"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."
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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."
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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."
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