Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I am honored and pleased by the action we are taking today on H.R. 1709, the ``STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009,'' to ensure coordination of federal science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education activities by elevating an existing committee under the National Science and Technology (NSTC).

H.R. 1709 focuses on the coordination of the federal government's STEM education activities. Providing this coordinating mechanism for the federal STEM education programs is critical to ensuring America remains innovative and competitive in the 21st century global economy.

According to the Academic Competitiveness Council's (ACC) report, in 2006 the U.S. sponsored 105 STEM education programs at more than a dozen different Federal Agencies. These programs devote approximately $3.12 billion to STEM education activities spanning pre-kindergarten through postgraduate education and outreach. The report notes that many of these Agencies do not share information or work collaboratively on similar programs. The ACC found that ``coordination among agencies could be improved to avoid, for example, grants to numerous projects that support the same sorts of interventions... there appears to be a lack of communication among the agencies about the work they are funding and the results that are being generated . . . agencies are often uninformed by the results of earlier projects.''

H.R. 1709 is similar to the one of the sections of the ``Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (E-STEM) Act of 2009'', H.R. 2710 which I recently reintroduced. The E-STEM Act establishes a comprehensive approach to improving coordination and coherence of STEM education activities and stimulates collaboration at both the federal and state levels throughout the nation. My legislation provides federal agencies and states with the infrastructure required to work collaboratively, establish national STEM education goals, coordinate STEM education initiatives, and to avoid unnecessary duplication among these efforts. In addition the E-STEM Act would require the NSTC committee to create a coordinated interagency STEM education budget and a five year projection of the STEM workforce.

Strengthening STEM education is important for our nation to remain innovative and ensure our future prosperity. During a time of rapid technological and scientific advance, scientific literacy is increasingly important for full participation in our Democracy. I want to thank Chairman Gordon, Representative Baird, and Ranking Member Ehlers for bringing this legislation to the floor and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. I would also invite my colleagues to cosponsor the E-STEM Act to encourage similar coordination among States and improve the dissemination of promising practices and STEM education resources.

Madam Chair, I rise today to express my strong support for the Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009 (H.R. 626). As the country's largest single employer, the Federal Government is responsible for over 2.7 million employees. The Federal Government is facing the retirement of 40% of its workforce over the next ten years and must be able to compete with private sector opportunities in order to attract talented new employees. Under current law, federal employees who want paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child only have the option of using their accrued sick days and vacation time to supplement unpaid leave. It is difficult for relatively new employees or those who experience reoccurring health problems to save up enough time for paid parental leave. Even for older employees who rarely get sick, unpredictable life events can make it equally difficult to accrue sufficient parental leave time. Parents should not be forced to choose between their new child and their paycheck.

The Congress' Joint Economic Committee has found that Fortune 100 firms offer paid leave that typically lasts six to eight weeks. This is also consistent with the amount of leave typically offered by Congressional offices. The lack of a Paid Parental Leave policy for newly born or adopted children puts the Federal Government in the minority, not only in relation to U.S. companies but also among developed nations. The European Union requires that member countries offer 14 weeks of paid maternity leave and most offer more than the required amount, and the U.S. is one of only five countries out of 165 surveyed that does not guarantee paid parental leave.

The Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009 will make the Federal Government a more family-friendly, competitive employer. It will cost relatively little compared to the benefit to American families and workers that it would bring. It is past time for federal employees to enjoy the benefits offered to employees of private companies and fix a flaw in our current system.

Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor Albin Gruhn of San Anselmo, California, who passed away March 18 at the age of 94. Mr. Gruhn was a respected and beloved labor leader and consumer rights activist whose calling was preserving and improving the welfare of working people in California. His 36 years as president of the California Labor Federation and his role as a founder of the Association of California Consumers were at the heart of a remarkable career.

Mr. Gruhn was born in Eureka, California, in 1915. At the age of 19 he began working for the Hammond Lumber Co. where he joined the Sawmill and Loggers Federal Union. A strike shortly afterwards resulted in the deaths of three union picketers and deeply affected him, resulting in a life-long commitment to the labor movement.

Blacklisted as a result of his participation in the strike, he soon found employment in construction, joining the Laborers Local where his membership continued for over 60 years. At the age of 22, he became secretary of the Central Labor Council of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties and led that council for over 20 years.

