"Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize May as World Hepatitis Awareness Month and May 19th as World Hepatitis Day.
I commend the House Energy and Commerce Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee for their support for raising awareness of the risks and consequences of undiagnosed Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections and the need for governmental and public health actions. I also want to thank my good friends Rep. Ed Towns and Rep. Bill Cassidy for working with me on hepatitis issues and speaking out on World Hepatitis Day.
An estimated 5.3 million people living in the United States are infected with either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Hepatitis viruses are highly contagious viruses that infect the liver, cause liver disease, liver cancer, and premature death. Hepatitis patients are found in every Congressional district in every state across the U.S. Tragically, more than half are unaware of their status. Hepatitis is often called a silent crisis, but we cannot afford to be silent any more, and we will not be silent any more.
I introduced H.R. 3974, the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 to unite the Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C community in a singular cause. H.R. 3974 will amend the Public Health Service Act to make critical improvements for education for patients and health care providers, access to immunization and screening, and surveillance and referral to care programs. The Act will also put in place a coordinated federal response to fight viral hepatitis. Through this legislation, and with strategic investments in public health and prevention programs, the lives of tens of thousands of people across the nation will be improved.
I commend the Obama Administration and Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Howard Koh for developing an intradepartmental viral hepatitis working group to improve the public health response to the disease, and for working with outside partners to increase access to quality health care and reduce the health effects from viral hepatitis.
I urge all of my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of World Hepatitis Awareness Month and to support H.R 3974. Through comprehensive education, research, and coordination, we can highlight the global nature of chronic viral hepatitis epidemics, work to improve the quality of life for those diagnosed, and prevent further spread of the disease."
####
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Chairman Honda's Statement on Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix
" Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of two young graduate students, Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix, who both died in a tragic car accident on the 25th of May of 2010. They were 27 and 26 years of age, respectively.
Tam Tran was born in Germany to Vietnamese refugee parents and moved to the United States at the age of 6. Denied political asylum in the United States, unable to return to Vietnam for risk of political persecution, and refused entry to Germany, her immigration status was in limbo, but Tran proceeded to excel and graduate from Santiago High school in Garden Grove, California, and be admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As an undergraduate and vocal supporter of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, she joined Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success (IDEAS), a student organization that advocates for undocumented immigrant youth and students. Tran shared her story in congressional testimony, newspaper interviews, and events across the country. She eventually produced a collaborative student publication entitled, Underground Undergrads: UCLA Undocumented Immigrant Students Speak Out, an account of the struggle facing undocumented UCLA students and relevant legislation. She went on to become a Ph.D. candidate in American Civilization at Brown University.
Cinthya Felix was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of 15. Despite a late start, she eventually graduated from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles at the top of her class and was admitted to UCLA in 2003. As an undocumented student, she conducted research on educational inequalities and was one of the founders of the student run organization IDEAS, where she worked with Tran. She graduated from UCLA in 2007 with a double major in English World Literature and Spanish Literature and was admitted to Masters in Public Health programs at Colombia University and the University of Michigan. Because of her undocumented status, Felix was unable to access financial aid and had to defer her admissions. With much determination, Felix spearheaded an online fundraising campaign and was able to matriculate at Columbia University a year later, becoming the first undocumented student in the history of the school’s public health program. Her goal was to pursue medical school and to return home as a practicing physician to help underserved communities.
Over three million students graduate from U.S. high schools every year. Most get the opportunity to continue on and live their American dream, but approximately 65,000 youth are denied this possibility because of their undocumented status. Tran and Felix were both outspoken advocates on this issue. The DREAM act can solve this injustice by allowing qualifying undocumented youth a conditional path to citizenship through the completion of a college degree or military service. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I recognize the needs of immigrants, especially those that concern our youth, and have long made comprehensive immigration reform one of our caucus’ top priorities. Although Tran’s and Felix’s lives were tragically cut short, let us not forget their mission. Let us continue to work towards making the DREAM act a law.
Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow members to join me in remembering Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix. The adversity they faced and their stories of perseverance in achieving the American dream are an inspiration to every American student who wishes to pursue life’s endeavors."
