Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2003

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) for yielding to me and not only for his leadership but as chairman of the Asian Pacific American Caucus and for him to request this Special Order to allow Members of this institution to pay tribute and to recognize the contributions of our Asian Pacific American community to our Nation.

I think with some sense of perspective in history, Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the Asian Pacific American region, we talk about all those countries that comprise Asia as a region as well as those Pacific Island nations. The Asian Pacific region constitutes two-thirds of the world's population. This region also has six of the 10 largest armies in the world. The U.S. commercial and trade relations with this Asian Pacific region far exceeds other regions of world. In fact, the U.S. trade with the Asian Pacific region is twice that of Europe alone. As I recall, Senator Inouye once made the observation that for each 747 that flies across the Atlantic, four 747s fly between the Asian Pacific region and our Nation.

Americans whose roots are from the Asian Pacific region are over 13 million strong and among the fastest growing demographic group in the United States today.

Permit me to share with my colleagues an overview of some of the contributions that Asian Pacific Americans have given to our Nation. Just 3 months ago, a world renowned Chinese American physicist, Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu, perhaps little known to the average American, passed away quietly in her home in New York. For decades she dedicated her life to the study of beta decay. She was born in Shanghai, and in her youth studied with Nobel Laureate E.O. Lawrence, the inventor of the cyclotron at U.C.-Berkeley, where Dr. Wu also received her doctorate degree in physics. For some 30 years, Dr. Wu taught physics at Columbia University. In 1957 she won the Nobel Prize in physics for her work on emission of electrons from radioactive nuclei. I think there are approximately 10 other Nobel Laureates who are of Asian Pacific ancestry in the field of physics, mathematics, and chemistry.

A couple of years ago, Time Magazine featured as its Man of the Year Dr. David Ho. Dr. Ho is a Chinese American who was born and raised in Taiwan. His family moved to the United States when he was a young man, and he is now a leading scientist in the field of medicine and has been recognized for his research efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS.

For several decades now, Dr. Makio Murayama, a Japanese American, conducted vital research in the United States that laid the groundwork for combating sickle-cell anemia. In 1973 Dr. Leo Esaki, a Japanese American as well, was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his electron tunneling theories. And in the field of engineering, few have matched the architectural masterpieces created by the genius of Chinese American I.M. Pei.

In the fields of law and finance, the names of prominent Asian Pacific American corporate leaders and legal scholars are too numerous to mention. One need only to read our Nation's top newspapers and periodicals to document that Asian Pacific American students, both in secondary schools and universities, are among the brightest minds our Nation offers to the world. We have every expectation that they now and will in the future contribute their talents and expertise to solve major issues and problems now confronting our Nation today.

In the fields of entertainment and sports, the late Chinese American kung-fu martial arts expert Bruce Lee captivated movie audiences around the world by destroying the common stereotype of the passive, quiet Asian Pacific American male. Now another sports and movie icon is moving his way through the movie industry and is believed to be the heir apparent to Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. His name is Dwayne Johnson, commonly known today as the Rock. The Rock is a former World Wrestling Federation champion wrestler and has completed his third movie. First it was The Scorpion King, then The Rundown, and now Walking Tall. And just a unique thing about the Rock, Mr. Speaker, is that his father is African American and of European descent, but his mother is pure Samoan Polynesian. Now just about every Samoan claims kinship with the Rock, including myself, Mr. Speaker.

When we talk about sports, for example, golf, Mr. Speaker, it is ironic that the two best golfers in the world are of Asian Pacific descent. Tiger Woods's mother is Thai. Vijay Singh from the island of Fiji is of Asian descent. And as mentioned earlier by my colleagues from the State of Hawaii, we have a new Tiger Woods among the women's professional golfers, and this is a 14-year-old junior golfer from the State of Hawaii. She is Michelle Wie.

About 4 decades ago, Mr. Speaker, a native Hawaiian named Duke Kahanamoku shocked the world by winning the Olympic gold medal for the United States in swimming, followed by Dr. Sammy Lee, a Korean American, who also won the Olympic gold medal in high diving. Dr. Lee told me during the 1988 Olympics in Korea that in his day, because he was nonwhite, he was not allowed to train along with his fellow Olympic American athletes.

So he had to become creative by performing high dives off cliffs and tall trees. Despite all this, he still won the gold medal for our country.

