and adventure to make this country what it is 
today. Their work has made this country a proud country.
  This year marks the centennial celebration of the first wave of 
Filipino migrants to the United States. In 1906, Filipino workers came 
to the United States, particularly to Hawaii, and later California, to 
work in the fields as laborers.
  Many Chinese and Japanese laborers who arrived in the mid-19th 
century were instrumental in the completion of the transcontinental 
railroad on May 10 of 1869.

                              {time}  2130

  These workers and those who followed in their footsteps have thrived 
in various fields of endeavor through their work ethic and ingenuity. 
They are proud Americans. They have done extremely, extraordinarily 
well in showing us what work ethic is all about.
  Today, the U.S. Census reports an estimated 14 million or more U.S. 
residents classify themselves as Asian Pacific Americans or having 
Asian Pacific origins, and many of whom have made extraordinary 
contributions to our Nation.
  Additionally, the United States Census reports 1.1 million businesses 
are owned by Asian Pacific Americans; 312,700 military veterans have 
contributed in protecting our democracy and our democratic ideals 
around the world. Our Filipino veterans are still waiting for their due 
benefits, having served in World War II.
  Furthermore, 46 percent of total Asian Americans and 23 percent of 
Pacific Islanders' population works in management, professional and 
related occupations. I am so pleased to know that they are in our 
legislatures. They are judges. Of course, they are business people. 
They are teachers. They have made profound progress and extraordinary 
contributions to this country.
  The figures show that Asian Pacific Americans have attained high 
levels of education, employment and high median household incomes. 
However, Mr. Speaker, many Asian Pacific Americans have yet to achieve 
their American dream. Twenty-three percent of the Asian Pacific 
population lives in poverty.
  Attention needs to be given to Asian Pacific Americans who, because 
of inadequate skills like my Cambodian constituents, find themselves 
working just to make ends meet. We must work to provide job training 
and other community-based programs that will allow all of our citizens 
to fulfill their potential.
  Asian Pacific Americans also face significant health disparities. 
They account for over half of the 1.4 million chronic hepatitis B cases 
in the United States, and they also suffer from high rates of diabetes, 
cervical and liver cancers.
  Furthermore, the incidence of HIV/AIDS is on the rise in Asian 
Pacific women. The work that I do on my HIV/AIDS and my 5K AIDS Walk 
with various Asian Pacific organizations seeks to address this.
  Some progress has been made in addressing Asian Pacific American 
health issues, the availability of Asian and Pacific Islander cancer 
education materials; Web tools that provide cancer information 
materials in Asian and Pacific Islander languages for those with 
limited English is a good start, but more needs to be done to address 
access to affordable health care.

[[Page 7486]]

  For example, 50 percent of Asian Pacific Americans are medically 
underserved since the cost of health insurance is a major barrier to 
Asian Pacific Americans who are either self-employed or working for 
small businesses that do not provide employee-sponsored health 
coverage.
  As we celebrate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we must 
celebrate the legacy, the culture, the rich traditions and achievements 
of our Asian Pacific Americans, as well as reflect on the challenges 
faced by their community. This is an excellent opportunity, Mr. 
Speaker, for all of us here in this House to celebrate these rich 
cultures, as well as to strive to address the health and education 
challenges that confront them in our great Nation.
  My commendation to all Asian Pacific community groups, especially 
those in my district, that have worked tirelessly to promote, assist 
and improve the lives of all Asian Pacific Americans and all Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my dear friend, Congressman Mike 
Honda, for putting together this special order tonight and his 
outstanding and extraordinary leadership representing Asian American 
Pacific Islanders across this country and the profound group of people 
whom I call my sisters and brothers. He is the chairman of our caucus, 
and I am pleased to be a part that caucus.
  Mr. HONDA. I thank my gracious colleague from California for your 
wonderful words.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today to recognize the Asian and 
Pacific Islander community and to commemorate Asian Pacific American 
Heritage Month.
  As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus we call 
CAPAC, I feel privileged to be here tonight to speak of the Asian and 
Pacific Islander history and accomplishments. Additionally, I will be 
highlighting those issues affecting our communities and the priorities 
for CAPAC.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and 
remember extraordinary community leaders, long-time friends of the APIA 
community that we have lost this year, Judge Delbert Wong and 
journalist Sam Chu Lin.
  Sam Chu Lin, who began reporting in the 1960s, worked as a 
correspondent for CBS and Fox. Sam Chu Lin was also a respected print 
journalist, writing columns and articles on Asian Pacific affairs for 
Asian Week, Rafu Shimpo and the San Francisco Examiner.
  Judge Delbert Wong was the first Chinese American judge in the 
continental United States. Delbert Wong was a fourth generation 
American of Chinese heritage. After earning his undergraduate degree in 
business at U.C. Berkeley, Wong served in World War II as a B-17 
navigator and was awarded numerous medals.
  After the war, Judge Wong faced a choice between joining his family's 
grocery business or entering law school. This was not met with much 
support from his parents, who would say, Who would hire you, a Chinese, 
they would constantly say. Undeterred, Wong completed his law degree in 
1948, becoming the first Chinese American graduate of Stanford Law 
School.
  After graduation, he was appointed deputy legislative counsel, 
serving the California State legislature in Sacramento and later 
appointed deputy attorney general, becoming the first Asian American to 
hold those positions.
  In 1992, Congress passed a law that officially designated May of each 
year as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  I want to thank the following people who have worked to designate May 
as Asian Pacific Heritage Month: the late Congressman Frank Horton from 
New York; my good friend, Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta; 
Senators Daniel Inouye and the late Senator Spark, or Sparky, 
Matsunaga.
  Some important dates include the first 10 days of May, which coincide 
with two important anniversaries, the arrival of Japanese American 
immigrants on May 7, 1843 to California, settling in El Dorado County; 
and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, by 
the Chinese laborers.
  The first APIA settlement in this country dates to 1763 when 
Filipinos escaped imprisonment aboard Spanish galleons and established 
a community near New Orleans.
  Today, the APIA community is one of the fastest-growing populations 
in the country, with over 13 million APIAs living in the U.S. and 
representing 4.5 percent of the total U.S. population.
  My home State of California has both the largest APIA population, 
approximately 4.6 million, and the largest numerical increase of APIAs 
since April of 2000.
  Mr. Speaker, this year's theme for Asian Pacific American Heritage 
Month, Dreams and Challenges for Asian Pacific Americans, reflects 
hardships overcome by the APIA community while highlighting the hope we 
maintain as we contribute to the prosperity of this great Nation.
  This year, I would like to particularly honor the centennial 
celebration of Filipinos in Hawaii and the 50th year since Dalip Singh 
Saund became the first Asian American Sikh to be elected to the U.S. 
Congress.
  On December 20, 1906, a group of Filipino plantation workers arrived 
in Hawaii aboard the Doric, leading the first wave of Filipinos to 
migrate to Hawaii. The first group of Filipinos was followed by 
subsequent waves of Filipino immigrants who came to settle in Hawaii 
and, also, other parts of the United States, contributing to a 
migration pattern that continues up to this day.
  Today, Filipinos with their rich culture and heritage have become a 
positive influence on mainstream life in Hawaii, with many of them 
succeeding prominently in their respected professions, in business, 
politics, government, the academe and the arts.
  2006 also marks the 50th year since Dalip Singh Saund became the 
first Asian American to be elected to the U.S. Congress. While in 
office, Dalip Singh Saund forged a measure that allowed South Asians to 
become U.S. citizens.
  As our community expands, we must also continue to educate our fellow 
citizens about the uniqueness of our experiences.
  The APIA community is often misperceived as monolithic. Our community 
is extremely diverse in our languages, ethnicities and culture. 
Aggregating such a large and diverse group makes it difficult to 
understand the unique problems faced by the individual and subgroups, 
such as the Southeast Asian Americans, who are refugees that fled their 
home countries in the late 1970s and the early 1980s.
  As a country, we need to better address the needs of the APIA 
community when we discuss disaster preparedness, comprehensive 
immigration reform, voting rights, education, health issues and 
veterans.
  National disasters such as the September 11th terrorist attacks, 
Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina, exposed serious gaps in the 
delivery of public services to limited-English-proficient communities, 
or LEP communities. In fact, the lack of linguistic and culturally 
competent services within FEMA and related Federal agencies prevented 
many LEP individuals from accessing critical disaster-relief services 
such as cash assistance, health care, mental health care, housing and 
small business loans.
  As a result, at least 15,000 families from the gulf coast suffered 
unnecessary hardships. Many of the Asian Americans in the gulf coast 
region, hit by Katrina, were shrimpers and fishermen and were 
significant contributors to the local economy and fishing industry for 
years.
  Plaquemines Parish in southern Louisiana is one of the locations of 
the main fishing and shrimp sites. Plaquemines Parish commercial 
landings average $441,181,891 in retail annually. Plaquemines Parish 
has an average annual landing of 28.8 million pounds of shrimp, valued 
at $238.3 million in retail value.
  Extensive reports from FEMA community relations and local fishermen 
determined that all but 20 percent of