###
Tam Tran was born in Germany to Vietnamese refugee parents and moved to the United States at the age of 6. Denied political asylum in the United States, unable to return to Vietnam for risk of political persecution, and refused entry to Germany, her immigration status was in limbo, but Tran proceeded to excel and graduate from Santiago High school in Garden Grove, California, and be admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As an undergraduate and vocal supporter of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, she joined Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success (IDEAS), a student organization that advocates for undocumented immigrant youth and students. Tran shared her story in congressional testimony, newspaper interviews, and events across the country. She eventually produced a collaborative student publication entitled, Underground Undergrads: UCLA Undocumented Immigrant Students Speak Out, an account of the struggle facing undocumented UCLA students and relevant legislation. She went on to become a Ph.D. candidate in American Civilization at Brown University.
Cinthya Felix was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of 15. Despite a late start, she eventually graduated from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles at the top of her class and was admitted to UCLA in 2003. As an undocumented student, she conducted research on educational inequalities and was one of the founders of the student run organization IDEAS, where she worked with Tran. She graduated from UCLA in 2007 with a double major in English World Literature and Spanish Literature and was admitted to Masters in Public Health programs at Colombia University and the University of Michigan. Because of her undocumented status, Felix was unable to access financial aid and had to defer her admissions. With much determination, Felix spearheaded an online fundraising campaign and was able to matriculate at Columbia University a year later, becoming the first undocumented student in the history of the school’s public health program. Her goal was to pursue medical school and to return home as a practicing physician to help underserved communities.
Over three million students graduate from U.S. high schools every year. Most get the opportunity to continue on and live their American dream, but approximately 65,000 youth are denied this possibility because of their undocumented status. Tran and Felix were both outspoken advocates on this issue. The DREAM act can solve this injustice by allowing qualifying undocumented youth a conditional path to citizenship through the completion of a college degree or military service. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I recognize the needs of immigrants, especially those that concern our youth, and have long made comprehensive immigration reform one of our caucus’ top priorities. Although Tran’s and Felix’s lives were tragically cut short, let us not forget their mission. Let us continue to work towards making the DREAM act a law.
Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow members to join me in remembering Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix. The adversity they faced and their stories of perseverance in achieving the American dream are an inspiration to every American student who wishes to pursue life’s endeavors."
###
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Chairman Honda's Extension of Remarks on Mental Health Month
Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 437, Supporting the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month.
I commend my good friend Representative Grace Napolitano, sponsor of the resolution, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee for recognizing that mental health and well-being is a critical issue that affects not only the quality of life, health of our communities and our economic stability.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, each year approximately 25% of Americans are impacted by mental health conditions, and no gender, age, race, religion or socioeconomic status is immune. Through the combination of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments and support, 70% to 90% of individuals with mental health issues experience significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life.
As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Also, I recognize that there is a significant need for enhancing awareness of mental illness within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. AAPIs are among the fastest growing and most diverse racial group in the United States. Despite this, our community’s use of mental health services is the lowest among ethnic populations. As such, there is a critical need to raise awareness about mental health within the AAPI community to de-stigmatize seeking help and enhance access to culturally competent community services.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which Congress passed and the President signed into law earlier this year, will greatly expand access to mental health care and additional treatment for millions of uninsured individuals, including AAPIs. In addition, the law supports equity in coverage and will extend the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which prohibits discriminatory limits on mental health and substance use conditions beyond current law to health insurance plans offered to small businesses and individuals. These principles are also reflected in the expansion of Medicaid, which would require those newly eligible to receive mental health and substance use services at parity with other benefits.
I urge all of my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month. Through education, we can help remove the stigma around mental health and encourage organizations and health practitioners to continue to promote mental well-being and awareness so that people can access appropriate services and support.
I commend my good friend Representative Grace Napolitano, sponsor of the resolution, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee for recognizing that mental health and well-being is a critical issue that affects not only the quality of life, health of our communities and our economic stability.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, each year approximately 25% of Americans are impacted by mental health conditions, and no gender, age, race, religion or socioeconomic status is immune. Through the combination of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments and support, 70% to 90% of individuals with mental health issues experience significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life.
As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Also, I recognize that there is a significant need for enhancing awareness of mental illness within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. AAPIs are among the fastest growing and most diverse racial group in the United States. Despite this, our community’s use of mental health services is the lowest among ethnic populations. As such, there is a critical need to raise awareness about mental health within the AAPI community to de-stigmatize seeking help and enhance access to culturally competent community services.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which Congress passed and the President signed into law earlier this year, will greatly expand access to mental health care and additional treatment for millions of uninsured individuals, including AAPIs. In addition, the law supports equity in coverage and will extend the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which prohibits discriminatory limits on mental health and substance use conditions beyond current law to health insurance plans offered to small businesses and individuals. These principles are also reflected in the expansion of Medicaid, which would require those newly eligible to receive mental health and substance use services at parity with other benefits.