And what can you say about Greg Louganis, the Samoan American, perhaps the best high diver ever in the world. Dr. Lee, who was his former teacher, I asked him in Korea, ``Why is it that Greg Louganis is such a fantastic high diver?'' He said, ``Eni, look at his legs. Because of the power that he gets from his legs,'' this high diver named Greg Louganis, ``he is able to perform more difficult tricks in his routines when he does this.'' I think everybody knows that Greg Louganis has been the greatest diver ever known to the world.

Let's talk about the National Football League. We have had Asian- Pacific Americans who have also made All-Pro: Charles Ane with the Detroit Lions, Rockney Freitous with the Detroit Lions; Luther Elliss; and the perennial All-Pro, Junior Seau, formerly with the San Diego Chargers, now with the Miami Dolphins. We have Jesse Sapolu with the Forty-Niners and Dan Saleaumua with the Kansas City Chiefs, and also Jim Nicholson, also formerly with the Kansas City Chiefs.

We also have Asian-Pacific Americans who are making their mark on history, not in our country, but in Southeast Asia. About 20 years ago, an 18-year-old Samoan kid named Saleva'a Atisanoe, then weighing only 384 pounds was an All-State football player who had intended to play college football. While walking Waikiki Beach with his buddies, he was immediately brought to the attention of the famous Native Hawaiian sumo wrestler and teacher, Jesse Kuhaulua--or Takamyama--as he was known throughout Japan.

After convincing Saleva'a's parents to have their son try sumo wrestling as an optional sport, Takamyama brought this Samoan young man to Japan. Saleva's left with only a little lavalava and a t-shirt on his back and started a training program so rigorous and demanding that very few foreigners make it through the first 6 months.

Saleva'a told me that he trained every day for 6 or 7 hours. His body took every form of pain and physical punishment including stretching, pushing, pulling. If you want to know how rigorous the training is and what a sumo wrestler has to do in order to be successful in this ancient sport, let me just say that a 500 pound man must be able to do the splits just like a seasoned ballerina dancer does at an opera concert.

Saleva'a's name was later changed to Konishiki, and he weighed in at 570 pounds and at six feet in height. Konishiki took the entire sumo wrestling world to a different level. His successes in winning his matches within 2 years usually would take most sumo wrestlers 5 years to achieve. Although he achieved the second highest level in sumo, which was Ozeki, Konishiki became a household name throughout Japan, and was forerunner to two other Polynesian sumo wrestlers who eventually became Yokozuma or grand champion.

Indeed, two Americans of Polynesian descent scaled even greater heights by attaining the highest status--Yokozuna or Grand Champion--in this ancient Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. A Native Hawaiian, Chad Rowen, or Akebono as he is known in Japan became Yokozuma. Of course, he weighed about 500 pounds and stood six feet eight inches tall. The other was Samoan-Tongan American Peitani Fiamalu also known as Musashimaru. He tipped the scale at 550 pounds and stood six feet four inches.

Mr. Speaker, if I may, I would like to now direct my attention to another area in our Nation's history, where Members of our Asian Pacific American community were severely challenged. As a Vietnam veteran, it would be ludicrous for me not to say something to honor and respect the hundreds of thousands of Asian Pacific Americans who served then and now in all the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

As a former member of the U.S. Army's Reserve unit known today as the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry Combat Group, I would be remiss if I did not tell you about the contributions of the tens of thousands of Japanese American soldiers who volunteered to fight our Nation's enemies in Europe in World War II.

Some of us may not be 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 a public outcry for an all-out war against Japan, and days afterwards our President and the Congress formally declared war.

But caught in this crossfire were hundreds of thousands of Americans, Americans, mind you, who just happened to be of Japanese ancestry. Our national government immediately implemented a policy whereby over 100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forced to live in what then called relocation camps, but actually in my opinion they were more like prison camps or concentration camps. Their lands, homes and properties were confiscated without due process of law.

Mr. Speaker, it is also a time in our Nation's history when there was so much hatred and bigotry and racism placed against our Japanese American community. Yet, despite all this, leaving their wives, their parents and brothers and sisters behind barbed wire fences in these prison camps, the White House accepted the request of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans who volunteered to join the Army.

As a result of this request for service, two combat units were organized. One was known as the 100th Battalion, also known as the Purple Heart Battalion; and the other was known as the 442nd Infantry Combat Group. Both were sent to fight in Europe.

In my humble opinion, Mr. Speaker, history speaks for itself in documenting that none have shed their blood more valiantly for our Nation than the Japanese American soldiers who served in these two combat units while fighting enemy forces in Europe in World War II.

The military records of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry are without equal. These Japanese Americans suffered an unprecedented casualty rate of 314 percent, and received over 18,000 individual decorations, many of them awarded posthumously, for bravery and courage in the field of battle.