[[Page 7487]]

the fishing boats were destroyed in the hurricanes. In order for these 
families to go back to their old way of life, approximately 430 boats 
must be repaired and in the water before shrimp season begins May 15.
  Many of the fishermen, due to cultural and linguistic barriers, were 
not accustomed to the American way of accessing public assistance, 
navigating the intricacies and bureaucracies of public agencies and 
commercial transactions. The fishermen have been denied Small Business 
Administration loans, which would help them rebuild their boats, due to 
the fact that they need to buy insurance prior to getting a loan. But 
one cannot buy insurance for a boat until it is in a working order.
  Fishermen must also prove that they can pay back the loan. But 
without income, SBA is reluctant to give loans. Due to the 
complications of the system and of the linguistic and cultural barriers 
that are posed to them, the Asian Pacific community faces an even 
bigger struggle.
  This month, I will introduce legislation to improve disaster relief 
and preparedness services for individuals with limited English 
proficiency by requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 
bolster Federal resources and outreach to community organizations that 
serve the limited-English population.
  Mr. Speaker, our Nation was founded by immigrants who valued freedom 
and liberty, who sought to be free from persecution, from a tyrant 
government. Families fled their home countries to seek refuge in this 
great Nation, because they too believed in liberty, justice and freedom 
for all.
  APIA families who seek to be reunited with their family members 
overseas have not seen their dreams come true because of our broken 
immigration system. Over 1.5 million Asians are caught in the family 
immigration backlog, and immediate family members from overseas wait as 
long as 10 years to reunite with their families in the U.S.
  Mothers and fathers wait to reunite with their children. But due to 
the long years of waiting, their children may have already reached the 
age of 18, and their families will have to start the process all over 
again.
  As we honor the 41st anniversary of the Immigration Nationality Act 
of 1965 and the 31st anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1975, we need to 
remember that our country was founded and created to protect our 
freedom and civil liberties.

                              {time}  2145

  I believe we need comprehensive immigration reform to fix our broken 
immigration system.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a break in my presentation to offer 
the microphone and the floor to our Democratic leader, a great leader 
from the State of California, from the great City of San Francisco, 
someplace where you always leave your heart, our leader, Nancy Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. Thank you very much, my colleague, Congressman Honda, the 
distinguished Chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus. I am pleased 
to join you, and I thank you for your leadership in calling this 
Special Order to acknowledge Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. It 
is a time when we can focus on and sing the praises of the 
contributions of the Asian Pacific American community to our great 
country. I wish to associate myself with your extensive remarks and 
praise of the proud community that you are a part of and thank you for 
your leadership in the Congress.
  I was interested in your comments, where you talked about Katrina and 
what happened at a time of natural disaster. As you acknowledged, I 
represent the great City of San Francisco in the Congress, and we are 
blessed in our community with a large Asian Pacific American community. 
They have built our city. They have been part of its growth and its 
success.
  This year, we observed the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake. 
At that time, it was a sorry, sorry sight to see, San Francisco.
  A black mark on that time, but one that was averted, but was 
suggested, was when the earthquake came and the city burned, thousands 
of people were displaced in downtown San Francisco's Chinatown. It was 
a horrible thing. There were those in the press who suggested, who 
wrote in the daily metropolitan journals which were published almost 
immediately, they suggested that now might be a good time to get rid of 
Chinatown, get rid of foreigners and everything that went with it. Of 
course, they had their eye on this prime real estate that was Chinatown 
right in the heart of downtown San Francisco. But their motivation was 
not only commercial; it was also racist, quite frankly.
  Fortunately, the city leaders at the time rejected that unfair notion 
and Chinatown was rebuilt, and it is such a magnificent part of our 
community to this day. It attracts visitors from all over the world and 
all over California because it is such a magnificent place. It is so 
invigorating to go there. When you do, you are constantly reminded of 
the contribution that our Asian Pacific American community makes to 
America.
  We talk about family values. The Asian Pacific Americans take the 
lead. Their coming to our shores, whether it was over a century ago to 
build the railroads, whether it is a few days ago, each one of them 
brings to our community family values, this wonderful optimism and 
determination for a better future for their children, this courage. 
Imagine the courage to leave home to come to America, no matter when it 
was or is now. And they bring a commitment to community, to academic 
success. They make America stronger, and we owe a great debt of 
gratitude to the Asian Pacific Americans in this regard. As I say, I 
see it firsthand in my own community.
  But how similar it was in 1906, when the earthquake came and there 
were those, for whatever reason, who thought this was a good idea to 
change the community that was San Francisco. Fortunately, it was 
rejected.
  Sadly, it resembled some of the rhetoric following Katrina in New 
Orleans; and hopefully those notions will be rejected as well, because 
as we rebuild these cities, we must always remember to rebuild the 
communities that strengthen them.
  I am proud to pay tribute to AAPI leaders in my City of San Francisco 
who have recently passed away since we had this meeting last year, but 
leave their legacies. George Wong was a pioneer in the labor movement 
who worked until his death to ensure that workers' rights were 
protected.
  The Godmother of San Francisco's Japantown and a leading community 
activist, ``Sox'' Kitashima, she was just fabulous, Sox was, a driving 
force behind the Japanese American redress movement.
  The late Joe Yuey distinguished himself during his 100 years of life 
as Asian art enthusiast, amassing a collection that is part of the 
world-renowned San Francisco Asian Art Museum.
  Jade Snow Wong was a famous author, ceramicist and businesswoman, 
whose book ``Fifth Chinese Daughter'' is included on school reading 
lists across our Nation.
  The legacy of all these outstanding people is one that must be 
carried on as an example for other Americans to follow.
  And let us also remember this year as the centennial of Filipino 
immigration to the United States. My colleague Mr. Honda has referenced 
the magnificent contributions of the Filipino American community.
  The first Filipinos arrived on the shores of Hawaii to work on the 
sugar plantations in 1906, again, 1906, a year fraught with meaning, 
with the belief that a better life could come from hard work and 
determination. Filipinos continued migrating to the United States, as 
they are now the second largest AAPI population, making remarkable 
contributions to our country.
  My colleagues have referenced the great contributions, not only the 
Chinese, the Japanese, the Vietnamese, Cambodians, people from Laos, 
from South Asia, from India and Pakistan and from so many places in 
Asia, so different one to the next of these groups, the Korean 
Americans, the list

[[Page 7488]]

goes on. They all make a wonderful contribution, and we should 
acknowledge all of it.
  I am very pleased to share in this Special Order with you, Mr. Honda, 
because you, frankly, laid out some of the problems and challenges that 
were faced by the community over time.
  I am proud to serve with you, and I am proud to serve with Eni 
Faleomavaega and our colleagues Congresswoman Matsui and David Wu, with 
you and others.
  I also want to acknowledge the loss of our dear friend, Bob Matsui, 
whom we served with. Over a year-and-a-half ago he left us, but his 
inspiration is still with us here. And Patsy Mink. There can be no 
discussion of Asian Americans in Congress without mentioning the 
exceptional leadership of Congresswoman Patsy Mink, who served from 
Hawaii.
  The list goes on and on, and the legacy does too. But the future is 
brighter because of the contributions of the Asian Pacific American 
community, and it is appropriate that this heritage month be 
established and be commemorated.
  Mr. HONDA. Thank you, madam leader.
  Mr. Speaker, if I may just suspend my remarks and invite my colleague 
from American Samoa to share his comments with us, the great 
Congressman who has been here for quite a few years, Congressman Eni 
Faleomavaega.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and 
dear friend, the gentleman from California, Mr. Honda, who is managing 
this Special Order, but more especially also as an outstanding leader 
in our Asian Pacific American community and currently serving as 
chairman of our Asian Pacific Congressional Caucus.
  I want to also commend our Democratic leader, Ms. Nancy Pelosi, for 
her outstanding remarks. The fact that she also is a Member who has one 
of the largest constituencies in not only the State of California of 
our Asian Pacific American community, but, as Ms. Pelosi was making her 
statement, I recalled also her predecessor, someone whom I have had the 
highest admiration and respect for, a giant of a man not only in his 
ways but as an example, with a real great sensitivity and compassion 
for the needs of the Asian Pacific American community people, none 
other than the late Congressman Phil Burton.
  I would also like to commend my colleagues, Congresswoman Juanita 
Millender-McDonald and Congressman Al Green, for their outstanding 
remarks this evening in this Special Order.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the Asian Pacific 
American Heritage Month to acknowledge the contributions of our Asian 
Pacific American individuals and communities to the success of our 
great Nation. I commend my colleagues who founded this celebration in 
1977 by introducing a resolution calling upon the President to proclaim 
the first 10 days in May Asian Pacific Heritage Week, former 
Representatives Norm Mineta and Frank Horton, and Senators Daniel K. 
Inouye and Senator Spark Matsunaga.
  I think we need to also understand, Mr. Speaker, the dynamics. Those 
of us who are Americans, and we are very, very proud of being 
Americans, but whose roots are from the Asian Pacific region, and the 
dynamics of why the Asian Pacific region is so important, it is in our 
national interests, not only our national security, the economics, just 
about every phase of what is really critically important in our Nation 
in dealing with this region of the world which, by the way, two-thirds 
of the world's population is the Asian Pacific region. Six of the 10 
largest armies in the world are in the Asian Pacific region. Our trade 
with the Asian Pacific region is four times greater than any other 
region in the world, including especially that of Europe.
  I am reminded a couple of years ago what Senator Inouye said, for 
every one 747 that flies between the Atlantic and the United States, 
four 747s fly between the Asian Pacific region and our country.
  Mr. Speaker, the Asian Pacific American community is vibrant and 
growing with an estimated 14 million Asian American residents and 
another 975,000 Pacific Americans. I am proud to be a member of this 
Asian Pacific American community, a community that has produced so many 
inspiring individuals. In government, in the military, in the sciences, 
sports, entertainment, business, you name it, we have it.
  In government, for example, especially from the great State of 
Hawaii, among the first, I guess you might say, U.S. Senator Hiram 
Fong, Senator Daniel Inouye, Senator Daniel Akaka, the first elected 
Asian American Governor of any State, Governor George Ariyoshi, our 
first native Hawaiian Governor, Governor John Waihee, our first 
Filipino American Governor, Governor Ben Cayetano.
  We also have Mayor Neal Blaisdell, and the newly elected mayor of the 
city and county of Honolulu, Mufi Hannemann. We also have Lieutenant 
Governors Jimmy Kealoha and Duke Ainoa. Norm Mineta, a good friend of 
mine who is not only partly responsible for initiating this Heritage 
Month, but was always the first Asian Pacific American mayor of a major 
U.S. city like San Jose, he was also the first Asian Pacific American 
to be a member of a Presidential Cabinet when he was appointed as 
Secretary of Commerce in the year 2000 by former President Clinton and 
now is U.S. Secretary of Transportation appointed by President Bush.
  Elaine Chao, another first. Secretary Chao is the first female Asian 
American Cabinet member, appointed Secretary of Labor by President 
Bush.
  Gary Locke, first Asian American Governor on the mainland United 
States, elected Governor of the State of Washington in 1996. And I 
could never forget and my deepest respect to the late Congresswoman 
Patsy Mink, first Asian American female elected to the U.S. Congress 
since 1964. Then our late colleague and friend, my dear friend, the 
late Congressman Bob Matsui, who inspired me and mentored me throughout 
our time here together as a senior member of the House Committee on 
Ways and Means.
  As a Vietnam veteran, Mr. Speaker, it would be ludicrous for me not 
to say something to honor the hundreds of thousands of Asian Pacific 
Americans who have and continue to serve in all the branches of the 
armed services of our Nation.
  I would like to share with you the contributions of tens of thousands 
of Japanese American soldiers who volunteered to fight our Nation's 
enemies in Europe during World War II.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the fact that after the surprise 
attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Army of 
Japan, there was such an outrage and cry for an all-out war against 
Japan. In days afterwards, our President and the Congress formally 
declared war. But caught in this crossfire were hundreds of thousands 
of Americans, mind you Americans, who happened to be of Japanese 
ancestry.

