Judy Chu

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Francis ``Danny'' Malcolm, an outstanding citizen who has done so much for his country and his community. Danny Malcolm was born on August 2, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was one of six siblings who grew up and went to school in Boston until the outbreak of the Vietnam War. Not one to stand idly by during times of trouble, Danny chose to join the United States Marine Corps on November 8, 1963. He was only 17 years old at the time but he quickly proved to be a highly capable young man that was more than willing to serve his country. Danny was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment that was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; a unit that was part of the first amphibious landing in Vietnam. Danny was a proud Marine but he also had the distinction of serving as part of Force Recon, an elite Special Forces unit within the Marine Corps. As part of this unit, Danny served three tours in Vietnam and was engaged in some of the most important battles of the war including the Defense of Airfields Saigon and Chu Lai in 1965, as well as Operation Kansas, Operation Teton, Operation Madison, and Operation Glenn in 1966. Many of these missions were extremely dangerous and required Danny to engage enemy combatants behind enemy lines, obtain crucial enemy intelligence, provide support to other military units and save fellow service members who had become prisoners of war. His courage and commitment to the United States did not go unnoticed and earned him several medals, including the Sharp Shooter Medal, National Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Special Campaign Medal. Once the war came to a close, Danny returned home to the United States and earned a degree in Biomedical Engineering and Design from California State University, Long Beach. After graduating from college he joined Kaiser Permanente and committed thirty-four years of his life to the organization. During his tenure at Kaiser he played an important role in opening up the Kaiser facility in Baldwin Park, CA. He was highly respected among his colleagues and considered to be a problem solver that could always be depended on to get the job done. Despite the many demands of life, Danny always went out of his way to make family a priority. He was a loving husband of thirty-four years to Carol Facciponti-Malcolm, a dedicated father of seven children, a caring grandfather of thirteen and an admiring great grandfather of three. Over the years, Danny became an important part of the community and was seen by friends and family as a wonderful and trustworthy human being who loved his husky dogs, cherished the outdoors and enjoyed to ride his motorcycles. Above all, Danny was a Marine and as with most service members who fought in Vietnam, the war left a huge impact on him. After having served during one of the most tumultuous times in American history, Danny chose to dedicate his life to helping the men and women he had fought alongside with. He would often leave home days at a time without saying a word in order to embark on a mission in search of Veterans who had become homeless and were suffering from difficult times. He was considered by many to be a defender of the underdog, and Danny lived up to that title by providing struggling Veterans with food and blankets, paying for a few nights shelter at nearby hotels and referring them to local services for much needed assistance. Whether he was supporting a friend in need or providing a helping hand to a troubled Veteran, Danny spent all of his life helping people. He was a man of honor and loyalty who always sought to do the right thing. Along with his friends and family whose lives have been impacted through his love and care, it is my honor to commemorate the life of Francis ``Danny'' Malcolm, a father, husband, and a remarkable United States Force Recon Marine.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, this week, after news came out that General Flynn lied to the people and even to the Vice President, Donald Trump was forced to fire yet another adviser because of their inappropriate ties to Russia. That brings the total since he first launched his campaign to at least three. This includes former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who resigned after secret records showed he worked with, and profited from, the corrupt pro-Russian Government in Ukraine before it was ousted. As we suspected, it turns out that Trump's campaign was in near constant contact with Russia. Now we ask the questions: Why? Did Trump know? How will these secret talks influence our foreign policy? We deserve answers. Republicans have said that they don't want to politicize this, and I agree. That is why I support an independent investigation conducted by experts who will provide a more public report. We have a responsibility to the people to unearth the truth.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 43. This bill is another in a long line of attacks on women's health, women's choices, and women's lives. For 50 years, title X has been the only federally funded program dedicated to providing comprehensive family planning services for low- income patients. Thanks to title X, these women have gained access to services like birth control, STD testing, cancer screenings, counseling, and sex education. For most of its history, title X has received broad, bipartisan support from Congress. That is because it has helped millions of women and families. But now, Republicans are using this longstanding program to continue their attack on women's health. Last year, Republicans eliminated title X funding from their budget altogether. This bill is just the latest attempt to do the same thing by putting family planning resources out of reach for poor women across the country. We cannot let this happen. We cannot let healthy pregnancies and healthy families become a luxury reserved only for the wealthy. It must remain a right for all. I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 57. This reckless measure rolls back the progress made by the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, by making it easier for schools to ignore vulnerable or underachieving students. Before ESSA, American schools operated under the one-size-fits-all model of No Child Left Behind. What we got was a lopsided understanding of our education system--one that focused on meeting unforgiving benchmarks and turned a blind eye to students who needed more support. Then, after years of careful, bipartisan work, we finally succeeded in passing ESSA last Congress. Thanks to the work of the