I urge all of my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month. Through education, we can help remove the stigma around mental health and encourage organizations and health practitioners to continue to promote mental well-being and awareness so that people can access appropriate services and support.
Monday, May 3, 2010
CAPAC Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Statement from Rep. Mike Honda, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus:
Each month of May, our nation pays tribute to the contributions of generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) who have enriched our nation’s history.
Today, over 16.2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up one of the fastest growing and most diverse populations in the United States. Each of the 45 distinct ethnic groups and 28 language groups offers a rich history that contributes to the fabric of our nation. By 2050, there will be 40.6 million U.S. residents identifying as Asian alone or in combination with one or more other races, to comprise 9% of the U.S. population. In recognition of the contributions of this diverse population, I am proud to celebrate this May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
The month of May was selected for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month because of two historical events. First, on May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States, and second, on May 10, 1869, the first transcontinental railroad was completed with substantial contributions from Chinese immigrants.
Today, it is an exciting time to celebrate our vibrant and diverse communities across the country, as the level of civic engagement among AAPIs has increased throughout the years. AAPI leaders serve in today’s local and state legislatures across the nation, in states as diverse as California, New York, Texas, Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio, and Iowa.
In Congress, I chair the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), a bipartisan, bicameral caucus of Members of Congress advocating on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. CAPAC has reached a record 30 Members this year, and is effectively advocating on behalf of AAPI communities across a wide range of domestic issue areas, including job creation, healthcare, housing, immigration, and education.
President Barack Obama also has a deep understanding of the AAPI community, and many milestones celebrated may be attributed to his commitment to our community. He has made significant outreach efforts through the reestablishment of the White House Initiative on AAPIs to coordinate multi-agency efforts to ensure more accurate data collection and access to services for this community. The Presidential Cabinet includes a record three Asian Americans: Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. The President has also demonstrated a commitment to judicial diversity through the nomination of high caliber Asian American and other minority jurists at all levels of the federal bench.
However, even with these exceptional milestones crossed by the community, there remains much to be done to ensure that linguistically and culturally isolated Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have access to resources and a voice in our government. CAPAC will be working closely with all stakeholders to represent the voices of the underserved among us.
As we celebrate the history of our community, we also learn from the injustices faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout our nation’s history, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Japanese American internment, unpunished hate crimes including the murder of Vincent Chin, post-September 11 profiling, discrimination and hate crimes against Sikh and Muslim communities, and cultural and linguistic barriers faced in schools, hospitals, and voting booths. Addressing these injustices throughout our nation’s history has strengthened and will continue to reinforce the civil rights and civil liberties that make our country a more perfect union.
In this nation founded by immigrants, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made their mark on our cultural landscape, providing labor for important national infrastructure such as the Transcontinental Railroad, creating jobs for all Americans through entrepreneurship, and leadership in business, government, and civic sectors. Along with my colleagues here in Congress, I am proud to recognize the great diversity of our communities, and celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our nation.
###
Each month of May, our nation pays tribute to the contributions of generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) who have enriched our nation’s history.
Today, over 16.2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up one of the fastest growing and most diverse populations in the United States. Each of the 45 distinct ethnic groups and 28 language groups offers a rich history that contributes to the fabric of our nation. By 2050, there will be 40.6 million U.S. residents identifying as Asian alone or in combination with one or more other races, to comprise 9% of the U.S. population. In recognition of the contributions of this diverse population, I am proud to celebrate this May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
The month of May was selected for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month because of two historical events. First, on May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States, and second, on May 10, 1869, the first transcontinental railroad was completed with substantial contributions from Chinese immigrants.
Today, it is an exciting time to celebrate our vibrant and diverse communities across the country, as the level of civic engagement among AAPIs has increased throughout the years. AAPI leaders serve in today’s local and state legislatures across the nation, in states as diverse as California, New York, Texas, Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio, and Iowa.
In Congress, I chair the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), a bipartisan, bicameral caucus of Members of Congress advocating on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. CAPAC has reached a record 30 Members this year, and is effectively advocating on behalf of AAPI communities across a wide range of domestic issue areas, including job creation, healthcare, housing, immigration, and education.