For your information, Mr. Speaker, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to these two units. 560 Silver Stars and 9,480 Purple Hearts were awarded to the Japanese American soldiers of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry Group. However, I find it unusual 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. In fact, Mr. Speaker, President Truman was so moved by their bravery in the field of battle, as well as that of the contributions of African American soldiers World War II, that President Truman issued an executive ordered to desegregate all branches of the Armed Forces.

It was while fighting in Europe that Senator Inouye lost his arm while engaged in battle against two German machine gun posts. As a result of his valor, Senator Inouye was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Four years ago, a congressional mandate was issued calling for review of the military records of these two combat units, and I was privileged to attend the White House ceremony where President Clinton presented 19 Congressional Medals of Honor to the Japanese Americans of these two units. Senator Inouye was one of the recipients of the Medal of Honor.

The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, these Japanese-Americans paid their dues in blood to protect our Nation from its enemies and it is a shameful black mark on the history of our country that when the patriotic survivors of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry returned to the United States, many were reunited with their parents, brothers and sisters 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 looked Japanese--despite the fact that they, too, were Americans.

My dear friend and former colleague and now U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta, and Congressman Bob Matsui from Sacramento remember well the early years of their lives in these prison camps. Secretary Mineta told that 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 or whatever. But then Secretary Minea 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?

Mr. Speaker, I submit that 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 WWII, Americans of German and Italian ancestry were not similarly jailed en masse. Some declare that our treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII was an example of outright racism and bigotry in its ugliest form. After viewing recently 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 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 minitories 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 discourage from becoming officers resulted in Bruce Yamashita receiving his commission as a captain in the Marine Corps.

Mr. Speaker, I am also greatly disturbed by media coverage in recent years involving illegal political campaign contributions made by a small minority of the Asian-Pacific American Community. The media has implied that the Asian Pacific American community as a whole is suspect and corrupt and I find this racial scapegoating to be repugnant and morally objectionable. Playing-up fears of the ``Asian Connection'' serves to alienate Asian-Pacific Americans from participating in our political process.

When Americans raise money, it is called gaining political power. But when Asian-Pacific Americans begin to participate, we are accused of being foreigners trying to inflilrate the mainstream of our Nation's political system. On this note, remember the Oklahoma City bombing incident? Americans of Arab descent were immediately targeted and investigated as terrorists by local and Federal law enforcement agencies. An Anglo turned out to be the bomber which leads me to say that it is wrong to stereotype and this type of negative stereotyping must and should not continue.

In conclusion, I think Bruce Yamashita's case and the hysteria surrounding Asian-Pacific American political contriibutions bear implications not just for the military and the media but for our society as a whole. It begs the question, how long do we as Asian Pacific Americans and other minorities have to be considered as lesser Americans?

I applaud Captain Yamashita and others like him who have spoken out to ensure that racial discrimination is not tolerated. During this month, as we recognize the diverse experiences and contributions our Asian-Pacific American community has made to our great Nation, I would hope that we will take inspiration from the examples I have shared with you this evening.

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 ethnic group proudly contributing in its own distinctive and unique way--making America better for now and generations to come. 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 the great Nation.

This is why I would like to close my remarks by asking all of us here tonight, what is America all 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 bear 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 American is all about.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Before I begin, I would like to recognize the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) former chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, or better known as CAPAC, for his leadership, as well as the current vice chair of the caucus, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

As chair of CAPAC, I am proud to stand here to honor the accomplishments and diversity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. In 1978, my good friend Norman Mineta and Representative Frank Horton from New York, along with Hawaii's Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga, first introduced the first resolution establishing Asian Pacific American Heritage Week to recognize the ongoing contributions to our Nation of the API population.

The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important anniversaries, the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. In 1992, the month of May was designated as Asian Pacific Heritage Month. I take great pride to see the celebration of our community expand from 10 days to a month.

For centuries, America has been enriched by our diverse and rapidly growing API communities and by the contributions that Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and Samoans have made in their ancestral homelands. The first API settlement in this country dates to 1763, when Filipinos escaped imprisonment aboard Spanish galleons and established a community near New Orleans. Chinese and Japanese immigrants, likewise, started communities in Hawaii and California, where they sought labor and agricultural opportunities.

From the time of these settlements, APIs have experienced dual currents of discrimination and assimilation. In the difficult times, APIs were singled out for persecution by such acts as the Exclusion Laws of 1882 and 1924, and the Alien Land Act of 1913, which prohibited API property ownership.