In 1940 Mr. Gruhn was first elected to what is now the California Labor Federation as district vice president and became its president in 1960. He led with skill, enthusiasm, and passion until his retirement in 1996. He helped build the organization into a strong and effective advocacy group for the rights of workers, inspiring several generations of political and labor leaders along the way.

During the 1960s, Mr. Gruhn was also a founder of the Association of California Consumers, California's first consumer group, and later became a founding officer and then president emeritus of the Consumer Federation of California. He also devoted some of his considerable energies to the California Apprenticeship Council and the California Constitution Revision Commission as well as serving on various state commissions. These appointments spanned several decades and five California governors, covering a variety of issues from fair housing to air pollution. One of the commissions dealt with children and youth, reflecting his deep involvement in the annual scholarship program established by the California Labor Federation.

Mr. Gruhn supported the causes he believed in by staying politically active. From

campaigning for Franklin Roosevelt at the age of 17 to serving as an Adlai Stevenson delegate in 1956, he stayed engaged in the process. In 1944, he founded the Northern California AFL Political League.

Mr. Gruhn was married to the former Dorothy Coon for over 37 years. Dorothy predeceased him in 2005, and the couple is survived by a large family of eight children, 14 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, Albin Gruhn was proud to fight for working people, and all those with whom he came in contact--from family and friends to political leaders and co-workers--drew inspiration from his commitment. It is fitting in honoring him today to remember the remarks he always used to conclude his labor speeches: ``In unity there is strength. United we stand, divided we fall. An injury to one is an injury to all.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 270 and 271, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the fifty-fifth anniversary and the lasting legacy of the historic Supreme Court Case, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous decision stated that ``separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.'' As a result, de jure racial segregation was ruled a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The case overturned earlier rulings going back to Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 by declaring that state laws that established separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. This victory paved the way for integration and the civil rights movement.

Despite this historic victory, over half a century later, we still find huge disparities in the education and opportunities our children are provided at different schools. There have been some advances. Notably, the U.S. Supreme Court ushered in a new chapter in education with its 1974 unanimous decision in Lau v. Nichols, which enumerated the educational rights of English language learners and established that education is a civil right. The court ruled that simply providing all students with equal facilities, books, teachers, and curriculum was not sufficient to guarantee that all students had equal access to a quality education. Sadly, today we are still not fully providing equity in our schools.

Education is at the very center of our democratic meritocracy, and it is imperative that every American child be afforded a true opportunity to achieve their highest potential. To reach this ideal, we must establish an education system focused on each child's needs,

providing the support they need and wisely funded. We need equity in the education system, wherein resources are allocated based on need, not the current parity-based funding formula that fails to address the needs of each child.

Establishing a system that provides funding according to the needs of each child will get us closer to achieving equity. An equitable, need- based system will provide teachers with insight into the educational needs of each student in their classroom. Equitable funding will direct funds based on the needs of each student. Equitable funding will provide the resources to ensure each student will achieve individual success.

I have re-introduced the Educational Opportunity and Equity Commission Act, H.R. 1758, to begin the process of overhauling the country's education system and to finally address the disparities among America's schools. This legislation creates a national commission charged with gathering public opinions and insights about how government can improve education and eliminate disparities in the education system. Importantly, the Commission's composition would change the nature of the debate because it will be comprised of parents, teachers and experts on equity, civil rights, education policy, school finance, economics, and taxation. All users and beneficiaries of America's education system will work together from the ground up to develop a school reform road map.

As we mark the fifty-fifth anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, we celebrate the advances we have made and re-affirm our commitment to provide a world-class education to each American child. We must ensure sufficient funding to provide a 21st century education to every child based on the child's individual needs, not categorical averages. I hope you will join me in challenging our leaders to fulfill on their obligation to advance the learning of every child.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 262, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, today, I will vote against H.R. 2346, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009. While I have great faith in the new Obama administration and support many of the provisions within the supplemental, I have a number of concerns that precluded me from supporting the bill in its current form. I recognize that our new administration believes that this supplemental is a necessary carryover from the previous administration, but I cannot support the continuation of the Bush Administration's failed modus operandi in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, and the mis-proportioned 90-10 doctrine of assistance allocation--that is, 90 percent for military investments and only 10 percent for political, economic, and social development.