Congressional Tri-Caucus, this bill made needed changes to ensure that vulnerable students, including English language learners and students of color, didn't slip through the cracks. In fact, the accountability provisions within ESSA were specifically designed to protect the rights of every student and ensure that struggling schools have the resources and support they need to succeed. Now, by rescinding the rule which implements the core of this law, Republicans are undoing all of that work in the name of relentless deregulation. Worse, they are, once again, using the little-known Congressional Review Act, which means no future administration can issue a rule like this ever again. Most Americans are unfamiliar with the Congressional Review Act because, before this Congress, it has only been used once before. Now Republicans are using it almost daily to weaken our government and support fewer people. With today's vote, Republicans are taking an ax to equity provisions of ESSA and prioritizing politics over students. Rather than pass this extreme measure, we should focus on a way to enforce ESSA and ensure that every student, no matter their race, income level, or language ability, has access to a quality education. I urge my colleagues to prioritize our Nation's students and vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 57.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this use of the Congressional Review Act to repeal the Social Security Administration's rule strengthening the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The rule in question implements already-existing law to establish a commonsense streamlining of information which will help improve our background check system for gun purchases. It is important to note that individuals with disabilities are actually more likely to be victims than perpetrators of gun violence, which is why I support more far-reaching gun safety measures like universal background checks and a ban on the most dangerous weapons. However, when there have been instances of mass shootings committed by those with a history of mental health issues, top Republicans, including Speaker Ryan, have stood on this very floor to say that they believe we should focus on mental health issues. Well, this is their chance to prove that those were not just empty words; but, instead, they are showing their true loyalties and again resisting any attempt to strengthen basic safeguards to ensure responsible gun ownership. This is a commonsense regulation that sets a high bar for referring names to the background check system. No one's rights are unduly restricted. An appeals process has been built in to afford due process. So it is clear that my Republican colleagues concerns' are not about safety, but about maximizing profits for gun manufacturers, even if it costs the lives of fellow Americans. And worse, they are using the restrictive Congressional Review Act to do so. This will not only make it easier for even those with severe mental health issues to buy a gun, but it will also take the option for writing similar rules off the table forever, tying the hands of all future administrations. This is reckless. Gun deaths are a daily scourge in our country, and it is up to us to do whatever we can to mitigate the risk of the dangerous weapons in the wrong hands. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this resolution.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 724, which would rescind President Trump's refugee ban on families like the Syrian refugee family of six who were scheduled to arrive in Cleveland on Tuesday, January 31, but are now blocked indefinitely.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Madam Speaker, on Saturday, millions of people took a stand against the assault on women's rights. Today, I stand with them once again to say we have had enough. Only 2 days after these historic marches, Republicans in Congress have introduced H.R. 7 to silence women by limiting their constitutional right to make personal choices about their reproductive health, without undue government interference. H.R. 7 is a woman's health catastrophe. Not only would it codify the discriminatory Hyde amendment, it would penalize employers who offer healthcare plans with comprehensive coverage and prevent the 80 percent of ACA enrollees who receive subsidies from purchasing plans that cover abortion services. In effect, it makes abortion an option only for the wealthy. The law of the land does not say that only some women have the right to choose; it says that all women have the right to choose. I urge my colleagues to oppose this reckless legislation.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of Kalwis Lo, a young man from my district in San Gabriel, California, who told me how his life was saved by the Affordable Care Act. When he was just out of college, Kalwis was shocked when he was diagnosed with stage III Hodgkin lymphoma. He learned that this disease would end his young life if ignored, but was actually easily treatable in the early stages. No longer covered by his university, he applied to every type of health insurance he could, but he was denied every single time because of his preexisting condition. He knew that through insurance coverage he could get the chemotherapy treatments that could save his life, but with each denial, he felt more and more desperate. Then Kalwis learned about the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan under the Affordable Care Act. This plan made insurance accessible to anyone that had been denied due to a preexisting condition. Thankfully, California was one of the States participating in the program. Finally, Kalwis got the chemotherapy he needed. He is one of millions of Americans given the promise of their lives back thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, December 5, 2016, I was unable to vote due to prior commitments. Had I been present on the House floor, I would have voted ``aye'' on roll call No. 601, final passage of H.R. 5015, the Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act. I would have voted ``aye'' on roll call No. 602, H.R. 6427, the Creating Financial Prosperity for Businesses and Investors Act, and ``aye'' on roll call No. 603, S. 1635, Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Today, Republicans are asking taxpayers to spend $800,000 to cover for their mistakes. The select panel to investigate Planned Parenthood, which was created based on lies spread by anti-abortion extremists, has already overspent the $1 million this Republican Congress has allocated them with no real findings. Now they want to continue their attack on women