[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13223]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
         RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF THE HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION

  (Mr. SWALWELL of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to rise today on 
the House Floor and recognize the great work of the Hindu American 
Foundation, which is having its annual Northern California Awareness 
and Gala Dinner near my congressional district one week from Saturday.
  There are over 2 million Hindus in the United States, and the Hindu 
American Foundation works to educate people about their religious faith 
and protect the free exercise of it around the Nation and across our 
globe.
  I'm proud to stand as a Member of Congress with the Hindu American 
Foundation on issues that are important to me and its members. For 
example, I worked to get the FBI to collect data on anti-Hindu hate 
crimes, including sending two letters to ask it to do so. Thanks to 
this advocacy and the Hindus across the Nation, we've achieved this 
goal.
  I've also cosponsored H.R. 717, the Reuniting Families Act, to enable 
people in the United States to be reunited with family members abroad; 
cosponsored House Resolution 47, which calls on the Postal Service to 
adopt a commemorative Diwali holiday; and I also joined the India 
Caucus.
  Saturday's dinner will give the Hindu American Foundation members and 
supporters a great chance to talk about what we've done together and 
what the future may bring.
  I also look forward to attending the gala and hearing from my 
colleague here in the House, Tulsi Gabbard, from Hawaii, who is the 
first Hindu ever elected to this body and is, rightfully, being honored 
by the Hindu American Foundation. I'm sure she'll have a unique and 
insightful perspective for this occasion.

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