For the past several weeks, I have been working with Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-chair Grijalva to convene a series of panels featuring Afghan and Pakistani diplomats and security experts to discuss a variety of security issues related to Afghanistan and Pakistan. As I reported to President Obama in early May on behalf of the CPC, this six-part forum has produced a number of recommendations for essential elements that should be a part of our strategy going forward, including: (1) building the countries' infrastructure, industry, markets and workforce; (2) involving local leaders at all levels of decision-making; (3) supporting the countries' most effective indigenous reconstruction, stabilization and conflict resolution strategies; (4) educating girls and integrating women into political and economic leadership; and (5) ensuring oversight so that foreign resources support the goals mentioned above.

This Supplemental represents our first opportunity to correct the failed approaches of the past, but unfortunately we have not done so. Going forward, I hope that we can work closely with the President to ensure a policy more aligned with the 80-20 model often quoted by General David Petraeus, which would invest 80 percent of resources into political capacity and institutions with only 20 percent for military.

In this regard, I, along with other members of the Progressive Caucus, have presented our findings and specific recommendations to our colleagues in Congress, with the intention of informing and improving U.S. policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Again, while I am not supporting this current Supplemental, I was pleased to hear in our meeting with the President, that his FY2010 budget request will move in this direction.

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield to Member Sheila Jackson-Lee. I believe she wanted to address the floor.

I thank the gentlewoman from Texas and always count on her support for the issues that we care about together.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and to commemorate the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus,

what we call CAPAC, I feel privileged to be here tonight with my colleagues to speak of the Asian and Pacific Islander American history and accomplishments. Additionally, I will be highlighting those issues affecting our community and the priorities for CAPAC.

In celebrating the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I want to give thanks to the late Congressman Frank Horton from New York and my good friend, former Secretary Norman Mineta, along with Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Masayuki Matsunaga of Hawaii.

It is because of their efforts that May is now designated as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The first 10 days of May coincide with two important anniversaries: one, the arrival of the first Japanese American immigrants on May 7, 1843, to the United States, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.

In 1992, Congress passed Public Law No. 102-450, the law that officially designated May of each year as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Today the Asian Pacific Islander community is quickly expanding.

Currently, there are approximately 16.2 million APIs living in the United States. By the year 2050, there will be an estimated 43 million Asian Pacific Islanders, comprising 10 percent of the total U.S. population. My home State of California has the largest Asian population at 5 million. The States of New York and Texas followed at 1.4 million and close to 1 million, respectively.

The population is also growing in States beyond the usual hubs of New York and California. We are also seeing growth in other areas in our country such as Virginia, Nevada, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

I encourage my congressional colleagues to learn more about the Asian American Pacific Islander populations in their districts and become a member of CAPAC.

At this moment, Madam Speaker, I yield to my colleague from California, the gentlewoman, Laura Richardson.

I have a couple of comments to what you had shared with us. One is I'm very, very pleased that you have taken the initiative to join CAPAC, not only because you believe in it, but also there are folks in your district that need to be represented. Your knowledge and your understanding of the communities; that it has to be disaggregated to understand the different necessities and needs of each community rather than looking at one monolithic community, is greatly appreciated because, as you mention, about the census, it is about the census that drives us constitutionally to make sure that we count every person in this country. The fact that you express that there are different strategies of housing based upon family structures; that many times one family per household does not necessarily exist and that many families do live together to be with each other and give each other support, I wanted to thank you for that observation.

And one not very known fact about Patsy Mink. When she led the effort to pass the title IX legislation, that she did in fact open up quite a bit of avenues for women, but also I still remember the great tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

That was a great contest. I believe that Billie Jean King won, didn't she?

Despite his tactics. And so what we do here has great impact not only in this country but worldwide. So I really do appreciate the time and thought that you have put into this presentation and the the idea that Asian Americans have contributed to this country and in building this country, as you had mentioned, on the transcontinental railroad.

It's interesting to note that when you look at pictures of the golden spike being driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, there are no Asian faces there. I often wonder what happened. Were they given the day off or something like that?

I think it's very clear today that they were excused. And the kind of history that we see that is shared in our history books need to be brought up to date and be accurate.