President Barack Obama also has a deep understanding of the AAPI community, and many milestones celebrated may be attributed to his commitment to our community. He has made significant outreach efforts through the reestablishment of the White House Initiative on AAPIs to coordinate multi-agency efforts to ensure more accurate data collection and access to services for this community. The Presidential Cabinet includes a record three Asian Americans: Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. The President has also demonstrated a commitment to judicial diversity through the nomination of high caliber Asian American and other minority jurists at all levels of the federal bench.
However, even with these exceptional milestones crossed by the community, there remains much to be done to ensure that linguistically and culturally isolated Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have access to resources and a voice in our government. CAPAC will be working closely with all stakeholders to represent the voices of the underserved among us.
As we celebrate the history of our community, we also learn from the injustices faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout our nation’s history, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Japanese American internment, unpunished hate crimes including the murder of Vincent Chin, post-September 11 profiling, discrimination and hate crimes against Sikh and Muslim communities, and cultural and linguistic barriers faced in schools, hospitals, and voting booths. Addressing these injustices throughout our nation’s history has strengthened and will continue to reinforce the civil rights and civil liberties that make our country a more perfect union.
In this nation founded by immigrants, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made their mark on our cultural landscape, providing labor for important national infrastructure such as the Transcontinental Railroad, creating jobs for all Americans through entrepreneurship, and leadership in business, government, and civic sectors. Along with my colleagues here in Congress, I am proud to recognize the great diversity of our communities, and celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our nation.
###
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
House leaders launch program aimed at increasing racial diversity of staffers
PUBLISHED in THE HILL
By Jordy Yager - 04/13/10 02:11 PM ET
House leaders launched a much-discussed program on Tuesday to increase racial diversity among congressional staff by intensifying recruitment and retention efforts.
The initiative, launched by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), comes in the wake of a study that revealed only 13 percent of House chief of staffs were minorities.
The House initiative creates several programs to increase the hiring of top-ranking minority employees, including a diversity-oriented awareness program and a “resume bank” targeting diverse candidates.
It was developed with the chairman, Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.), and ranking Republican, Rep. Dan Lungren (Calif.), of the House Administration Committee, which will head up the implementation of the programs in conjunction with an advisory council.
The council will consist of members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which collectively are known as the House Tri-Caucus.
“We strongly support this important first step,” said House Tri-Caucus members Reps. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) in a statement.
“We look forward to working with House leadership and the Committee on House Administration as well as our members as this initiative grows, recognizing that much remains to be done to ensure that the staff of the House of Representatives reflects the rich diversity of our nation.”
Tuesday’s announcement also directed the office of the House clerk, the chief administrative officer, the house inspector general, the House sergeant at arms and the acting architect of the Capitol to submit reports that detail the current state of diversity within their organizations, as well as proposals to increase these levels.
“Diversity is one of America's fundamental strengths and all of our nation's communities are a rich source of exceptional talent,” said Pelosi in a statement.
“Drawing from this diverse pool of talent will ensure that the House of Representatives benefits from new and innovative solutions to our complex national challenges. With this new diversity initiative, we not only live up to the basic American ideal of equal opportunity for all, but we strengthen the quality of our workforce.”
Source:
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/91921-house-leaders-launch-racial-diversity-program
By Jordy Yager - 04/13/10 02:11 PM ET
House leaders launched a much-discussed program on Tuesday to increase racial diversity among congressional staff by intensifying recruitment and retention efforts.
The initiative, launched by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), comes in the wake of a study that revealed only 13 percent of House chief of staffs were minorities.
The House initiative creates several programs to increase the hiring of top-ranking minority employees, including a diversity-oriented awareness program and a “resume bank” targeting diverse candidates.
It was developed with the chairman, Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.), and ranking Republican, Rep. Dan Lungren (Calif.), of the House Administration Committee, which will head up the implementation of the programs in conjunction with an advisory council.
The council will consist of members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which collectively are known as the House Tri-Caucus.
“We strongly support this important first step,” said House Tri-Caucus members Reps. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) in a statement.
“We look forward to working with House leadership and the Committee on House Administration as well as our members as this initiative grows, recognizing that much remains to be done to ensure that the staff of the House of Representatives reflects the rich diversity of our nation.”
Tuesday’s announcement also directed the office of the House clerk, the chief administrative officer, the house inspector general, the House sergeant at arms and the acting architect of the Capitol to submit reports that detail the current state of diversity within their organizations, as well as proposals to increase these levels.