and Planned Parenthood. This is outrageous. This select panel--along with 13 States, three House committees, and a Texas grand jury investigation--has found no wrongdoing on the part of Planned Parenthood. It is clear that, after over a year of investigations, Republicans are not seeking truth or better policy. Instead, this panel has released confidential documents to the public, compared researchers to Nazi war criminals, and exposed doctors and researchers to harassment and violence. We cannot continue to fund this fruitless witch hunt that endangers our researchers and slows important medical discoveries. I strongly oppose this committee and urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, over 70 years ago, more than 200,000 brave Filipino and Filipino American soldiers answered the call to fight alongside American servicemembers during World War II. These soldiers served on the front lines and played a critical role in ultimately helping the United States to achieve victory in the Pacific. It is because of their courage that we were able to protect Americans at home while defending democracy abroad. Many of these veterans are now in their twilight years, and it is long past time that we honor them for their sacrifice and service to our Nation. While we can never fully repay the debt that we owe these veterans, today we have the opportunity to award them with our Nation's highest civilian honor by passing the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass this critical legislation to honor our Filipino World War II veterans with the recognition they have earned.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, for over 40 years the Hyde amendment has been the flagship in the assault on a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. Because of Hyde, a low-income woman is able to use her Medicaid for her healthcare needs, but not in one area--abortion. In effect, a woman on Medicaid who faces this tough decision may be forced to forgo groceries, her utility bills, or her rent just to pay for the procedure. Even worse, she could be driven to a dangerous, back-alley abortion or seek an unlicensed practitioner. And if she cannot find the funds for the procedure and goes on to give birth, she is at greater risk of sliding deeper into poverty. That is why I am a cosponsor of the EACH Woman Act, which would ensure that every woman has access to abortion coverage, regardless of how much she earns. We must ensure that every American woman can access her constitutional right to an abortion. We must end the Hyde amendment.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Justin Lee Sifuentes, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of action on the House floor.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, or CAPAC, I rise today to honor our colleague, the Honorable Mark Takai of Hawaii, who passed away in July after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Mark was a true patriot, public servant, and friend who truly had the aloha spirit. His strong commitment to improving the lives of the people of Hawaii and all Americans was integrally woven into the fabric of his distinguished military and public service career. In Congress, he led notable efforts to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their families and to assist atomic war veterans suffering from radiation exposure. It was a privilege to work with Mark, and I will never forget his warmth, kindness, and strong dedication to bettering our community and our country. On behalf of CAPAC, I thank Mark for his lifetime of leadership and service. Mahalo, Mark.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise today to honor our colleague and friend, the Honorable Kyle Mark Takai of Hawaii, who passed away on July 20, 2016 at the age of 49 after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Mark was a true patriot, public servant, and friend who truly had the ``aloha spirit.'' From a young age, Mark's parents instilled in him a love of service and giving back to his community. This strong commitment to improving the lives of the people of Hawaii and all Americans was integrally woven into the fabric of his distinguished military and public service career. A graduate of the University of Hawaii, Mark was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives in 1994 at the age of 27 to represent his home district of Pearl City, Hawaii. He served for two decades before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. Throughout his tenure in the Hawaii State legislature, he was a strong champion for the military and our veterans, a cause he continued to champion in the U.S. Congress as a member of the House Armed Services Committee. As a proud member of the Hawaii Army National Guard who was deployed to the Middle East in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mark understood firsthand the sacrifice that our military men and women make every day to protect our freedoms and never stopped fighting for them. As a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) in Congress, his vision and contributions helped to improve the lives of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders all across this country. This included notable efforts to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their loved ones, secure treatment for atomic veterans suffering from service-related radiation exposure, and to commemorate the patriotism of Japanese Americans during World War II. Mark was also a strong proponent for cancer research. In fact, I will never forget the tears in his eyes when he first learned about Vice President Joe Biden's Cancer Moonshot initiative and the warm embrace they shared at the House Democratic Retreat. It gave Mark and millions of Americans hope that we will finally find a cure for cancer. In his memory, we will continue hoping and fighting until this becomes a reality. We in CAPAC value the privilege we had to work with Mark in Congress, and will never forget his warmth, kindness, and strong dedication to bettering our community and our country. On behalf of the 50 Members of CAPAC, I thank Mark for his lifetime of leadership and service. I also thank his wife, Sami, their children, Matthew and Kaila, and his parents, Erik and Naomi, for sharing Mark with us and the people of Hawaii. The Asian American and Pacific Islander community has lost one of its great leaders, but his legacy will continue to live on through the lives he touched and the individuals he will continue to inspire for generations to come.