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.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
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.
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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.
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