“Diversity is one of America's fundamental strengths and all of our nation's communities are a rich source of exceptional talent,” said Pelosi in a statement.
“Drawing from this diverse pool of talent will ensure that the House of Representatives benefits from new and innovative solutions to our complex national challenges. With this new diversity initiative, we not only live up to the basic American ideal of equal opportunity for all, but we strengthen the quality of our workforce.”
Source:
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/91921-house-leaders-launch-racial-diversity-program
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Asian Americans' Stake in Reform
By Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.)
THE HILL
02/03/10 07:12 PM ET
When it comes to the issue of immigration, what quickly comes to American minds? Given that reporters repeatedly write about immigrants crossing the Mexican-U.S. border, the likely response: Hispanics. This focus, unfortunately, has devolved into deleterious scapegoating of immigrants from Central and South America. This is hardly a fair burden for Hispanics to carry, as immigration realities are much more diverse.
Reform will affect millions who emigrated from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, who come with a shared struggle, shared dreams and shared abilities to contribute to this country. Standing side by side, Hispanics are diverse minority groups who will be equally impacted by immigration reform, including Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs). As chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and as a Japanese-American born to migrant workers, I know firsthand the frustration felt by API immigrants. Our stake in the immigration debate is substantial, our concerns unique, the reasons many.
The first two reasons have to do with proportionality. Among our country’s 12 million undocumented immigrants, APIs are disproportionately represented, accounting for 12 percent — or 1.5 million — of all undocumented immigrants, despite the fact that APIs comprise only 5 percent of the population in the United States. Second, what is often ignored and equally disconcerting is that APIs sponsor 39 percent of all family-based immigrants, and nearly half of the family members in visa backlogs are relatives of APIs (which is why I authored Reuniting Families Act legislation to address unreasonably long waits). In both cases, APIs proportionally lead all minority groups despite trailing population percentages by 10 points, with Hispanics at 15 percent and African Americans at 14 percent.
Why the disproportionate numbers? Hard to know exactly, but with Asia accounting for six out of the top ten countries facing family immigration backlogs — the Philippines in the second-highest rank, China in fourth, India in fifth, Vietnam in sixth, Bangladesh in seventh, and Pakistan in tenth — we may find the answer. These rankings reflect emigration trends from the world’s most populous nations (India and China), as well as the consequences of congressional legislation which specifically allowed Filipino, Chinese and Indian people to become U.S. citizens, reversing decades of discrimination and spurring an influx of applications from these countries. This legislation may also explain why nearly two-thirds of all Asian and Pacific Islanders are foreign-born. The reversing of decades of discrimination meant that the emptying of Asia’s immigration queue happened quickly and within the last few decades, which may help explain the sluggishness in media reporting.
The story does not stop there. Another reason why APIs are primary players in immigration reform is that Asian countries are among the biggest recipients of remittance monies, much of which is channeled by American-based immigrants sending money home to families. India ranks highest in receipts, with remittances totaling $27 billion, followed immediately by China in second with $25.7 billion and the Philippines in fourth with $17 billion. Again, this reflects earlier points about these three countries ranking highest in terms of numbers of backlogged visa applications.
Asian nations are also the top recipients of America’s H-1B foreign worker visa and the accompanying H-4 visa, both of which are necessary for our technology workforce. A recent survey by Duke University shows that the largest group of immigrant non-citizen tech inventors was Chinese, with Indians second. Indians have founded more engineering and technology companies in the U.S. in the past decade than immigrants from the U.K., China, Taiwan and Japan combined. This should not belie that fact that many APIs also still struggle in low-skilled labor. In my Silicon Valley, which maintains the highest percentage of APIs of any congressional district, API ethnic subgroups struggle to graduate 50 percent of their young males from high school.
Other immigration-related obstacles seem uniquely Asian. The South Asian community bore the brunt of repressive immigration enforcement tactics and policies in the aftermath of 9/11. Sweeping detentions, deportations and lack of access to fair hearings were not uncommon experiences for South Asian immigrants. Additionally, among many API immigrant groups, integration into American society is uniquely difficult given language barriers. Ninety percent of Cambodians, Hmong, Laotians and Vietnamese do not speak English at home, with 79 percent of Asians speaking a language other than English at home. Lastly, API veterans — specifically Filipino veterans who fought for America in World War II — are uniquely burdened among immigrant groups as the veterans’ children continue to face decades-long waits for visas.