                              {time}  2200

  Our national government immediately implemented a policy whereby over 
100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forced to live in what were 
called, supposedly, ``relocation camps''; I call them ``concentration 
camps.'' Their lands, their homes, and their properties were 
confiscated without due process of law.
  It was also a time in our Nation's history that there was so much 
hatred and bigotry and racism against our Japanese American community. 
And yet despite all of this, leaving their wives, their parents, their 
brothers and sisters behind barbed-wire fences in these prison camps, 
the White House accepted the requests from tens of thousands of 
Japanese Americans who volunteered to join the Army, and as a result, 
two combat units were organized.
  One was called the 100th Battalion, and the other was known as the 
442nd Infantry Combat Group. Both were sent to Europe to fight. And I 
might say that I am very, very proud to have been associated and been a 
former member of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Combat Group out 
of the State of Hawaii.

[[Page 7489]]

  Mr. Speaker, in my humble opinion, history speaks for itself in 
documenting that none have shed their blood more valiantly for our 
Nation than the Japanese American solders who served in those two 
combat units while fighting enemy forces in Europe during World War II.
  The military records of the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry 
are without equal. Those Japanese American units suffered an 
unprecedented casualty rate of 314 percent, and received over 18,000 
individual decorations, many awarded posthumously for bravery and 
courage in the field of battle.
  For your information, Mr. Speaker, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 
560 Silver Stars, and 9,480 Purple Hearts were awarded to the Japanese 
American soldiers of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry Group. I 
find it unusual, however, that only one Medal of Honor was given. 
Nonetheless, the 442nd Combat Group emerged as the most decorated 
combat unit of its size in the history of the United States Army.
  President Truman was so moved by their bravery in the field of 
battle, as well as the tremendous sacrifices of the African American 
soldiers in World War II, that he issued an executive order to finally 
desegregate all of the branches of the armed services.
  Senator Inouye lost his arm while engaged in battle against two 
German machine gun posts, and he was awarded the Distinguished Service 
Cross. After a congressional mandate to review again the military 
records of these two combat units some 5 years ago, I was privileged to 
attend a White House ceremony where President Clinton presented 19, 19 
Congressional Medals of Honor to the Japanese American soldiers who 
were members of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Combat Infantry. Senator 
Inouye was one of those recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
  I submit, Mr. Speaker, these Japanese Americans paid their dues in 
blood to protect our Nation from its enemies. It is a shameful mark on 
the history of our country that when the patriotic survivors of the 
100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry returned to the United States to 
be reunited with their families, who were locked up behind barbed wire 
fences, living in prison camps, and could not even get a haircut in 
downtown San Francisco, simply because they looked Japanese, they were 
Japanese, and for that reason alone, even with their uniforms on, they 
were not given the privilege of getting a haircut.
  My former colleague and now U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Norm 
Mineta, and the late Congressman Bob Matsui from Sacramento both spent 
some of the early years of their lives in these prison camps. Secretary 
Mineta told me one of the interesting features of these prison camps 
was posting of machine gun nests all around the camp, and everyone was 
told that these machine guns were posted to protect them against 
rioters. But then Secretary Mineta observed, if these machine guns were 
posted to guard us, why is it that they are all directed inside the 
prison camp rather than outside it?
  I submit, ladies and gentlemen, my good friends, my colleagues, the 
wholesale and arbitrary abolishment of the constitutional rights of 
these loyal Japanese Americans should forever serve as a reminder and 
testament that this must never be allowed to occur again.
  When this miscarriage of justice unfolded during World War II, 
Americans of German and Italian ancestry were not similarly jailed en 
masse. Some declared the incident as an outright example of racism and 
bigotry in its ugliest form.
  After viewing the Holocaust Museum in Washington, I understand better 
why the genocide of some 6 million Jews has prompted the cry ``Never 
again, never again.'' Likewise, I sincerely hope that mass internments 
on the basis of race alone will never again darken the pages of the 
history of this great Nation.
  Now, to those who say, Well, that happened decades ago, we must say 
that we have to continue to be on our guard for this kind of thing to 
happen again. I remember years ago the case of Bruce Yamashita, the 
Japanese American born and raised in the State of Hawaii, who was 
discharged from the Marine Corps after a training program as an officer 
candidate and an ugly display of racial discrimination.
  The Marine Corps superiors taunted Yamashita with ethnic slurs and 
told him, We do not want your kind around here, go back to your own 
country. The situation was made worse when a leading officer of the 
Marine Corps made a statement on the 60 Minutes program who said, 
Marine officers who are minorities do not shoot, swim or use compasses 
as well as white officers.
  The Commandant later apologized for his remarks, but it was a little 
too late. And I am really happy to know that after all of the 
investigations that the Secretary of the Navy finally awarded Mr. 
Yamashita his commission as an officer and a captain in the United 
States Marine Corps.
  The tradition continues today of the thousands of Asian Pacific 
Americans who served in the armed services. Retired General Eric 
Shinseki was the first Asian Pacific American four-star general who 
served as U.S. Army Chief of Staff.
  Our Asian American Pacific Island soldiers are fighting for freedom 
in Iraq even as I speak. Just this past weekend I was privileged to 
witness in Germany the swearing in of a Samoan soldier by the name of 
Command Sergeant Major Iuniasolua Savusa as the Command Sergeant Major 
for U.S. Army Europe and the 7th Army.
  I am very proud of Command Sergeant Major Savusa for his 
accomplishments. He is an inspiration and a great role model for our 
youth and other Asian Pacific Americans who currently serve in the 
military.
  Mr. Speaker, I think at this point I want to defer to my good friend, 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) the manager of this special 
order this evening. And I am sure that he may want to continue portions 
of his statement as well.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from American Samoa for 
adding so much information to this presentation, because I think that 
when people listen and hear what it is that we are sharing with this 
country, there may be many, many people out there that say, I did not 
know that.
  Although we talk about many firsts, accomplishments from members of 
our communities, I am sure also, that those who are first expect never 
to be last, that they would continue, that we would continue to 
contribute to this country. And in order to contribute to our country, 
we have to also defend the Constitution.
  Defending the Constitution and defending the rights of our people 
also entails the voting rights. This past week, H.R. 9, the Voting 
Rights Act reauthorization was introduced.
  The right to vote is keenly felt by the Asian and Pacific Islander 
American community. Chinese Americans could not vote until the Chinese 
Exclusion Acts of 1882 and 1892 were repealed in 1943. First-generation 
Japanese Americans could not vote until 1952 because of the racial 
restrictions contained in the 1790 naturalization law.
  With the markup in Judiciary Committee tomorrow, we need to ensure 
that important provisions such as section 203, which has been very 
vital to the API community's ability to participate in the electoral 
process, gets reauthorized in this Congress.
  Language-minority citizens were often denied needed assistance at the 
polls. In the 1975 amendments to the Voting Rights Act, such assistance 
became required in certain situations, and we need to ensure that these 
provisions continue to remain in current law.
  Mr. Speaker, as Americans, we need to ensure that our children 
receive a quality education, but also provide adequate teacher 
training, funds for after-school and extracurricular activities and 
ensuring that college is affordable for every student that deserves to 
receive a higher education.
  According to the U.S. Census, 50 percent of Asians age 25 and over 
have a Bachelor's degree or higher level of education. However, I would 
like to