This kind of forum, where we have a month dedicated to discussions about our contributions and our perspectives of how we see the communities in this country, is greatly appreciated. The fact that we have many people from different backgrounds in our caucus only expresses the understanding and the sensitivity and the consciousness that each individual Congressperson representing their district, even though a district may have 14 percent or 1 percent, the fact that it is stated publicly that you are representing those districts and those communities is greatly appreciated.

So, to my sister from California, I really appreciate your time spent with us.

Thank you. The Asian American Pacific Islander community is often misperceived as an overachieving monolithic group. However, our community is extremely diverse in our languages, ethnicities, income, educational attainment, language capabilities, special need and challenges.

Stereotypes about our communities make it difficult to understand the unique problems faced by individual communities and subgroups. Data that is disaggregated by ethnicity for our various communities is hard to come by, but critical to the understanding where we must direct Federal attention.

As a country, we need to better address the needs of the AAPI community when we discuss comprehensive immigration reform, health care, economic recovery, and education. We are also barely visible in corporate America, underrepresented in political and judicial offices throughout the country, and misportrayed in our mainstream media.

As our community expands, we must also continue to educate our fellow citizens about the uniqueness of our experiences. Despite the daunting challenges we face, this is a time of great optimism and hope for the communities.

This year, we are marking Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month under the twin banners of National Service and Recovery. We are at a pivotal moment in our Nation's history where the national spirit is shifting to a new era of volunteerism, public service, and working for the common good.

The Asian Pacific Islander American communities are no stranger to these changes, and our communities have taken hold of a new civic spirit engendered by President Obama's new administration.

At this time, Madam Speaker, I'd like to yield such time as she may consume to our gentlelady from the Aloha State, Mazie Hirono.

Mahalo.

I'd like to thank the gentlelady from Hawaii. It appears that the mainland Asian Americans have to strive real hard to catch up to the contributions that many of the folks from Hawaii had accomplished.

You mentioned Patsy Mink. I think a lot of us understand that when we come from humble backgrounds--and she often shared that she was born on a plantation; went for many years without shoes. She understood what it meant to be a woman. And I suspect your background has been very similar.

The idea of title IX and equity for women was probably one that formulated in her life and in her work, and the opportunity came about when she was able to walk the Halls of Congress. She did that, but she didn't stop there because I understand there is a story about her where she led a contingent of women to protest that there were no gymnasiums here for women and only for men. That must have been a real sight.

Thank you for sharing that. I guess in English we say you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth, nor golden chopsticks. Knowing your history of political participation, being the lieutenant governor of Hawaii and now representing Hawaii, I guess one can say that you are a statistical aberration of probabilities, and who would guess except for the fact that your mom had such great strength.

Thank you very much.

For the record, I know I said I would go until 7:30, but it seems we have gotten verbose and more comfortable with this kind of presentation so we will move on as designated.

Madam Speaker, for the first time we are marking Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with an American President with close ties to Asia, as has been mentioned previously. President Obama grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. His sister is half Indonesian, and his brother- in-law is Chinese Canadian, and he has maintained close ties with Asian friends and colleagues throughout his life.

President Obama's campaign made unprecedented efforts to reach out to the APIA communities, and we have found a receptive and engaged administration with a close ear to our shared interests.

Many APIA community members have responded to President Obama's call for public service.

The President's Cabinet appointments include a record three Asian Americans: Energy Secretary Steven Chu; Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, the former Governor of Washington; Veterans Affairs Secretary General Eric Shinseki of Hawaii; and General Shinseki is joined at Veterans Affairs by Colonel Tammy Duckworth, who serves as Assistant Secretary.

He has chosen AAPIs for positions in the White House and throughout his

administration, including Peter Rouse, Chris Lu, Tina Tchen, Kal Penn, Nicholas Rathod, Kundra Vivek, and Sonal Shah.

Among many others in the White House, CAPAC's own Victoria Tung transitioned from her position as CAPAC executive director to an appointment Under Secretary Locke at the Department of Commerce.

The ranks of Asian American Pacific Islander Members of Congress also increased this past year with the election of Anh ``Joseph'' Cao from Louisiana's Second District, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan from the Northern Mariana Islands, and Steve Austria from Ohio's Seventh District.

Representative Cao has the distinction of being the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress.