This year, 2004, marks the 62nd-year anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, pursuant to which 120,000 Japanese Americans and legal resident aliens were incarcerated in internment camps during World War II. Many of these families lost their property and possessions during the several years they were jailed behind barbed wires.

In order to learn the important lessons from our own history, I sponsored House Resolution 56, which sets aside a ``Day of Remembrance'' in memory of the relocation and internment policies of World War II. This year, House Resolution 56 was passed due to the support from my fellow colleagues here in Congress and support from community groups throughout the country.

I realize we need to learn from our own history. It is more important than ever to speak up against unjust policies. Also it is more important than ever to educate Americans of the Japanese American experience during World War II, as well as the experience of other groups, like Japanese Latin Americans and certain German and Italian Americans. We must remember that the decision to issue the order was shaped by racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.

At the newly opened Manzanar National Historic Site Interpretive Center at the Manzanar War Relocation Center, we have the opportunity to explore our past and reflect. Additionally, these past few days, the Enemy Alien Files Consortium has set up their exhibit in the Rayburn foyer. This traveling exhibition, featuring photographs, objects, documents, artifacts, art forms and oral history excerpts examines the little-known history of Italian, German, and Japanese immigrants in the U.S. and from Latin

America who were classified as enemy aliens during World War II.

Over 31,000 of these enemy aliens were apprehended, detained, and thousands interned based on suspicion and the potential dangerousness they posed to the U.S. national security. The internees were held without charges for indefinite duration and without trial. These internees, including many American-born children and spouses, languished in Army and Department of Justice camps throughout the USA.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to now yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda Sanchez) to speak to this particular item.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to the gentlewoman, in spite of the growth of the Asian American communities, rather than feel threatened, the gentlewoman embraces them; and I think that is why the gentlewoman has been such a welcomed leader for political leadership in our country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Guam for raising the profile of Guamanians in the history and the patriotism of this country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the Congresswoman from Oakland.

I thank the gentlewoman from California, and I appreciate her sharing the work that the community-based organizations are doing for the community in order for the members of the community to be able to access and be full participants in our country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), another great leader.

I thank the gentlewoman from California. Let me also comment and thank her for her leadership in helping this country understand how diverse and how colorful this country is.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the charismatic gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case).

Mahalo. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) to round out the great State of Hawaii.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), and he makes Hawaiians very proud; and we are privileged to have him as one of our members of CAPAC, and I always look toward him to understand how to deliver a speech eloquently.

Mr. Speaker, I was hoping he would say that.

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to extend my gratitude to the patriotic men and women serving our country and the

military including the 60,813 Asian American and Pacific Islanders serving on active duty in the U.S. armed services as well as the 20,066 in the Reserves and National Guard. I also commend the 351,000 API veterans. Last week I had the privilege to meet a young soldier, Army Specialist Bermanis of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. He was presented with the Bronze Star, a Purple Heart for Meritorious Conduct in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On July 16, 2003, the award presentation ceremony took place bedside at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where he was convalescing from grave injuries. Specialist Bermanis and a fellow soldier were on guard duty in southern Baghdad when they sustained an attack by rocket-propelled grenades on June 10, 2003. His fellow soldier died instantly, and Specialist Bermanis lost both his legs and his left hand.

Specialist Bermanis hails from Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. Officials from the Federated States of Micronesia and the U.S. Government had visited him at Walter Reed and praised him for his courage and exemplary service. A senior U.S. official commended Specialist Bermanis's service as representative of the Federated States of Micronesia citizens' commitment to the security of the United States and Pacific region.

Mr. Speaker, this month also affords us time to reflect on the various social needs that exist in the API community. Today there are 12.8 million APIs, which represents 4.5 percent of the U.S. population. Between 1990 and 2000, the community grew nationally by 72 percent.

APIs are one of the fastest growing populations in the country. The API community in this country encompasses 49 ethnicities speaking over 100 languages and dialects. The population enriches our culture linguistically through a range of languages, such as Japanese, Chinese, Samoan, Thai, Vietnamese, Hmong, Cambodian, Micronesian, and Korean.

Our linguistic diversity has contributed greatly to American society. It has allowed us to exercise international leadership economically and politically. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, slightly less than half of the 7 million API who speak a language other than English at home report that they speak English ``very well.'' We need to better address the educational and health care needs of all limited-English proficiency students, children, and adults.