I say this as we approach comprehensive immigration reform, which if successfully embraced will add $1.5 trillion to our GDP over the next 10 years, according to a recent UCLA report. It is the approach I am most concerned about. For comprehensive immigration reform to be successful it must be inclusive, for we are in it together — no matter from which country we hail.
Honda is the chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Link:
Learn more about the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) by signing up for e-mail updates.
THE HILL
02/03/10 07:12 PM ET
When it comes to the issue of immigration, what quickly comes to American minds? Given that reporters repeatedly write about immigrants crossing the Mexican-U.S. border, the likely response: Hispanics. This focus, unfortunately, has devolved into deleterious scapegoating of immigrants from Central and South America. This is hardly a fair burden for Hispanics to carry, as immigration realities are much more diverse.
Reform will affect millions who emigrated from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, who come with a shared struggle, shared dreams and shared abilities to contribute to this country. Standing side by side, Hispanics are diverse minority groups who will be equally impacted by immigration reform, including Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs). As chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and as a Japanese-American born to migrant workers, I know firsthand the frustration felt by API immigrants. Our stake in the immigration debate is substantial, our concerns unique, the reasons many.
The first two reasons have to do with proportionality. Among our country’s 12 million undocumented immigrants, APIs are disproportionately represented, accounting for 12 percent — or 1.5 million — of all undocumented immigrants, despite the fact that APIs comprise only 5 percent of the population in the United States. Second, what is often ignored and equally disconcerting is that APIs sponsor 39 percent of all family-based immigrants, and nearly half of the family members in visa backlogs are relatives of APIs (which is why I authored Reuniting Families Act legislation to address unreasonably long waits). In both cases, APIs proportionally lead all minority groups despite trailing population percentages by 10 points, with Hispanics at 15 percent and African Americans at 14 percent.
Why the disproportionate numbers? Hard to know exactly, but with Asia accounting for six out of the top ten countries facing family immigration backlogs — the Philippines in the second-highest rank, China in fourth, India in fifth, Vietnam in sixth, Bangladesh in seventh, and Pakistan in tenth — we may find the answer. These rankings reflect emigration trends from the world’s most populous nations (India and China), as well as the consequences of congressional legislation which specifically allowed Filipino, Chinese and Indian people to become U.S. citizens, reversing decades of discrimination and spurring an influx of applications from these countries. This legislation may also explain why nearly two-thirds of all Asian and Pacific Islanders are foreign-born. The reversing of decades of discrimination meant that the emptying of Asia’s immigration queue happened quickly and within the last few decades, which may help explain the sluggishness in media reporting.
The story does not stop there. Another reason why APIs are primary players in immigration reform is that Asian countries are among the biggest recipients of remittance monies, much of which is channeled by American-based immigrants sending money home to families. India ranks highest in receipts, with remittances totaling $27 billion, followed immediately by China in second with $25.7 billion and the Philippines in fourth with $17 billion. Again, this reflects earlier points about these three countries ranking highest in terms of numbers of backlogged visa applications.
Asian nations are also the top recipients of America’s H-1B foreign worker visa and the accompanying H-4 visa, both of which are necessary for our technology workforce. A recent survey by Duke University shows that the largest group of immigrant non-citizen tech inventors was Chinese, with Indians second. Indians have founded more engineering and technology companies in the U.S. in the past decade than immigrants from the U.K., China, Taiwan and Japan combined. This should not belie that fact that many APIs also still struggle in low-skilled labor. In my Silicon Valley, which maintains the highest percentage of APIs of any congressional district, API ethnic subgroups struggle to graduate 50 percent of their young males from high school.
Other immigration-related obstacles seem uniquely Asian. The South Asian community bore the brunt of repressive immigration enforcement tactics and policies in the aftermath of 9/11. Sweeping detentions, deportations and lack of access to fair hearings were not uncommon experiences for South Asian immigrants. Additionally, among many API immigrant groups, integration into American society is uniquely difficult given language barriers. Ninety percent of Cambodians, Hmong, Laotians and Vietnamese do not speak English at home, with 79 percent of Asians speaking a language other than English at home. Lastly, API veterans — specifically Filipino veterans who fought for America in World War II — are uniquely burdened among immigrant groups as the veterans’ children continue to face decades-long waits for visas.
I say this as we approach comprehensive immigration reform, which if successfully embraced will add $1.5 trillion to our GDP over the next 10 years, according to a recent UCLA report. It is the approach I am most concerned about. For comprehensive immigration reform to be successful it must be inclusive, for we are in it together — no matter from which country we hail.