Representative Sablan is the first Member to represent the Northern Marianas, and the only Chamorro person serving in Congress today. Representatives Cao and Sablan are also the newest members of the CAPAC executive board. Our newest associate members are Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York and Congressman Jerry McNerney of California, and we have many more lined up to join.

It is a testament to our evolving national character as a nation of immigrants to have our newest Members of Congress come from upbringings beyond our shores.

Talking about beyond our shores, the Northern Marianas, the most western outpost of the United States, here to speak with us is the gentleman from Northern Marianas, Congressman Sablan.

Thank you very much, Congressman Kilili, as you like to be called.

Many things that happen in the Northern Marianas is that--and a lot of people don't seem to understand or know--is that there is a dire need in those islands that we should be paying attention to. Many times when you're out of sight, you're out of mind; and your presence has brought to our sight and to our understanding the many things that the islands are facing, such as the situation in Saipan.

Could you just share a little bit about that.

Thank you. And the admonition of you can't take care of 33 years in 7 weeks, if we all believed that, then we would still be back, perhaps, in the dark ages. Many people in the old days used to say, just be patient and by and by things will happen, but things don't happen without some initiative and some understanding and the information you bring with you. So the people of the Northern Marianas and this country, we are very responsible for many of the things that happened in the Pacific Islands because of the testing we've done out that way and things like that, really does speak to the responsibility of trying to find ways, with technology, to be able to afford and provide the necessary kinds of things that are required for living a quality of life, such as fresh water. So we thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, our Nation was founded by immigrants who valued freedom and liberty, who sought to be free from persecution, from tyranny.

Families fled their home countries to seek refuge in this great Nation because they, too, believed in liberty, justice, and freedom for all. It is in this spirit that CAPAC supports immigration legislation that shifts the debate from an exclusionary, anti-immigrant, enforcement-only approach to one that confronts the social and economic realities behind immigration, honors the dignity of all families and communities, and recognizes the economic, social, and cultural contributions of immigrants to our great country.

Today, AAPIs constitute a growing and vibrant piece of the American fabric. In 2007, approximately 10.2 million of the Nation's foreign born were born in Asia, constituting over one-quarter of the foreign- born population and over one-half of the total Asian American Pacific Island population.

Even with a relatively high naturalization rate, Asian undocumented immigrants living, working, or studying in the U.S. represent approximately 12 percent of the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. These include victims of immigration fraud who have become undocumented due to no fault of their own. Many work and study hard and pay taxes, yet live in fear with no hope of gaining a path to legal permanent resident status.

We must also recognize that reuniting families gives strength to American communities and are the bedrock of a vibrant and stable economy. We must eliminate the long backlogs keeping families apart for years and often decades. We have the tools and resources to remove the obstacles of massive backlogs, insufficient staffing, and unused visas that cause unnecessary misery for our newest Americans.

Let's keep families together. By strengthening the social fabric of our communities and integrating workers, we can get our economy back on track while reuniting American workers with their families.

The American people spoke in a united voice last year when they voted down the politics of division and embraced the politics of change. President Obama, the son of a Kenyan immigrant, has made comprehensive immigration reform a high priority. CAPAC is prepared to work with our colleagues to push through the long-deferred changes needed to ensure a fair, efficient, and secure immigration system. We join with the other caucuses to make sure that becomes a reality.

Madam Speaker, a common misperception of AAPIs is that as a group we face fewer health problems than other racial and ethnic groups. In fact, AAPIs as a group, and specific populations within this group, do experience disparities in health and health care. For example, AAPIs have the highest hepatitis B rates of any racial group in the United States. We must bring attention to and educate our communities about prevention of hepatitis B through testing and vaccination.

In the United States, 12 million people have been infected at some time in their lives with the hepatitis B virus, and more than 5,000 Americans die from hepatitis B-related liver complications each year. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders account for more than half of the chronic hepatitis B cases and half of the deaths resulting from chronic hepatitis B infections in the United States.

In order to break the silence surrounding this deadly disease and bring awareness to the American people, Congressman Edolphus Towns, Congressman Charlie Dent, Congressman Anh Cao, and I will introduce a resolution to support the goals and ideals of Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month and World Hepatitis Awareness Day. I hope my colleagues will join me in educating our communities about the dangers of this disease.