Additionally, data is a cross-cutting issue. Lack of data impacts our understanding of the health problems in our communities as well as the problem of access and quality. Adequate data collection continues to be a challenge for the API community. Although we are often mistaken to be a homogenous group, our community is extremely diverse in ethnicities and languages. Aggregating such a large and diverse group makes it difficult to understand the unique problems faced by the individual ethnicities.

This year as chair of CAPAC, I have looked into these and other critical issues within the API community. Through our CAPAC task forces, we have targeted such goals as eliminating racial ethnic health disparities, enacting comprehensive immigration reform, fighting to create jobs, and providing educational opportunities for the underserved.

CAPAC has had the privilege to work with our colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Native American Caucus to advance dialogue on these important issues.

I yield to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), the vice chairman of CAPAC, a Member of the Congress for many years, a leader and a person who represents American Samoa.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I would like to comment on the White House initiative that was initiated by the past administration of President Clinton. It is now in its fifth year, and the initiative suffers from neglect by the current administration.

Executive Order 13216 authorizing the initiative and its corresponding Advisory Commission expired on June 7, 2003; and since that time, both the initiative and the commission have laid dormant.

The commission is mandated to develop, monitor, and coordinate Federal efforts to improve API participation in government programs, foster research and data collection for API populations and sub- populations, and increase public and private sector involvement in improving the health and well-being of the API community.

API citizens deserve the coordination of services that the commission can facilitate.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I wanted to recognize also among other names, the gentleman from California (Mr. Matsui), a member of the Democratic leadership, and Governor Locke, the first API elected as a Governor in the lower 48 States.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by indicating that in this country, we have participated in the functioning of this country in every aspect of society, having athletes, both professional and amateur; we have had Nobel Prize winners; teachers and scholars. We are thankful for this time to share information regarding the Asian Pacific Islanders in this great country and the islands that our Members come from.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, and colleagues, good evening, aloha and mabuhay! I rise tonight, on this occasion of national Filipino Veterans Action Day, to express my strong and affectionate support for our great Filipino-American community, as well as for our honored Filipino veterans, both here and in the Philippines, who are so well represented by the American Council on Filipino Veterans, and to highlight just some of the challenges these communities still face and the opportunities we have to address them.

First let us remember that the relationship between the Philippines and our United States has never been stronger. Our modern-day bond began after the 1898 Spanish American War, continued through the commonwealth period into 1946, and strengthened when the independent Republic of the Philippines came into existence on July 4th of that year. For nearly 40 years, from 1907 to 1946, the Philippines in fact was represented in the U.S. Congress through nearly 15 different resident commissioners. Currently, we have a Filipino-American, Congressman Bobby Scott, representing the 3rd District of Virginia. And one year ago, I was proud to be a charter member of the Congressional Philippines Caucus, which today boasts over seventy members.

Apart from the Philippines' continuing vital role in U.S. national security and economic interests in the Asia-Pacific region, our country also has a special relationship with the people of the Philippines. Many have migrated to the United States, in particular my home state of Hawaii, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of our first Filipino immigrants in 2006.

In fact, there are now nearly 2.5 million Filipino-Americans, with significant populations in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Texas, and Florida. In Hawaii alone there are nearly 300,000 Filipino-Americans, including roughly 140,000 in my Second Congressional District, the largest number of any congressional district in our country.

This community's contributions just in Hawaii are notable, in all facets of our society, from politics to business, from teaching to sports and movie stars, you name it. Former Hawaii Governor Ben Cayetano was the first Filipino-American governor ever elected in the United States; our state legislature today has 12 members: 6 senators and 6 representatives. Angela Baraquio became Miss America in 2001. We had Ben Agbayani in professional baseball and Tia Carrera in Hollywood. And let us not forget native daughters Jasmine Trias and Camile Velasco, two of just twelve of 2004's American Idol final contestants.

But perhaps the most vital and painful contribution of Filipinos to our country was the service, and sacrifice, of our Filipino veterans, who fought alongside our troops in World War II. Their heroic efforts were indispensable to the liberation of the Philippines led by General MacArthur and thus to Allied success in that great conflagration, and earned them a place in legend at the same table as, for example, our Japanese-Americans' 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Therefore, the contribution of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans to designate today as Filipino Veterans Action Day is invaluable to assuring that we never forget. There have been similar efforts in Hawaii from community leaders like Hawaii State Representative Jun Abinsay, Joe Gonzales and Artemio Caleda, former and new presidents, respectively, of the World War II Fil-Am Vets and Ladies Auxilliary Hawaii Chapter, and Domingo Los Banos, a Sergeant with the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, who later worked collaboratively with many others in Hawaii and the mainland in molding that great documentary on the Filipino veterans: ``An Untold Triumph.''