[[Page 7490]]

emphasize that when we disaggregate the data, when we tease apart the 
information for the API subgroups, we find that the model minority 
stereotype is in fact a myth.
  Only 9.1 percent of Cambodian Americans, 7.4 percent Hmong Americans, 
7.6 Lao Americans, 19.5 percent Vietnamese Americans and 16 percent of 
native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who are 25 years and older have 
a Bachelor's degree.
  These numbers show that we must do a better job of disaggregating 
data and information about our communities to assess the needs of those 
hard-working Americans who still falter behind. To address the 
disparities between subgroups of the larger APIA community, we need 
Congress to pass the Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving 
Institutions bill, which my colleague from Oregon, Congressman David 
Wu, will be introducing later this month.
  This legislation will provide Federal grants to colleges and 
universities that have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is 
at least 10 percent APIA 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 APIA 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 APIA students.
  Mr. Speaker, a common misperception of APIAs is that, as a group, we 
face fewer health problems than other racial and ethnic groups. In 
fact, APIAs as a group and specific populations within this group do 
experience disparities in health and health care.
  For example, APIAs have the highest hepatitis B rates of any racial 
group in the United States. APIAs are also five times more likely to 
develop cervical and liver cancer than any other ethnic and racial 
group.
  According to the Census Bureau, 18 percent of APIAs went without 
insurance for the entire year in 2000. This means that the uninsured 
are not only more likely to go without 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 fewer 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 APIA community, 76 percent of Hmong Americans, 61 percent of 
Vietnamese Americans, 52 percent of Korean Americans and 39 percent of 
Tongans speak limited English. Therefore, eliminating health care 
disparities in the APIA 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 Equality and Accountability Act to 
eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities for all of our 
communities.
  I have introduced the Health Care Equality and Accountability Act, 
which will address expanding the health care safety net by diversifying 
the health care workforce, combating diseases that disproportionately 
affect racial and ethnic minorities, emphasizing prevention and 
behavioral health and promoting the collection and dissemination of 
data and enhanced 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 60,813 APIAs serving on active duty in the U.S. armed services, as 
well as the 28,066 in the Reserves and the National Guard.

                              {time}  2215

  I also commend and thank the 351,000 APIA veterans who fought for 
this country. I would like to highlight and honor the Filipino veterans 
as my colleague had done who have not been compensated and recognized 
for their service, which I believe is a national disservice to these 
brave veterans.
  As a country, it is our duty to ensure that these veterans have equal 
access to all 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, I stand with my colleagues, Congressman Issa and 
Congressman Filner, to support their bipartisan legislation, H.R. 4574, 
to restore full benefits to these veterans who fought for our Nation 
during World War II. With Congressman Issa taking the lead and 
Congressman Filner in a leadership position in the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, we have a great chance to get this bill to the floor in 
honor of the centennial celebration of Filipinos in Hawaii and to keep 
the word of Congress that we gave to these brave veterans of World War 
II.
  I am proud of our community's accomplishment, Mr. Speaker, and I 
would like to recognize many of the APIA firsts in areas of art, film, 
sports, sciences, academia, and politics. In each effort, these folks, 
who were first, expect that they are not the last:
  In 1847, Yung Wing, the first Chinese American graduated from Yale 
University and the first APIA to graduate from a U.S. college;
  In 1863, William Ah Hang, who was Chinese American, became the first 
APIA to enlist in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War;
  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;
  In 1946, Wing F. Ong, a Chinese American from Arizona, became the 
first APIA to be elected to State office;
  In 1948, Victoria Manalo Draves, a Filipino American diver, became 
the first woman to win Olympic gold medals in both the 10 meter 
platform and the 3 meter spring board events;
  In 1956, Dalip Singh Saud, the first Indian American to be elected to 
Congress;
  In 1965, Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first Japanese woman and woman of 
color elected to Congress who championed title IX;
  In 1985, Haing Ngor, a Cambodian American, became the first APIA to 
win an Academy Award for his role in the movie ``Killing Fields'';
  In 1985, Ellison Onizuka, a Japanese American, became the first APIA 
astronaut whose life was lost in a launching tragedy.
  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the Asian American Pacific Islander 
American community continues to fight for our civil liberties and our 
civil rights as Americans.
  Even after the internment of the 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 proud to 
be a member of the APIA community 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 in the name of dreams 
and challenges of Asian Pacific Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, the 6 years I have served here I learned that Asian 
Americans have a unique contribution to make to this body and to this 
country, and that we because of our history in this country uniquely 
understand and recognize that our Constitution is never tested in times 
of tranquility. Our Constitution is always tested in times of trauma, 
terror, tension and tragedy. And to the point where we can internalize 
the principles of our Bill of Rights and our Constitution, and to the 
point where we understand that defending this Constitution and its 
people will we be able to face as Members of this body, face 
overwhelming public approval which could be wrong and

[[Page 7491]]

stand up to them, say it is wrong because it does not follow the 
Constitution.
  These are the kinds of heritage and contributions Asian Americans 
have made, will make and continue to make in this country so that we 
may fulfill the phrase in the preamble of our Constitution that says 
``to form a more perfect union.''
  In the words of Congressman Al Green, ``There will be a tomorrow.''
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Inglis of South Carolina). The gentleman 
has 3 minutes remaining.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my closing 
remarks. I say, Mr. Speaker, when I envision America I do not see a 
melting pot designed to reduce or removal racial differences. The 
America I see is a brilliant rainbow, a rainbow of ethnicities and 
cultures with each people proudly contributing in their own distinctive 
and unique way a better America for generations to come.
  Asian Pacific Americans wish to find a just and equitable place in 
our society that will allow, like all Americans, to grow, to succeed, 
to achieve and to contribute to the advancements of this great Nation.
  I would like to close my remarks by asking all of us here this 
evening, What is America all about?
  I cannot think of it said better than on the steps of the Lincoln 
Memorial in the summer of 1963 when an African American minister by the 
name of Martin Luther King, Jr., poured out his heart and soul to every 
American who could hear his voice when he uttered these famous words, 
``I have a dream. My dream is that one day my children will be judged 
not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their 
character.''
  That is what I believe America is all about, Mr. Speaker. Again, I 
thank my colleague and my good friend, the gentleman from California, 
for his management of this Special Order honoring all of the Asian 
Pacific American community in our country and the contributions that 
they have made to make our country to form a more perfect union.
  I rise today in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, 
to acknowledge the contributions of our Asian Pacific American 
individuals and communities to the success of our great Nation.
  I commend my colleagues who founded this celebration in 1977 by 
introducing a resolution calling upon the President to proclaim the 
first ten days in May Asian/Pacific Heritage week--Representatives Norm 
Mineta and Frank Horton, and Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Spark 
Matsunaga.
  The Asian Pacific American community is vibrant and growing, with an 
estimated 14 million Asian American residents and another 975,000 
Pacific Americans.
  I am proud to be a member of this Asian Pacific American community, a 
community that has produced so many inspiring individuals in 
government, the military, the sciences, sports, entertainment, and 
business. In government, for example: from Hawaii
  Senators Hyrum Fong, Daniel Inouye, Daniel Akaka.
  Governors George Ariyoshi, John Waihee, Ben Cayetano.
  Mayors Neal Blaisdell and Mufi Hannemann, Lt. Governors Jimmy Kealoha 
and Duke Aiona.
  Norm Mineta--my good friend was not only partly responsible for 
initiating APA Heritage Month, but was also the first Asian Pacific 
American mayor of a major U.S. city (San Jose). He was also the first 
Asian Pacific American to be a member of the Presidential Cabinet, when 
he was appointed as Secretary of Commerce in 2000 by former President 
Clinton and five years ago Mr. Mineta was appointed by President Bush 
as U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
  Elaine Chao--another first, Secretary Chao is the first female Asian-
American cabinet member, appointed Secretary of Labor in 2001, also 
appointed by President Bush.
  Gary Locke--the first Asian-American governor on the mainland U.S., 
elected governor of Washington, 1996.
  Patsy Mink--the first Asian-American female elected to Congress, in 
1964 from Hawaii.
  Bob Matsui--my dear friend and colleague who inspired me and mentored 
me throughout our time together here as a senior member of the House 
Committee on Ways and Means.
  As a Vietnam Veteran, it would be ludicrous for me not to say 
something to honor the hundreds of thousands of Asian-Pacific Americans 
who have and continue to serve in all the branches of armed services of 
our Nation. I would like to share with you the contributions of the 
tens of thousands of Japanese-American soldiers who volunteered to 
fight our Nation's enemies in Europe during World War II.
   Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the fact that after the surprise 
attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Army of 
Japan--there was such an outrage and cry for all-out war against Japan, 
and days afterward, our President and the Congress formally declared 
war--but caught in this cross-fire were hundreds of thousands of 
Americans--Americans mind you who happened to be of Japanese ancestry.
  Our national government immediately implemented a policy whereby over 
one-hundred thousand Americans of Japanese ancestry, were forced to 
live in what were called relocations camps--but were actually more like 
prison or concentration camps. Their lands, homes and properties were 
confiscated without due process of law.
  It was also a time in our Nation's history that there was so much 
hatred, bigotry and racism against our Japanese-American community--and 
yet despite all this--leaving their wives, their parents, their 
brothers and sisters behind barbed wire fences in these prison camps--
the White House accepted the request from tens of thousands of the 
Japanese-Americans who volunteered to join the Army. And as a result 
two combat units were organized--one was the 100th Battalion and the 
other known as the 442nd Infantry Combat Group--both were sent to fight 
in Europe.
  In my humble opinion, history speaks for itself in documenting that 
none have shed their blood more valiantly for our Nation than the 
Japanese-Americans soldiers who served in these two combat units while 
fighting enemy forces in Europe during World War II.
  The military records of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry are 
without equal. These Japanese-American units suffered an unprecedented 
casualty rate of 314 percent and received over 18,000 individual 
decorations, many awarded posthumously, for bravery and courage in the 
field of battle.
  For your information Mr, Speaker, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 
560 Silver Stars, and 9,480 Purple Hearts, were awarded to the 
Japanese-American soldiers of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry 
Group. I find it unusual; however, that only one Medal of Honor was 
ever given. Nonetheless, the 442nd Combat Group emerged as the most 
decorated combat unit of its size in the history of the United States 
Army.
  President Truman was so moved by their bravery in the field of 
battle, as well as that of African-American soldiers during World War 
II, that he issued an executive order to finally desegregate all 
branches of the Armed Services.
  Senator Inouye lost his arm while engaged in battle against two 
German machine gun posts and he was awarded the Distinguished Service 
Cross. After a Congressional mandate to review again the military 
records of these two combat units 5 years ago--I was privileged to 
attend the White House ceremony where President Clinton presented 
nineteen Congressional Medals of Honor to the Japanese-American 
soldiers who were members of 100th Battalion and 442nd Combat Infantry 
group--Senator Inouye was one of those recipients of the Medal of 
Honor.
  I submit, Mr. Speaker, these Japanese-Americans paid their dues in 
blood to protect our Nation from its enemies. It is a shameful mark on 
the history of our country that when the patriotic survivors of the 
100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry returned to the United States to 
be reunited with their families who were locked-up behind barbed wire 
fences, living in prison camps--and could not even get a haircut in 
downtown San Francisco because they all looked Japanese--despite the 
fact that they too were Americans.
  My former colleague and now U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Norman 
Mineta, and the late Congressman Bob Matsui from Sacramento both spent 
some of the early years of their lives in these prison camps.
  Secretary Mineta told of one of the interesting features of these 
prison camps were postings of machine gun nests all around the camp and 
everyone was told that these machine guns were posted to protect them 
against rioters.
  But then Secretary Mineta observed--if these machine guns are posted 
to guard us, why is it that they are all directed inside the prison 
camp compound and not outside?
  I submit, ladies and gentlemen, the wholesale and arbitrary 
abolishment of the constitutional rights of these loyal Japanese-
Americans should forever serve as a reminder and testament that this 
must never be allowed to