Furthermore, according to the Census Bureau, 16.8 percent of AAPIs went without insurance in 2007, up from 15.5 percent in 2006. 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 preventative 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 AAPI community, 76 percent of Hmong Americans, 61 percent of Vietnamese Americans, 52 percent of Korean Americans, 39 percent of Tongans speak limited English. Therefore, eliminating health care disparities in the AAPI 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 Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act to eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities for all of our communities. The act would expand the health care safety net, diversify the health care workforce, combat diseases that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities, emphasize prevention and behavioral health, and promote the collection and dissemination of data, and enhance medical research. CAPAC has also joined the Congressional Black, Hispanic, and Progressive Caucuses to strongly support a public health insurance plan option, such as Medicare.

In addition to immigration and health care reform, expanding educational access for all Americans is also a high priority for CAPAC. This Saturday marks the 55th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. As we celebrate, we must remember that education is at the very center of our democratic meritocracy, and it is imperative that every American should be afforded the true opportunity to achieve their highest potential.

I have reintroduced the Educational Opportunity and Equity Commission Act, H.R. 1758, to begin the process of overhauling the country's education system and to finally address the disparities among America's schools. This legislation creates a national commission charged with gathering public opinions and insights about how government can improve education and eliminate the disparities in our educational system. I hope you will join me as cosponsors to this legislation.

As we celebrate Brown v. Board of Education, we must remember the needs of all young people, including Asian American and Pacific Islander students, many of whom struggle in low-income communities, refugee communities, and do not have sufficient English skills. Brown paved the way

for future Supreme Court rulings, such as in 1974, the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Lau v. Nichols. That decision enumerated the educational rights of English language learners and established that education is a civil right. As Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, we should be proud of our community and its participation in our country's civil rights movement and not forget that we have a long way to go yet.

According to the 2000 Census, only 9.1 percent of Cambodian Americans, 7.4 percent Hmong Americans, 7.6 Lao Americans, 19.5 percent of Vietnamese Americans, and 16.5 of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who are 25 years and older have a bachelors degree or higher. These numbers show that we must do a better job of disaggregating data and information about our communities and to assess the needs of those hardworking Americans who still falter behind.

To address the disparities between subgroups of the larger AAPI community, we must support greater funding for Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving institutions. This program provides Federal grants to colleges and universities that have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent AAPI, and at least 50 percent of its degree-seeking students receive financial assistance.

On behalf of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressman David Wu and I will be working to increase the availability of loan assistance, scholarships, and programs to allow AAPI 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 service AAPI students.

I am proud of our community's accomplishments, and I would like to recognize many of the AAPI ``firsts'' in the areas of art, film, sports, sciences, academia, and politics.

In 1847, Yung Wing, a Chinese American, graduated from Yale University and became the first AAPI to graduate from an American University.

In 1863, William Ah Hang, a Chinese American, became the first AAPI to enlist in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War.

In 1913, A.K. Mozumdar became the first Indian-born person to earn U.S. citizenship, having convinced the court that he was Caucasian, and therefore met the requirements of naturalization law that restricted citizenship only to free white persons.

In 1922 Anna May Wong, in her lead role in The Toll of the Sea, at the age of 17 became the first AAPI female to become a movie star, achieving stardom at a time when prejudice against Chinese in the U.S. was rampant.

In 1944 An Wang, a Chinese American who invented the magnetic core memory, revolutionized computing and served as the standard method for memory retrieval and storage.

During World War II, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the U.S. Army, comprised mostly of Japanese Americans, became the most highly decorated unit of its size in the history of the U.S. Army, including 22 Medal of Honor recipients.

It appears that my time is expiring. So let me quickly indicate that we have young people like Wataru ``Wat'' Misaka who was born in 1947 who became the first ethnic minority and the first AAPI to play in the National Basketball Association, the New York Knicks. Imagine that, an Asian American in basketball.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank you for this opportunity to share within a short hour the history of the Asian Americans and a variety of communities that reside in this country that have contributed, yet many of these names are still unknown.

Ang Lee is probably the most widely known today, the Chinese American director who was the first to win an Academy Award for Best Director.