Let me turn now from what has been to what needs to be. Specifically, there are two issues which I believe Congress must address for both Filipino veterans and our Filipino-American community at large. One is veterans' benefits and the other is immigration.

veterans benefits

We know that in 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a promise to the members of the Philippine Army and the Philippine Scouts who had fought and would fight for the Allies in World War II. Because they had made and would make the same sacrifices as U.S. servicemembers, President Roosevelt promised that they would receive the same veteran's benefits as those received by American veterans.

However, in the spring of 1946, just one year after the death of our 32nd President, the United States Congress went back on its promise. And that injustice stands uncorrected from that day to this, as these veterans pass increasingly from this earth along with their comrades- in-arms.

Last year, we did make some measure of progress by enacting into law H.R. 2297, legislation increasing VA benefits for U.S. resident Filipino veterans and making New Philippine Scouts living in the U.S. eligible for burial in VA national cemeteries. The House also passed H.R. 2357, which would provide VA nursing home and medical services to Commonwealth Army veterans and New Philippine Scouts residing in the U.S., assuming they-meet the same eligibility requirements as U.S. veterans.

But this is clearly not enough. That is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 677, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which will deem all members of the Philippine Scouts and Philippine Army as qualified to receive the full benefits denied them nearly six decades ago.

As Secretary of Veterans' Affairs Anthony J. Principi wrote: ``The United States is indebted to Filipino veterans, whose heroism and self- sacrifice helped allies emerge victorious from World War II.'' As we all know, our Filipino World War II veterans are entering the sunset years of their lives. I implore my colleagues to get this bill out of committee and bring it to the floor for a vote this year.

immigration

Our country has benefited from the fruits of a century-plus influx of Filipinos as new and productive citizens, and we can and should continue this rich heritage. However, our overall immigration policy has fallen particularly harshly and unfairly on legitimate Filipino immigration of late.

For example, in 1990, we provided a waiver from certain naturalization requirements for Filipino veterans, and many thereafter became proud citizens our country. But a huge gap was created when we did not also permit naturalization of the sons and daughters of these same veterans.

These are real-life issues, for the stories of families who have waited years to be reunited are heartbreaking. For example, a veteran and his wife living in Hawaii filed immigration petitions for two of their six adult children; they have waited over ten years for a visa to be issued to either. Another veteran petitioned successfully for his wife's immigration visa, but has not been as successful with the applications for their five adult children. Again, this family has been holding on for ten years with the hope that they will one day live in the U.S. as a complete family.

H.R. 3587, a bill I introduced in November of last year, would provide these sons and

daughters with priority in their respective immigration categories. I urge its passage.

Two other bills I have introduced also would correct deficiencies in our immigration system which impact Filipino-Americans disproportionately. H.R. 3306, The Compassionate Visitor Visa Act, would facilitate the temporary admission of nonimmigrant aliens in circumstances of family emergency of U.S. citizens or permanent residents. H.R. 4018, introduced yesterday, would ensure that family members who have petitioned to immigrate into the United States are not penalized as a result of an award of citizenship to a sponsoring parent or spouse.

Both bills recognize the basic concept that our country can ensure our national security, while providing flexibility for immigrants from certain countries that have longstanding close relationships with our country. The Philippines is certainly very high on that list.

In summary, Mr. Speaker, both Filipino veterans and our larger Filipino-American community have contributed immensely to our country, and I believe that the best is yet to come. On this Filipino Veterans Action Day, let us recognize that we do what is right for both the past and the future by acknowledging their contributions and committing ourselves to the unfinished business at hand.

Mahalo!

Mr. Speaker, first let me just say tonight that I also rise to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which commemorates the significant contributions of Asian Pacific Americans throughout our country's history.

I would just like to take a moment and especially thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), the leader of our Asian Pacific American Caucus, for organizing this Special Order this evening and also for the gentleman's consistent leadership on so many issues which affect not only the Asian Pacific American community, but the entire country and the entire world. I thank the gentleman for his leadership and for making sure that we stay on point.

Let me say tonight that I, too, honor the memory and the legacy of a very good friend, a great woman who left this Earth much, much too soon, the first woman of color to serve in the House of Representatives, our great sister, Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink. She made such an impact in this body, and tonight as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I want to just remind us of Patsy's great legacy.

Also, I would like to recognize the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans in my district, the 9th Congressional District of California, the East Bay of Northern California, and really commend everyone for their dedicated service and vision in making life better for those in our community and our Nation.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have long played a crucial role in the life and the history of the East Bay. The region's identity has been profoundly shaped by its place on the Pacific Rim. However, today Asian Pacific Americans still face a wide variety of challenges, including access to educational opportunities and community resources.