[[Page 7492]]

occur again. When this miscarriage of justice unfolded during World War 
II, Americans of German and Italian ancestry were not similarly jailed 
en masse. Some declare the incident as an example of outright racism 
and bigotry in its ugliest form. After viewing the Holocaust Museum in 
Washington, I understand better why the genocide of some 6 million Jews 
has prompted the cry, ``Never Again, Never Again!'' Likewise, I 
sincerely hope that mass internments of the basis of race alone will 
never again darken the history of our great nation.
  To those that say, well, that occurred decades ago, I say we must 
continue to be vigilant in guarding against such evil today.
  Not long ago, we had the case of Bruce Yamashita, a Japanese-American 
from Hawaii who was discharged from the Marine Corps officer training 
program in an ugly display of racial discrimination. Marine Corps 
superiors taunted Yamashita with ethnic slurs and told him, ``We don't 
want your kind around here. Go back to your own country.'' The 
situation was made worse by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, a four 
star general, who appeared on television's ``Sixty Minutes'' and 
stated: ``Marine officers who are minorities do not shoot, swim, or use 
compasses as well as white officers.'' The Commandant later apologized 
for his remarks, but it was a little too late.
  After years of perseverance and appeals, Mr. Yamashita was vindicated 
after proving he was the target of vicious racial harassment during his 
officer training program. The Secretary of the Navy's investigation 
into whether minorities were deliberately being discouraged from 
becoming officers resulted in Bruce Yamashita receiving is commission 
as a captain in the Marine Corps.
  The tradition continues today of the thousands of Asian-Pacific 
Americans who serve in the armed services. Retired General Eric 
Shinseki was the first Asian-American four-star general who served as 
U.S. Army Chief of Staff. Our Asian-American and Pacific Island 
soldiers are fighting for freedom in Iraq even as I speak.
  Just this past weekend, I was privileged to witness the swearing in 
of the Samoan soldier CSM Iuniasolua Savusa as the Command Sergeant 
Major for U.S. Army Europe and the 7th Army. I am very proud of Command 
Sergeant Major Iuni Savusa for his accomplishments. He is an 
inspiration and a great role model for our youth and other Asian-
Pacific Americans who currently serving in the military.
  Other outstanding Asian-Pacific Americans who have made significant 
contributions to our nation:
  Dr. David Ho--pioneered treatment for HIV/AIDS and named by Time 
Magazine as its ``Man of the Year'' in 1996.
  Dr. Hideyo Noguchi--isolated the syphilis germ in 1911, leading to a 
cure for the deadly disease.
  Dr. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar--Nobel Prize winner, evolution of 
stars, led to modern astrophysics.
  Ellison Onizuka--the first Asian-American astronaut, 1985, Died 
aboard the Space shuttle Challenger in 1986.
  Kalpana Chawla--Astronaut, first Indian American woman in space.
  News, Sports, and Entertainment--
  Ellen Nakashima--chief reporter for the Washington Post in Southeast 
Asia.
  Connie Chung--in 1993, became the first Asian American to be a 
nightly news anchor for a major network.
  Keanu Reeves--internationally renown actor.
  Apolo Ohno--Olympic Gold & Silver Medalist, speed skating.
  Jet Li--movie actor.
  Kristi Yamaguchi--Olympic Gold Medalist, figure skating.
  Dwayne Johnson--also known as the ``Rock,'' professional wrestler and 
movie star--Scorpion King, Walking Tell, Doomed.
  Dr. Sammy Lee, Olympic gold medalist high diver.
  Greg Louganis--Olympic gold.
  Michelle Kwan: Olympic Silver and Bronze medalist, Figure skating.
  Duke Kahanamokee, gold medalist swimmer.
  Angela Perez Baraquio: First Asian American Miss America 2001 (Miss 
Hawaii).
  Sarah Chang: world famous violinist.
  Lucy Liu: Actress.
  Bruce Lee: Martial Artist and Actor.
  Tiger Woods: Golf Professional.
  Michelle Wie: Professional Golfer.
  Akebono (Chad Rowan): Sumo Wrestler (retired), yokozuna.
  Konishiki Salevaia Afigaroe: Sumo wrestler, oyeki.
  Musashimaru Peitari, Sumo wrestler, retired, yokozuna.
  24 Samoan NFL football players in 2005/2006 season.
  9 Native Hawaiian NFL football players.
  5 Tongan Americans--NFL football players.
  Mr. Speaker, when I envision America, I don't see a melting pot 
designed to reduce and remove racial differences. The America I see is 
a brilliant rainbow--a rainbow of ethnicities and cultures, with each 
people proudly contributing in their own distinctive and unique way--a 
better America for a generation of Americans yet unborn.
  Asian-Pacific Americans wish to find a just and equitable place in 
our society that will allow them--like all Americans--to grow, to 
succeed, to achieve and to contribute to the advancement of this great 
nation.
  Mr. Speaker, first as an American, whose roots are from the Asian 
Pacific Region, I would like to close my remarks by asking all of us 
here tonight, what is America about? I think it could not have been 
said better than on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in the summer of 
1963 when an African-American minister named Martin Luther King Jr. 
poured out his heart and soul to every American who could hear his 
voice, when he uttered these words: ``I have a dream. My dream is that 
one day my children will be judged not by the color of their skin, but 
by the content of their character.''
  That is what I believe America is all about.


        RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Asian Pacific 
American Heritage Month and to recognize the role that Asian and 
Pacific Islander Americans play in our nation. I want to thank Mr. 
Honda, the Chairman, and Mr. Faleomavaega, the Vice Chairman, of the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus for their commitment to and 
leadership of the Caucus and their efforts on behalf of our 
communities.
  Asian Pacific Islanders are leaders in academia, in the arts, in all 
levels of government and the military, and in the private sector. They 
contribute to all aspects of American life and, in doing so they enrich 
the lives of Americans and make this country stronger. This month is 
set aside to honor their successes and contributions.
  As we celebrate Asian Pacific Islander traditions this month, we must 
remember those pioneers who forged the path on which we walk today. 
Their work, their sacrifices, and the impacts they made on America 
provided the foundation of understanding of Asian and Pacific Islander 
cultures, traditions, and heritage, all of which have opened doors for 
current and future generations. True to this record, Asian Pacific 
Islander American achievements today will inspire and support future 
generations of Asian Pacific Islanders to excel tomorrow.
  This year's theme is ``Dreams and Challenges of Asian Pacific 
Americans.'' It is through these strong dreams that the Asian Pacific 
Islander community has progressed. As we come together to celebrate 
another Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I am reminded of the 
many contributions and successes of our community. The importance of 
our community has been recognized by the White House. On May 13, 2004, 
President Bush signed Executive Order 13339, which created the 
President's Advisory Commission on the White House Initiative on Asian 
Americans and Pacific Islanders. This was a significant step in voicing 
the special needs of the APA community through the Executive branch of 
government. One of Guam's very own was chosen to serve on this 
Commission.
  Martha Cruz Ruth is one of fourteen APAs appointed by the President 
to serve on the President's Advisory Commission for the White House 
Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Commission was 
chosen based on their history of involvement with the APA community and 
for their expertise in a specific field. Mrs. Cruz's specialties range 
from media affairs and marketing to local politics, having served a 
term in Guam's Legislature in 1987, and she brings a unique voice to 
this Commission.
  Asian Pacific Americans have demonstrated a long and distinguished 
history of service to this country. Many have served in our armed 
forces. On Guam, our men and women volunteer for military service at 
higher rates per capita than any state in the union. We owe each and 
every one of these servicemen and women a debt of gratitude for their 
service and sacrifice.
  Through hard work and dedication, Asian-Pacific Americans have risen 
through the

[[Page 7493]]

ranks to the top levels of military leadership. General Eric K. 
Shinseki, holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking APA in the 
U.S. Army. Major General Antonio Taguba, who served as the chief 
investigator during the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, is only the second 
Filipino American to rise to the position of General in the U.S. Army. 
Brigadier General Vicente Tomas (Ben) Blaz, of Guam, had a 
distinguished career with the U.S. Marine Corps, and he made our island 
proud when he was promoted to Brigadier General in 1977. In 1984, after 
retiring from the Marines, General Blaz came here to our nation's 
capital to serve as Guam's Delegate to the U.S. House of 
Representatives and served in that capacity for eight years.
  Among those who have served in the military, I especially want to 
remember those who have given their lives to protect our freedom, 
including those who lost their lives in the Global War on Terrorism. 
Specialist Christopher Jude Rivera Wesley, Lieutenant Michael Aguon 
Vega, Specialist Jonathan Pangelinan Santos, Specialist Richard 
DeGracia Naputi, Jr., and Specialist Kasper Alan Camacho Dudkiewicz are 
five of Guam's sons who were killed in Iraq. In addition, the 
Micronesian region has lost six of its own sons. Though their deaths 
sadden us, their courage reminds us that freedom is never free.
  The Asian Pacific American communities have embraced America as our 
home and have thrived through the limitless opportunities this country 
has to offer.
  Today, as we go forward celebrating ``Dreams and Challenges of Asian 
Pacific Americans,'' let us celebrate the unique histories and stories 
of our people.
  This year the people of Guam will commemorate the 62nd anniversary of 
our liberation from enemy occupation by U.S. armed forces during World 
War II. As the only American territory with a civilian population 
occupied by the enemy during World War II, the people of Guam risked 
their lives to protect American servicemen from capture and endured 
great hardships and suffering. I want to recognize the people of Guam 
for their steadfast loyalty during these trying times.
  Guam continues to play an important role in our nation's relations 
with Asian countries. Recently, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced the 
re-location of marines from Okinawa to Guam as part of a major 
realignment of forces in Japan. With the impending arrival of 8,000 
Marines from Okinawa, our island is planning for a period of tremendous 
growth. We look forward to making a significant contribution to peace 
and security in the western Pacific and Asia, and we hope that the 
realignment of forces will strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance.
  As we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, let us honor 
the contributions of all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Let us 
ensure that their stories are known to the younger generation. Let us 
celebrate the beauty of our cultures and the richness of our heritage. 
And let us celebrate how we help make America the great country it is.
  Dangkulo na Si Yu'os Ma'ase.
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, this month we continue a nearly three decade 
tradition of Asian Pacific American Heritage. Without the sacrifices 
and contributions that have been made by Asian Americans, the United 
States would not be the world leader that it is.
  During this special month we have the opportunity to acknowledge and 
pay tribute to the contributions of the 15-million strong Asian Pacific 
American community--from I. M. Pei, Maya Lin, and astronaut Ellison 
Onizuka, to Amy Tan, Yo Yo Ma, and General Eric Shinseki. Our Nation 
would not be what it is today without their immeasurable input. Their 
unique contributions enhance the moral fabric and character of this 
great Nation.
  As we celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific 
Islanders to the whole of the Nation, we must rededicate our efforts to 
ensuring equality and opportunities so that all Americans have a chance 
to reach their full potential. Together, we can make the American dream 
a reality for all Americans.
  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join Chairman Honda and other 
members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in 
commemorating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  I am even more pleased that several Asian Pacific American 
organizations or governmental initiatives are holding their annual 
conventions in Hawaii this month. This includes the Federal Asian 
Pacific American Council and the White House Initiative on Asian 
Americans and Pacific Islanders.
  There are also several Filipino American organizations that will be 
hosting events this year in Hawaii, including the National Federation 
of Filipino American Associations, as 2006 marks the centennial of 
sustained immigration from the Philippines to the United States.
  The Filipino Centennial Celebration Commission in Hawaii, led by 
Elias Beniga, and the Smithsonian Filipino American Centennial 
Commemoration have done a wonderful job in providing commemorative 
activities across the country, including in Hawaii and Washington, D.C.
  I was pleased that Congress passed in December, H. Con. Res. 218, my 
resolution recognizing the centennial and acknowledging the 
contributions of Filipino-Americans to the United States.
  While there are many issues of importance, a timely issue I believe 
should be considered by Congress is the inclusion of my bill, H.R. 901, 
into any comprehensive immigration reform bill moving through Congress.
  H.R. 901 would prioritize the permanent immigration petitions of the 
sons and daughters of Filipino World War II Veterans who were extended 
U.S. citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990. 
Most recently, I wrote to President Bush and Congressional leaders 
urging their inclusion of this provision in immigration reform 
legislation.
  I believe my bill fulfills one of the bedrock principles of our 
federal immigration policy--family reunification--and warrants special 
consideration given the unique history between the United States and 
the Philippines, as well as the contributions of our Filipino World War 
II veterans to our country and to U.S. national security interests.
  As we commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I celebrate 
the contributions of all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who call 
our country home, and I congratulate the Filipino American community 
for their centennial celebrations this year!
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Asian Pacific 
American Heritage Month. I want to congratulate my good friend and 
colleague, Mr. Honda, for arranging this special order so that we can 
celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and acknowledge the 
important contributions of Asian Americans. This year's theme, ``Dreams 
and Challenges of Asian Pacific Americans,'' reflects the Asian and 
Pacific Islander American community's commitment to fairness and 
equality.
  I represent California's 33rd congressional district. It is one of 
the most ethnically and culturally diverse congressional districts in 
the U.S. It is emblematic of the emerging ``majority minority'' 
demographic of the state of California.
  California is home to the largest Korean-American population in the 
country. More people of Korean heritage live and work in Los Angeles 
than in any place in the world outside Korea; and more Korean-Americans 
live and work in the 33rd congressional district than in any other 
congressional district in California.
  I want to comment briefly on the recent and, in many ways, historic 
visit of Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward to Korea last month. His visit, I 
believe, embodies this year's theme of fairness and equality. The NFL 
hero, who is of mixed Korean and African-American ancestry, traveled to 
his native country to express pride in his Korean roots even though he 
shunned that side of his heritage after he faced prejudice as a child. 
His Korean mother accompanied him.
  By all accounts, South Korea warmly embraced Hines Ward and received 
him as a hero. The government made him an honorary citizen. Moreover, 
his visit not only galvanized the Korean community but also brought 
attention to the plight of Koreans of mixed ancestry.
  Korea has 35,000 people of mixed race, and many are subjected to 
discrimination. 22 percent are unemployed, and only 2 percent have 
administrative jobs. The rest are laborers. Statistics suggest that 9.8 
percent of mixed-race Koreans leave primary school and 17.5 percent 
middle school. The average drop-out rate for Korean middle school 
students is 1.1 percent. The Pearl Buck Foundation notes that 
international marriages between Koreans and non-Koreans are on the rise 
and that the mixed-race population in Korea is estimated to grow to 2 
million by 2020.
  My home state of California is a leader in the growth of mixed-race 
populations in the U.S. In the 2000 Census, 7 million people self-
identified themselves as multiracial. Historically, the West has always 
been very multiracial due to high immigration levels, the rich mix of 
different ethnic groups, and the historical absence of legal barriers 
to interracial marriage. Much work, however, remains to be done as 
mixed-race children in the U.S. and their counterparts overseas suffer 
from sleights and discrimination.
  Hines Ward's visit to Korea has made a positive difference. The 
government and the ruling Uri Party recently agreed to grant for the 
first time legal status to people having mixed-race backgrounds and 
their families. The Ministry of Justice is now reviewing a plan to 
grant citizenship or residency status to those