Honda is the chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Link:
http://thehill.com/special-reports/immigration-february-2010/79617-asian-americans-stake-in-reform
Learn more about the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) by signing up for e-mail updates.
Honda & Manzano: This Is the Year for Immigration Reform to Pass
By Rep. Mike Honda and Sonia Manzano
Special to Roll Call
Feb. 4, 2010, 12 a.m.
The tide seems to be turning in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, despite populist trends that might suggest otherwise. President Barack Obama’s ability in 2010 to hammer out reform has been helped by some unusual suspects. Democrats, already on board the reform bandwagon, are even seeing some conservatives rally for similar reform measures. These new voices, along with recent polling that puts the majority of the American public in favor of a legalization process for our 12 million undocumented immigrants, bodes well for a nation in desperate need of a new immigration policy. This president, unlike his predecessor, will not shy away from needed reform as it is the right thing to do economically, the right thing to do politically, and the right thing to do morally.
In the throes of America’s recession, Obama must do everything in his power to weigh the fiscal pros and cons of any policy decision. Immigration, unsurprisingly, brings with it formidable fiscal implications. Keeping immigrants here or sending them home can save or cost taxpayers dearly, depending on what course is chosen.
A study conducted last month by University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, for example, finds that any deportation plan of America’s undocumented immigrants would cost our country’s gross domestic product a whopping $2.6 trillion over the next 10 years. Conversely, if we embrace comprehensive immigration reform, we add $1.5 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product over the next 10 years. Hinojosa-Ojeda also projected that the economy would benefit from a temporary worker program, which would raise the GDP by $792 billion.
The economic case is clear. Immigrants who become citizens consistently pursue higher-paying jobs and higher education, spend more and provide higher tax revenue. Just imagine what 12 million newly documented Americans could do for the economy. The legalization process also brings economic benefits like the retention of remittances. Reform will reunite families separated by our immigration system and keep monies in the U.S., instead of having workers send substantial portions of their salary to their family members abroad. As an example of the potential, U.S. remittances to Latin America alone totaled almost $46 billion in 2008. Of that, Mexico received almost $24 billion. Reducing remittances offers an obvious potential cash infusion for our economy, as billions of dollars currently being sent overseas would instead be spent in American shops and restaurants, creating jobs and helping to get our economy going.
Politically, reform is the right thing to do, which may explain why immigration reform is a bipartisan issue, visible in former President George W. Bush’s reform attempts and more recently Sarah Palin’s politically savvy promises. The communities most impacted by comprehensive immigration reform — Hispanic, Asian and African — are quickly becoming the voting majority in many districts throughout this country. By 2050, Hispanic-Americans are projected to constitute 25 percent of the total population, making Hispanics the largest population group. The fastest growing race group will continue to be Asian and Pacific Islanders, with annual growth rates exceeding 4 percent and increasing to 41 million total population by 2050.
The politics of immigration reform, then, must reflect the ever-changing politics of our population. As America becomes ever more diverse, elected officials will rightly move policies in a direction to serve that diverse constituency. Diversification will happen and we can be on the right side of history or we can ignore its eventuality and muck things up for the next generation by failing to act early enough. Obama gets this — so too does much of the country. The noise of a few angry opponents, therefore, must not get in the way of what’s good for the majority.
Lastly, there is moral merit to remembering that we are indeed a nation of immigrants. Long before the spotlight fell on Mexican immigrants as the primary newcomer and scapegoat, it fell heavily on Jewish, Irish, Chinese and myriad other ethnic groups, each one taking their turn. For centuries, America sounded the clarion call to the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” welcoming them to our shores. Comprehensive immigration reform will not widen or overextend this welcome; it will ensure a fair and legal process for this tradition to nobly continue.
The key to keeping intact the Statue of Liberty’s credo, then, is to allow new Americans, from Central America to Central Asia, the same rights and opportunities afforded the new Americans who landed on Ellis Island from Central Europe. Entire families once emigrated from Europe; it is only fair to allow others — who often wait up to 20 years to be reunited with their loved ones — the same treatment.
This is the year for comprehensive immigration reform. Left to future presidents or future Congresses, the number of undocumented immigrants will only increase and the visa waits will only get longer. Meanwhile, we lose an opportunity to do what’s right economically, politically and morally. On all accounts the case is clear: Reform now.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) is chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Sonia Manzano is an author and actress best known for her role as Maria on “Sesame Street.”