I specifically want to talk about three great organizations in my own district that are working to strip down the language and educational barriers that isolate far too many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders today. They are the Asian Immigrant Women Advocates, Oakland Asian Students Educational Services, and Asian Health Services.

First, the Asian Immigrant Women Advocates has been providing resources to low-income Asian immigrant women workers for over 20 years. They work with women workers employed in the garment industry, in hotels, in restaurants, and other low-wage industries in the Bay Area. Every day they stimulate positive change and empower disenfranchised women through education, leadership development, and collective action so they can fight for dignity and justice in their working place and for enhanced and more rational, fairer, and more equitable living conditions.

Secondly, the Oakland Asian Students Educational Services motivates youth who have limited access to maximize their potential through education and social support. OASES provides personalized academic support and enrichment programs for youth from the first grade through their high school graduations. Through OASES, students take technology classes to gain computer skills and are tutored in areas such as math, science and, social studies. Recent young immigrants who face linguistic and social barriers in their schools can also receive language support. With so many social, educational, and economic challenges, health and access to quality care is also a major concern.

Now the four leading causes of death among Asian Americans and Pacific Islander women are cancer, heart disease, stroke, and unintentional injuries. That is why the work of the third organization that I would like to highlight tonight, the East Bay Consortium of Health Care Centers, their work is critical, especially as being part of the Asian Health Services.

Asian Health Services is a comprehensive community health center that provides medical care, health education, insurance counseling, and client advocacy to the underserved Asian and Pacific Islander population in Alameda County. Serving the community since 1974, they now provide medical services to 15,000 patients annually. Their staff of 150, which includes 18 doctors and physician assistants and 23 nurses, is bilingual in nine languages. In addition to providing high- quality health care, AHS is home to the Language and Cultural Access program, a medical interpretation and translation service, and Community Voices for Immigrant Health, a health policy development program.

As Members may know, recent immigrants face many obstacles today. Organizations like these help their clients to conquer these barriers. I want to salute them tonight for their achievements and congratulate them for a job well done and a job that continues to soar on behalf of our community.

In addition, as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I believe that it is also very important to celebrate the accomplishments of prominent Asian American leaders in our community. Let me just recognize Oakland City Council members Jean Quan and Henry Chang and Danny Wan. Also our supervisor, Alice Lai Bitker and one of the most powerful persons in the California legislature, our majority leader Wilma Chan. They work daily to enhance the quality of life for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, also for our entire community, the States and the entire Nation. For this, I am deeply grateful.

Finally, I want to recognize a hero for many of us, someone who has profoundly affected the lives of all Americans, Professor Ronald Takaki. Professor Takaki is a foremost thinker in

the field of multicultural education and ethnic studies. He has been a professor in Asian American studies at the University of California Berkeley for more than 30 years. His research and teaching have shed light on the vast contributions that Asian Americans have made to the history, to the culture, and to the achievements of our country.

Professor Takaki believes that the study of multiculturalism results in a more accurate understanding of who we are as Americans. The grandson of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii, Professor Takaki cites the moral vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement as the stimulus for his study of race in America. Since then, much of the core curriculum in ethnic studies has grown from his own wide- ranging original research. In 1984, he was a founder of Berkeley's Ph.D. program in ethnic studies, the first of its kind in America. Professor Takaki is retiring this year from the University of California Berkeley and tonight I want to honor him for his vast contributions to bettering our society and in championing diversity and minority rights in our country.

Mr. Speaker, tonight in conclusion, as a proud member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I am pleased to join the gentleman from California tonight. I want to thank him again for organizing this Special Order. As we commemorate and as we celebrate the crucial role that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played and continue to play in the development of this Nation, we must also recognize at the same time the unique needs and challenges of the 13.1 million Asian Pacific Americans in the United States and work towards supporting efforts to improve their future. I again thank the gentleman for his leadership and his friendship.

Mr. Speaker, our country is obviously going through times of great difficulty, but it is vital in such times that we pause to reflect on all that is good in our country, that we reflect upon the glue of our country, what holds us together. In that context, I am very pleased to join the gentleman from California, a most worthy and passionate advocate for our people, and my other colleagues on the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus on commemorating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I stand here as the proud Representative of my Second District of Hawaii, the most ethnically diverse district in the most ethnically diverse State of our country.