[[Page 7494]]

who marry Koreans. All acknowledge the impact and importance of Hines 
Ward's visit.
  I want to congratulate Mr. Ward on his triumphal return to his 
homeland. He has used his celebrity status to bring attention to an 
issue of mutual importance to both the U.S. and Korea. I also want to 
congratulate the Korean government for taking positive steps to address 
an issue that until now has been largely ignored.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month, 
let us not overlook those Asian-Americans of mixed race who have also 
made significant contributions to our nation.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Asian Pacific 
American Heritage Month and to honor the more than 14 million Asian 
Pacific Americans that contribute to the success of tour great nation.
  I am proud to be a Representative from the great state of California, 
which is home to the largest Asian/Pacific Islander American (API) 
community in the United States. I truly believe diversity is what makes 
our country great and California benefits greatly from the API 
community's presence there.
  The theme for this year's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is 
``Dreams and Challenges of Asian Pacific Americans'' and it is an idea 
that resonates especially for those of us from the Golden State. 
Indeed, much of California's earliest infrastructure and railways were 
built by the sweat and labor of Chinese and Japanese immigrants. 
Despite grueling work and harsh discrimination, these workers played a 
vital role in developing California's early economy and today, Chinese 
and Japanese Americans are among the largest, most successful API 
groups in the state.
  The API community has also been at the heart of some of California's 
saddest and darkest hours. During World War II, our state was home to 
most of the internment camps that unjustly imprisoned more than 112,000 
Japanese Americans between 1942 and 1948. Government-sanctioned racism 
forced many of these law abiding citizens to lose everything they owned 
and many families remain seared by the memory of this injustice.
  However, the suffering and struggle of the API community didn't stop 
there. As recently as 1992, Americans witnessed a milestone in Asian 
Pacific American history as the streets of Koreatown exploded in 
violence during the Los Angeles Riots. Thousands of Korean Americans 
watched their American Dream go up in flames and they, too, had no 
choice but to rebuild and rise again.
  And the list goes on. America is the home of Vietnamese, Cambodian, 
Hmong, Filipino, Thai, Malaysian, Native Hawaiian or other API 
communities. Each of these groups has overcome heartache, oppression, 
discrimination, and intolerance to achieve their goals in America. They 
are proud to be Americans and grateful for the opportunity to live 
freely and pursue their dreams.
  The API community is among the fastest growing minority groups in our 
country and is succeeding in every arena. Asian Pacific Americans 
proudly serve in our military; they are among some of the most 
successful entrepreneurs; and some of them are my esteemed colleagues 
here in the halls of Congress.
  I am proud to honor the Asian Pacific American community today not 
only for their persistence, but also for their accomplishments, 
contributions, and leadership.
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the 
gentleman from California for putting together this Special Order to 
celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  Mr. Speaker, I proudly represent one of the largest Vietnamese 
communities in the world outside of Vietnam in Orange County, 
California.
  Many of them came to the United States only about thirty years ago, 
seeking refuge from an oppressive regime in an unknown land and facing 
an uncertain future.
  These individuals risked everything for a chance to live freely and 
provide better opportunities for their children and for their families.
  Since their arrival, these Vietnamese refugees have become Americans 
in the finest and truest sense of the word--hard working people trying 
to create a better future for themselves and their families.
  One success story that I love to mention is that of Mr. Chieu Le, 
founder and chief executive officer of Lee's Sandwiches in Orange 
County, California.
  In 1981, one year after immigrating to the United States from 
Vietnam, Mr. Le and his family bought their first catering truck and 
began serving sandwiches in the community.
  Twenty years later, they opened the first Lee's Sandwich Shop in 
Garden Grove, California.
  Today, Lee's Sandwiches is the fastest-growing restaurant chain in 
the West, with over 35 stores in operation or development.
  And Mr. Le and his family have given back to the community as well, 
raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of the 9/11 
attacks and the South Asia tsunami.
  But Mr. Le and his family are only one example. Dr. Nguyen-Lam Kim 
Oanh of the Garden Grove Unified School District is the first 
Vietnamese-American woman elected to a school board in Orange County.
  Or actress Kieu Chinh, who has appeared in numerous movies and TV 
shows including E.R. and The Joy Luck Club, and was the subject of the 
Emmy-award winning 1996 documentary ``Kieu Chinh: A Journey Home.''
  And groups such as the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations--a 
non-profit, volunteer-run organization that puts together the annual 
Tet Festival in Orange County, which draws twenty to thirty thousand 
attendees.
  Or the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance--
the largest Pan-Asian Pacific Islander organization in Orange County. 
Their health outreach programs, after-school programs, and policy 
advocacy programs make a real difference in the lives of Orange County 
residents.
  Through their hard work and dedication, Vietnamese Americans and 
other Asian-Pacific individuals and groups like these have become an 
integral part of the Orange County family--as entrepreneurs, as 
community leaders, and as activists for worthy causes at home and 
abroad. On behalf of all my colleagues in the House, I offer them our 
praise and our gratitude.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and to pay tribute to the 
struggles and enormous contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to our 
Nation's culture.
  It is an honor to pay tribute to the many achievements and honor the 
countless unique contributions to the United States made by Asian 
Pacific Americans across our Nation.
  May commemorates the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in 
1843. Therefore, it is appropriate that during the month of May we 
recognize the contributions made by Asian Pacific Americans to our 
communities.
  May 10, 1869 marks the completion of the transcontinental railroad 
and its completion is greatly credited to the labor of the Chinese 
immigrants. Today, there are over 14 million Asian Pacific Americans 
living in the United States and this represents 5 percent of the 
population.
  The rich history associated with the Asian Pacific American 
population has been a great contribution to the culture of the United 
States.
  Over the years, the Asian Pacific American communities have made 
significant contributions to Texas's diverse culture.
  The United States is a land of immigrants, and the history reflects a 
Nation that has greatly benefited from the many contributions of its 
immigrants.
  The Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (GDAACC) is the 
largest Asian American Chamber in the United States with 1,200 members 
currently enrolled.
  Located in the Asian Trade District in Northwest Dallas, GDAACC, is 
the focal point of Asian American economic development and cultural 
exchange.
  In recent years, due to great efforts to expand the number of 
programs that provide assistance to members, sponsors and partners, the 
GDAACC initiated the Asian Festival and approximately 15,000 people 
were in attendance.
  GDAACC is also responsible for initiating the Leadership Tomorrow 
Program; the Multi-Ethnic Education and Economic Development Center; 
and the Texas Asian American Business Symposium in Dallas, Texas.
  The Asian Pacific American community is well deserving of the many 
accolades they receive because their contributions have greatly 
enriched the culture and history of our Nation.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Pacific American Heritage 
Month, and I rise to proudly recognize and honor over 78,000 Asian 
Pacific Americans who live in my 7th Congressional District in 
Washington State. They are the largest minority group in my district, 
embracing over 13 percent of the population. They are Japanese, Asian 
Indian, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Cambodian, Laotian, Hmong, 
Vietnamese, Pacific Islanders, as well as other Asian American 
cultures. Their contributions have helped to make Seattle a richly 
textured weave of cultures and people. We all benefit as a result.
  Beginning in the late 19th century, Asian Americans immigrated to the 
United States to work hard and make a better life for themselves and 
their families. Many faced prejudice, racial injustice, and 
discrimination, but these new immigrants believed in America,

[[Page 7495]]