Link: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_87/ma_congressional_relations/42959-1.html
Learn more about the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) by signing upf or e-mail updates.
Special to Roll Call
Feb. 4, 2010, 12 a.m.
The tide seems to be turning in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, despite populist trends that might suggest otherwise. President Barack Obama’s ability in 2010 to hammer out reform has been helped by some unusual suspects. Democrats, already on board the reform bandwagon, are even seeing some conservatives rally for similar reform measures. These new voices, along with recent polling that puts the majority of the American public in favor of a legalization process for our 12 million undocumented immigrants, bodes well for a nation in desperate need of a new immigration policy. This president, unlike his predecessor, will not shy away from needed reform as it is the right thing to do economically, the right thing to do politically, and the right thing to do morally.
In the throes of America’s recession, Obama must do everything in his power to weigh the fiscal pros and cons of any policy decision. Immigration, unsurprisingly, brings with it formidable fiscal implications. Keeping immigrants here or sending them home can save or cost taxpayers dearly, depending on what course is chosen.
A study conducted last month by University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, for example, finds that any deportation plan of America’s undocumented immigrants would cost our country’s gross domestic product a whopping $2.6 trillion over the next 10 years. Conversely, if we embrace comprehensive immigration reform, we add $1.5 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product over the next 10 years. Hinojosa-Ojeda also projected that the economy would benefit from a temporary worker program, which would raise the GDP by $792 billion.
The economic case is clear. Immigrants who become citizens consistently pursue higher-paying jobs and higher education, spend more and provide higher tax revenue. Just imagine what 12 million newly documented Americans could do for the economy. The legalization process also brings economic benefits like the retention of remittances. Reform will reunite families separated by our immigration system and keep monies in the U.S., instead of having workers send substantial portions of their salary to their family members abroad. As an example of the potential, U.S. remittances to Latin America alone totaled almost $46 billion in 2008. Of that, Mexico received almost $24 billion. Reducing remittances offers an obvious potential cash infusion for our economy, as billions of dollars currently being sent overseas would instead be spent in American shops and restaurants, creating jobs and helping to get our economy going.
Politically, reform is the right thing to do, which may explain why immigration reform is a bipartisan issue, visible in former President George W. Bush’s reform attempts and more recently Sarah Palin’s politically savvy promises. The communities most impacted by comprehensive immigration reform — Hispanic, Asian and African — are quickly becoming the voting majority in many districts throughout this country. By 2050, Hispanic-Americans are projected to constitute 25 percent of the total population, making Hispanics the largest population group. The fastest growing race group will continue to be Asian and Pacific Islanders, with annual growth rates exceeding 4 percent and increasing to 41 million total population by 2050.
The politics of immigration reform, then, must reflect the ever-changing politics of our population. As America becomes ever more diverse, elected officials will rightly move policies in a direction to serve that diverse constituency. Diversification will happen and we can be on the right side of history or we can ignore its eventuality and muck things up for the next generation by failing to act early enough. Obama gets this — so too does much of the country. The noise of a few angry opponents, therefore, must not get in the way of what’s good for the majority.
Lastly, there is moral merit to remembering that we are indeed a nation of immigrants. Long before the spotlight fell on Mexican immigrants as the primary newcomer and scapegoat, it fell heavily on Jewish, Irish, Chinese and myriad other ethnic groups, each one taking their turn. For centuries, America sounded the clarion call to the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” welcoming them to our shores. Comprehensive immigration reform will not widen or overextend this welcome; it will ensure a fair and legal process for this tradition to nobly continue.
The key to keeping intact the Statue of Liberty’s credo, then, is to allow new Americans, from Central America to Central Asia, the same rights and opportunities afforded the new Americans who landed on Ellis Island from Central Europe. Entire families once emigrated from Europe; it is only fair to allow others — who often wait up to 20 years to be reunited with their loved ones — the same treatment.
This is the year for comprehensive immigration reform. Left to future presidents or future Congresses, the number of undocumented immigrants will only increase and the visa waits will only get longer. Meanwhile, we lose an opportunity to do what’s right economically, politically and morally. On all accounts the case is clear: Reform now.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) is chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Sonia Manzano is an author and actress best known for her role as Maria on “Sesame Street.”
Link: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_87/ma_congressional_relations/42959-1.html
Learn more about the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) by signing upf or e-mail updates.
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