Thank you very much, and we would hope that we have opportunities in the near future to be able to share more.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R 347,

which grants the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

More than 20,000 Nisei soldiers enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II, collectively earning 21 Medals of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 559 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, nine Presidential Unit Citations, and 9,486 Purple Hearts.

The 100th Battalion played a pivotal role in our nation's military history. The unit was the first all-Japanese American Nisei military unit, and was formed from the Japanese--Americans who comprised a large part of the Hawaiian National Guard. These Nisei were sent to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin for combat training and later were moved to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for additional training.

Approximately 14,000 individuals served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, including the 100th Infantry Battalion, which became the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in American military history. The 442nd saw the highest percentage of casualties of any unit in the Army, earning it the nickname ``Purple Heart Battalion.'' The 442nd is an example which highlights the stellar performance of these Nisei soldiers.

These men fought for the U.S. and its allies across Europe in many key battles. The 442nd fought eight major campaigns in France, Germany, and Italy. Most notably, the 442nd suffered more than 800 casualties to free 211 members of a Texas unit who were trapped by the Germans in the rescue of the Lost Battalion. Additionally, the Japanese American soldiers liberated towns such as Brueyeres, Biffontaine, and Belvedere. They also were among the first Allied troops to liberate the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.

Though many of their families were unjustly incarcerated in internment camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans still fought to prove their loyalty to the United States of America and helped pave the way for full racial integration of the Armed Forces. They adopted the phrase ``Remember Pearl Harbor'' as their motto.

This bill will bring long overdue recognition to the unique sacrifice these soldiers made overcoming racial hatred at home, serving honorably overseas, and helping change the course of history with their bravery. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Battalion have earned the Congressional Gold Medal.

I am a proud original cosponsor of H.R. 347 and I commend my colleague, Representative Adam Schiff, for his work in bringing this legislation to the floor today. I urge my colleagues to support the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, and honor the service of our nation's Nisei veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a day that represents freedom, liberty and determination for the people of Mexico and Mexican Americans.

H. Res. 230, a resolution introduced by my friend Congressman Joe Baca, recognizes the historical significance of the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo, a day on which we celebrate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. While the Mexicans were outnumbered, they defeated a well-equipped French Army that had been undefeated for almost 50 years. The holiday of Cinco de Mayo is mainly a regional celebration in Mexico, while for Mexican Americans it represents heritage and pride.

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority community in our Nation. In 2007, the Hispanic population in the United States reached over 45 million, 13.2 million of whom live in California, and it continues to rise. Hispanics now own a record number of small businesses, creating millions of jobs across our country.

This Cinco de Mayo, let us thank the members of our Latino community for their important contributions to American culture and society. Please join me in celebrating Cinco de Mayo and appreciating the values, traditions, and contributions of Mexican Americans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support to the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention/Matthew Shepard Act (H.R. 1913). On the night of October 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally tortured and murdered by two assailants because he was a gay man. It has been over ten years since America was shocked by that despicable hate crime, and the time for action is long overdue. Today we take a significant step towards protecting Americans from being violently attacked simply for being who they are.

Hate crimes continue to spread fear throughout targeted communities to this day. Last year, 18-year old Angie Zapata, a transgendered woman, was murdered by an assailant who defended himself by saying ``it's not like I killed a straight, law-abiding citizen.'' While Angie's murderer was recently convicted for this hate crime, Colorado is the exception in hate crime laws. Most states do not extend hate crime legislation to protect transgendered Americans, leaving some of the most vulnerable members of society with inadequate protections.

Protecting citizens from violence is one of the fundamental roles of government. This legislation is necessary to ensure that no American has to live in fear of violence simply because of who they are. In 2008, the FBI reported a 6% increase in violent crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans, despite a 1% overall decline of hate crimes in the U.S. As we mark the ten year anniversary of Matthew's horrific death, and the one year anniversary of the brutal murder of Angie, we must commit ourselves to decide that now is the moment when we push back against the forces of hate.