and they made our Nation stronger by fighting for American values like 
equality. As our Nation again debates the importance and role of 
immigration in the early 21st Century, we should consider the 
contributions that Asian-Americans have made, and continue to make, to 
our Nation, becoming leaders in public and social service, business and 
industry.
  In Seattle, I am proud to have introduced the legislation that 
renamed a United States Courthouse as the William Kenzo Nakamura United 
States Courthouse in honor of a Japanese American who was posthumously 
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage under fire in 
World War II. Mr. Nakamura made the ultimate sacrifice in service to 
the country he loved, an honor made more poignant by the fact that 
William and his family were forcibly relocated to a federal internment 
camp at the beginning of the war.
  Today, we proudly celebrate Asian Pacific American culture and 
heritage, from the Vietnamese Tet in Seattle Lunar New Year celebration 
to other local cultural festivals. We also honor Asian Pacific 
Americans by preserving the ethnic heritage of our citizens. Places 
like the Wing Luke Asian Museum, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the 
Filipino American National Historical Society, and Densho: The Japanese 
American Legacy Project keep us in touch with the roots of our 
neighbors.
  Our pride in and recognition of many Asian American role models has 
earned Washington State a global awareness. Just last month Chinese 
President Hu Jintao chose Seattle for his inaugural visit to the United 
States as head of state, touring a Boeing plant and Microsoft 
headquarters and noting the ``good cooperative relations'' between 
China and Washington State. One out of every four jobs in Washington 
State is directly tied to international trade, and we have a strong and 
growing trading relationship with the Asia Pacific region. This 
relationship has been established, expanded, and nurtured largely 
through cultural awareness first developed in the region by Asian-
American immigrants. We all benefit from the contributions Asian 
Pacific Americans make to our community and country.
  Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a celebration of the 
American spirit. We are a nation of immigrants, and by honoring Asian 
Pacific Americans, we honor all cultures.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of Asian/Pacific 
Americans and their innumerable contributions to our Nation. The fabric 
of American society has benefited from the talent, dedication and 
enthusiasm of Asian/Pacific Americans. The month of May is designated 
as a time when we all can appreciate and observe diversity in America 
by highlighting the contributions of Asian/Pacific Americans.
  In June 1977, Representative Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. 
Mineta of California introduced a House Resolution that called upon the 
President to designate the first ten days of May as Asian/Pacific 
Heritage Week. Subsequently, Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga 
introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both House and Senate Bills 
were passed. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two 
important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history. The arrival in 
the United States of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843 and 
contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the 
transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress 
expanded the observance for the entirety of May.
  Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated with community 
festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational activities 
for students. This year's theme is ``Freedom for All--A Nation We Call 
Our Own.''
  Mr. Speaker, Asian/Pacific Americans are leaders in public service, 
business, government, science, law, education, athletics, the arts, and 
many other areas. Their love of family, community, and hard work has 
helped to uphold our Nation for many generations. Asian/Pacific 
American entrepreneurs are helping to strengthen our economy and our 
communities through their hard work and ingenuity, and they inspire a 
new generation of American innovation through their example. More than 
14 million Americans of Asian or Pacific Island Heritage contribute to 
the vitality, success, and prosperity of our Nation.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Asian Pacific 
American Heritage Month. I would like to thank Congressman Honda and 
the Asian Pacific American Caucus for organizing a special order 
tonight to honor Asian Pacific Americans and the great contributions 
they have made to our Nation. I would also like to say that I am very 
proud to be a member of the Tri-Caucus, which unites the Congressional 
Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and 
Congressional Black Caucus. Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe in the 
importance of honoring all of our country's unique cultures, and it is 
truly a privilege to participate in this special order.
  Asian Pacific Americans have played a tremendous role in the 
development of our Nation. I would first like to acknowledge the late 
Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink, our first woman of color to serve in 
the U.S. House of Representatives. She was a trailblazer for Asian 
Pacific Americans, and it is wonderful to see that her impact is still 
felt and that her legacy continues.
  As Representative of California's Ninth U.S. Congressional District, 
APA Heritage month is especially important to me. Asian and Pacific 
Island American culture has a very large impact in the cities of my 
district.
  My district is the birthplace of Amy Tan, a Chinese-American woman 
and New York Times bestselling author best known for her novel The Joy 
Luck Club, and it's subsequent film adaptation. She has received 
countless acknowledgments including the Bay Area Book Reviewer's Award. 
Today, Ms. Tan's novels and short stories are a part of high schools 
and universities' literary curricula nationwide.
  My district is also the birthplace of Fred Korematsu, born in Oakland 
to Japanese immigrants, who challenged the World War II internment of 
Japanese American citizens. As an American citizen Mr. Korematsu 
refused to go to an internment camp, but he was arrested, sent to one 
in 1942 and branded a spy by newspapers. He opposed the internment 
policy in the Supreme Court, but in its ignoble 1944 decision the 
Supreme Court upheld the policy. In 1983 Mr. Korematsu appealed his 
conviction, which a Federal court overturned acknowledging that the 
Government's case at the time had been based on misleading and racially 
biased information. President Bill Clinton awarded Mr. Korematsu the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998, honoring Mr. Korematsu for 
fighting for human rights and ensuring the very liberties that created 
this great Nation.
  Today, the legacy of Asian Pacific American leaders such as Ms. Tan 
and Mr. Korematsu is apparent in the numerous remarkable programs and 
initiatives in APA communities throughout my district. There are 
several that I would like to recognize, including Oakland Asian 
Students Educational Services also known as OASES. As the city of 
Oakland is one of three cities in the Bay Area that has the lowest high 
school graduation rates for Asian students, this organization works to 
decrease cultural gaps in education. OASES reaches out to all youth 
with limited resources and limited educational opportunities, 
particularly children of Asian Pacific Islander families.
  I would also like to recognize the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. 
This center works by employing the belief that upholding cultural 
tradition and honoring cultural heritage are at the core of maintaining 
healthy and lively communities. The center presents a variety of 
cultural festivities and artistic expression in dance, literature, 
music and visual arts. The center is an excellent resource for 
understanding the legacy of Asian and Pacific Island Americans and 
their great influence on the cultural identities of our communities.
  My district is also home to several of the nation's leading health 
care providers for APA communities. Asian Community Mental Health 
Services, for example, is an organization that offers access to and 
increases community acceptance of mental healthcare, which in many APA 
communities remains taboo. Asian Health Services is another 
organization that works to ensure that members of APA communities can 
overcome challenges to obtaining high-quality, affordable healthcare 
due to language barriers, income, lack of insurance coverage and 
cultural differences.
  Lastly, I would like to bring special attention to Asian Communities 
for Reproductive Justice (ACRJ) and its Executive Director, Ms. Eveline 
Shen. Founded in 1989, ACRJ has been a longtime leader in ensuring that 
APA women and girls are equipped with the tools to make important 
decisions about their reproductive health. Under the leadership of Ms. 
Shen, ACRJ places reproductive health and freedom at the center of 
promoting social and economic freedom for APA women in the shadows of 
patriarchal cultures. During her nearly two decades of community 
organizing and eight years at ACRJ, Ms. Shen has become a leader in 
building a social justice movement in APA communities, which is one of 
the fastest growing constituencies in California and in my district. I 
commend Ms. Shen and ACRJ's dedication to assisting APA women to obtain 
the American promise of ``liberty and justice for all.''
  As our Nation is home to so many people from all over the world, it 
is important that we continue to bring attention to the issues that 
affect all communities. It is our responsibility to ensure that no one 
is ignored and that equal

[[Page 7496]]

attention is given to all groups. It is also our duty to seek justice 
for those who are underrepresented. And, lastly, it is our privilege to 
come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the many leaders 
throughout Ameican history, who have embodied excellence in advancing 
the principles of democracy, freedom and justice for all of our 
communities and strengthening the foundation of America.
  Mr. Speaker, again I would like to thank Mr. Honda and the APA Caucus 
for inviting me to participate in this special order. Let us continue 
to unite, pay tribute to Asian Pacific Americans and remember the 
importance their outstanding contributions to our Nation.
  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, today and throughout the 
month of May, we celebrate the many contributions Asian Pacific 
Americans have made to the fabric of our communities and to this Nation 
as a whole.
  More than 100 Members of Congress work together in the Congressional 
Asian Pacific American Caucus to promote Asian Pacific American issues 
and concerns, and I'm pleased that we are led by my long-time friend 
and colleague, Congressman Mike Honda.
  Congressman Honda and I are proud to represent San Jose, California 
and surrounding areas, a community blessed with diversity and culture 
from around the world, including close to 350,000 Asian Pacific 
Americans.
  Some notable Asian Pacific Americans from our area include Norman 
Mineta, the longest serving Secretary in the history of the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, the first Asian American mayor of a major 
U.S. city, and the first Asian American Cabinet member during the 
Clinton Administration.
  San Jose Councilmember Madison Nguyen is another extraordinary Asian 
Pacific American. She is the first Vietnamese American woman elected to 
office in the State of California.
  Another distinguished Asian Pacific American from the San Jose area 
is Dr. Allan Seid who founded Asian Americans for Community Involvement 
(AACI), the largest social services nonprofit organization serving the 
Asian Pacific American community in Santa Clara County.
  Vinod Khosla has contributed immensely to Silicon Valley as a 
distinguished venture capitalist and a co-founder of Sun Microsystems, 
headquartered in Santa Clara, California, a company that has grown into 
one of the largest providers of computers, computer components, 
software, and information-technology services.
  In this Congress, there are five Asian Pacific Americans serving our 
Nation and their communities as members of the House of 
Representatives, as well as one delegate from American Samoa and two 
Asian Pacific Americans serving in the Senate. I am proud that the 
California Democratic Delegation includes two of these Representatives 
from the Asian Pacific American community.
  In the field of science and technology, Asian Pacific Americans have 
long contributed to our country, from Ellison Onizuka, the first Asian-
American in space, to Flossi Wong-Staal and Dr. David D. Ho, for their 
work on HIV and AIDS. Moreover, several Asian Pacific Americans have 
received Nobel Prizes for their accomplishments in science and 
technology.
  Hundreds of thousands of Asian Pacific Americans have also loyally 
served our Nation in the military willing to give their life for the 
United States of America. Asian Pacific American veterans of the Armed 
Forces number 312,700.
  In sports, Asian Pacific Americans have helped bring home Olympic 
gold medals for the United States, including the first woman to win 
gold medals in the ten and three meter diving events--Filipina American 
Victoria Manalo Draves.
  Although it is important for us to celebrate Asian Pacific American 
heritage this month, we must not forget the plight that Asian Pacific 
Americans endure despite the community's many accomplishments.
  The pitfalls of immigration law and the backlog of immigration 
applications continue to prevent many Asian Pacific American families 
from reuniting for several years.
  We must also not forget that the APA community suffers from greater 
poverty than non-Hispanic Whites, especially in the Hmong, Laotian, 
Cambodian, and Vietnamese American communities.
  We must work to ensure that Asian Pacific Americans are appropriately 
counted when our government collects data that will be used to 
understand the needs of the APA community.
  We must make every effort to invite Asian Pacific Americans to 
participate in government to ensure that our government meets the needs 
of the APA community.
  In commemoration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I honor 
the contributions of millions of Asian Pacific Americans who have 
contributed to our Nation and who I am sure will continue to contribute 
in the future. But while I celebrate this month, I also renew my pledge 
to address the issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans around the 
country.

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