In my Hawaii, out of a total population of 1.2 million, over half are comprised of Asian and Pacific Islanders. And so as we commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I want to reflect on the history of Hawaii, not just because I am immensely proud of our history but also because I believe very strongly that we remain a beacon for where this country is going and what this country can be in the area of ethnic contributions and ethnic diversity.

Of course among our country's original Pacific Islanders were and are the indigenous peoples of Hawaii, the native Hawaiians. They came from elsewhere in Polynesia in the early centuries A.D. and built one of the most amazing societies that this world has ever seen. The circumstances under which their kingdom gave way to the Republic of Hawaii remain controversial and far reaching, the subject even today of vital legislation to reaffirm the special relationship between our government and native Hawaiians everywhere. But what is unquestioned is that our indigenous peoples, like other Asians and Pacific Islanders, have seen a remarkable and deeply moving renaissance in their own culture and ethnic pride that has not even begun to approach its zenith.

Modern Western contact in 1778 started Hawaii on the journey to ethnic and cultural diversity, a journey on which we are still embarked. As our economy turned to large-scale agriculture and we saw many foreign workers come in, we saw the Chinese come

in beginning in 1852, Japanese in 1868, Portuguese in 1878, Puerto Ricans in 1901, Koreans in 1904, Filipinos in 1907. Today we continue in Hawaii to attract immigrants to our shores, including Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians from southeast Asia and other Pacific Islander groups including Tongans, Samoans, Fijians, Maori, Chamorros, Marshallese, Palauans and other Micronesians, Polynesians and Melanesians.

Today Hawaii's Asian and Pacific Islander community counts all of these as valuable members of our society. My own congressional district is home to many, including the largest number of native Hawaiian and Filipino populations of any other district in the country. So it is no surprise that Hawaii leads our country in interracial marriages, including my own, where the undisputed head of my household's family originated in the great country of Japan a century ago. More than one- third of married couples and more than one-half of unmarried couples are interracial. More than 50 percent of the children born in Hawaii nowadays, including my own, are interracial. So you can see that in Hawaii, we live Asian Pacific American Month every month. We are proud of our API community, their contributions to our national and international life. For example, of the 33 Asian and Pacific American Members of Congress ever elected, seven have been from Hawaii, including Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, Senator Daniel Ken Inouye, Senator Hiram Leong Fong, Senator Spark Masayuki Matsunaga, Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink, Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka and Congresswoman Patricia Fukuda Saiki.

We have boasted a few firsts at the gubernatorial level. The first Governor of Japanese ancestry, George Ariyoshi. The first Governor of native Hawaiian ancestry, John Waihee. The first Governor of Filipino ancestry, Governor Ben Cayetano. We have seen today in the halls of Congress the incredible contributions of a patriot, Major General Antonio Taguba, a Leilehua High grad from Hawaii and a proud member of our Filipino community. And, of course, former General Eric Shinseki, 34th Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, of Kauai.

Like everywhere else in our country we have tragically given thousands of the lives of our sons and daughters, including from the Asian and Pacific American community for the cause of freedom. The exploits of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team remain legendary, but more recently we have seen the tragedy, the tragedy of the loss in Iraq of Maui native Sergeant First Class Kelly Bolor and Big Island native Wesley Batalona.

In sports we have seen Michelle Wie, a 14-year-old Hawaii high school freshman referred to as the Tiger Woods of women's golf. We have seen Benny Agbayani in baseball, Duke Kahanamoku and Rell Sunn in surfing, Ben Villaflor in boxing, Tommy Kono in weightlifting. Ellison Onizuka gave his life for the cause of science. Miss Universe Brooke Lee. Miss America Angela Baraquio. In music, Braddah Iz, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. In Hollywood Kelly Hu, Jason Scott Lee, Tia Carrera. In sumo, Takamiyama, Akebono, Musashimaru and Konishiki. In civil rights, Bruce Yamashita. And, of course, how could we end the night without mentioning Camille Velasco and more recently Jasmine Trias? If you want to show your support for Asian and Pacific Americans, tonight you know what number to call on what TV show right about now. Jasmine just finished singing.

Mr. Speaker, this is just some of what our proud Asian and Pacific American community offers our country and world. We are deeply committed to sharing with our fellow Asian and Pacific American community nationwide a bright future. I have only the utmost thanks and respect for the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) again for his leadership and for my other colleagues, not just in the APA community caucus here but on all of the other ethnic minority caucuses. Together we are working for a much brighter, a much better, a much more vibrant and diverse and amazing culture and future that lies in front of us here in this country.

I thank him and bid him a warm mahalo.