Opponents of the Matthew Shepard Act have claimed that its passage will result in the criminalization of protected speech--even the imprisonment of preachers for condemning homosexuality. This could not be further from the truth. The Act expressly states that it does not prohibit ``any expressive conduct . . ., or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution.'' This means that nobody can be prosecuted under the law for expressing their beliefs about homosexuality. The Act specifically targets people who commit violent acts motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of another. It also affirmatively protects free speech ensuring that Americans remain free to engage in moral debate, without fear of retribution.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will help guard against groups and individuals who seek to terrorize entire communities through brutal violence against targeted individuals. With its passage, we will bring about the changes needed to make clear, once and for all, that hatred of LGBTs and other minorities is no longer a conceivably legitimate excuse for violently attacking another person.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Nowruz, a holiday which marks the traditional Iranian new year.

Over 1 million Iranian Americans and the people of Iran celebrated Nowruz on Friday, March 20, and I introduced a resolution which recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz. It expresses also appreciation to Iranian Americans for their contributions to society and wishes Iranian Americans and the people of Iran a prosperous new year.

I'm proud to represent a civically engaged Iranian American community, and I'd like to commend the initiative and instrumental support given by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans and the National Iranian Council, who I have had the pleasure of working with on this resolution.

Once again, Madam Speaker, I rise to honor and celebrate Nowruz.

Madam Speaker, today, the House of Representatives considered H. Res. 290, a resolution honoring the lives and mourning the tragic loss of four Oakland police officers who were killed in the line of duty. I commend the valor of Sergeant Mark Dunakin, Sergeant Ervin Romans, Sergeant Daniel Sakai, and Officer John Hege. These men were not just police officers, but fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, and friends. My heart goes out to those closest to them, that they may find comfort and peace in their friends and families.

Police officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe, and their heroic deeds do not go unnoticed by their communities. Candlelight vigils and prayer ceremonies throughout California as well as the huge swell of public emotion at the passing of these four brave police officers show that Americans understand and value the sacrifices made by police officers.

I stand in solidarity with these supporters, and vow that we will not forget these four brave men. We will keep them in our hearts as we strive to make cities and communities safer and bring crime rates down. We will keep them in our minds as we attempt to do a better job of reforming convicts and rehabilitating parolees. As we consider this resolution today, let us rededicate ourselves to the protection of our communities and our law enforcement, so that the deaths of these four men will not have been in vain.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, the GIVE Act. In this time of economic crisis, when people all around our nation are suffering, an increase in service and volunteerism is what we need for a better, safer, kinder country and world.

It is more important now than ever before to support and reinvigorate the spirit of service in our country. As the recession intensifies, as more families are left without food, health care, or homes and as our schools suffer, the GIVE Act offers solutions to restore confidence and put our nation on a path to recovery by rebuilding cities, creating green jobs, improving communities, and establishing new service corps for every walk of life.

President Obama has asked us all to expand and create new opportunities for service and to recommit ourselves to the spirit of service that has always characterized our Nation. President Obama understands that the benefits of service are immeasurable. Other than the obvious personal gains that can be derived from volunteering, the concept of volunteerism is a simple one--service to our neighbors, near or far, that need a hand in this time of economic hardship.

America is facing challenges today. We have seen higher unemployment, more people without insurance, more homes in foreclosure, and the number of people in poverty rise all as a result of a struggling economy, a lack of skills training, and poor education. The GIVE Act will help fund service programs for high-need, low-income communities which will in turn provide training programs, support social entrepreneurship, and help engage citizens in service-learning to address the specific challenges faced by their communities.

As a teacher and returned Peace Corps Volunteer, I cannot tell you how happy I am to see us focus our attention on national service. The GIVE Act's strength lies not only in the number of programs it expands and creates, but in its desire to provide service opportunities for people of all ages and for future generations. It takes important steps to incentivize service, grow the number of Americorps volunteers nationwide to 250,000, and assist students in the pursuit of public service careers.

The GIVE Act is an incredibly important and comprehensive piece of legislation that reflects our values as a nation. I urge my colleagues in the House to support this legislation and those in the Senate to quickly pass it so that we can expand federally funded national service opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give voice to several of my constituents' stories about how they are being impacted by the economic downturn.

One constituent, Robert, told me about how he and his wife lost nearly 60 percent of their retirement funds. They have no pensions, no 401(k)s, and no health care coverage.

Another constituent told me how he lost his job 4 months ago and is now drowning in college loans and bills. These stories are all too common.

Every one of us is feeling the effects of the economic downturn. But I, along with my colleagues in Congress, will advocate for you and your family's needs every day.