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, at just 4 years old, Salvador Esparza already had a reputation for lighting up a room whenever he walked in. His aunt called him ``a sweet boy with a passion for soccer and Spiderman.'' But now pictures and memories are all that remain. Last week, Salvador was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting on his own front porch in my California district. Like him, 91 people are killed by guns each day. But people like Salvador deserve to be more than a statistic. That is why I joined 350 people in front of Pasadena City Hall last week at a vigil to call for an end to gun violence. They are hurting. Now is the time for Congress to take action to save lives. But, instead, Republicans decided to end session early and push lifesaving work on guns, Zika, and the Flint water crisis aside. The American people elected us to do our job. They deserve better.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation to honor the memory of Trooper Chad P. Dermyer, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of action on the House floor.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday morning, I woke up to the news that, overnight, a 4-year-old boy in my district, in Altadena, California, became one of the latest victims of gun violence. Salvador Esparza III was sitting on his front porch with a family friend when a car drove up, fired at least 13 rounds, and drove off, leaving two bodies. Hours later, we finally heard the tragic news. Little Salvador was dead. I was heartbroken. Now, I know the doctors did everything they could to save his life. But what are we doing in Congress? Nothing. Another life cut short, another family torn apart, another day of silence from Congress. The NRA tells us the solution is more guns. Well, we already have more guns than any other country in the world, and it is not working. Having more guns would not have helped 4-year-old Salvador. But we could have. Enough is enough. We must pass no fly, no buy and we must pass universal background checks.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this rule and to speak about a critical issue. We must stop the senseless gun violence in this country. Last Wednesday, at my SpeakOut to stop gun violence, a courageous young man stood up to tell his story. Josh Stepakoff here was the victim of a mass shooting when he was 6 years old and miraculously survived it. He was finishing a game at his home away from home, the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles. He assumed that the strange man in front of him was a construction worker and that what he held at his hip was a power drill. How could he know that this man was a neo-Nazi carrying a semiautomatic weapon and hundreds of rounds of ammunition intent on killing as many people as he could? Two of those bullets hit Josh, barely missing his spine and vital organs. The physical and mental damage changed Josh's life forever, and now he and his mother have devoted their lives to stopping gun violence. The NRA is saying that the way to keep people safe is by making more guns available to everybody. If this is the solution, the U.S. would be the safest place in the world. Instead, we face danger from guns everywhere, even movie theaters, elementary schools, and churches. Enough is enough. We must pass commonsense gun violence prevention laws now. Now is the time to pass no fly, no buy and the comprehensive background check bills.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Frank Omatsu, an outstanding citizen who has done so much for his country and his community in his 92 years. A native Californian, Frank was born in 1924 in Los Angeles, where he lived until the outbreak of World War II. His family was then uprooted and forced across the country to the Jerome War Relocation Center, a Japanese imprisonment camp in Arkansas. Frank was only a high school student at the time, and yet despite the cruelty of his imprisonment, he never wavered in his dedication to his country. When the imprisonment camps were finally closed, instead of returning back to the life from which he was uprooted, Frank chose to join the U.S. Army. He served in the Military Intelligence Service, 77th Division, where he served overseas in the Philippines and Japan. Even after his family was treated like prisoners, he chose to fight for his country. When Frank returned home from the war, he immediately went back to school to complete his education, and attended Los Angeles City College and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After graduating from UCLA, he became the first `Nisei,' or second-generation Japanese American, to manage the Sumitomo Bank of California. As a manager, Mr. Omatsu provided loans and support to Japanese Americans returning from internment camps, helping them to get back on their feet financially. Always an active leader in his community, Frank was Finance Officer for Commodore Perry Post 525 of the American Legion Veterans organization. In 1985, he served as chairperson of the Little Tokyo Centennial Time Capsule. This time capsule, buried beneath a tree at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, preserves the culture and history of the Japanese American community in Los Angeles at the time. The following year, Frank founded the `Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Memorial Board' to honor the first Asian Pacific American to reach outer space who was tragically killed in the Challenger Space Shuttle in 1986. The board celebrates the life and upholds the legacy of Astronaut Onizuka as an inspiration to future generations of Asian Pacific Americans. Building upon his legacy of serving others and improving his community, Frank was one of the ``magnificent seven'' original board members of Keiro Senior Healthcare, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of senior life for the Los Angeles Japanese-American community. Keiro has provided quality care, bilingual resources, and culturally sensitive programs to the elderly Japanese American community. The Keiro facilities themselves have become a cornerstone of the community, where families would gather to celebrate their rich cultural history. As one of the original board members of Keiro, Frank used his finance and banking knowledge to ensure the success of the organization, which has been operating since 1961. He served on the board for 42 years, helping to make Keiro a cherished and valued institution in the Japanese American community in Los Angeles and across the state of California. Along with his colleagues, friends, and all those whose lives he impacted through his work, I am so grateful to Frank Omatsu for his lifelong dedication to Keiro and the Japanese American community. I congratulate him on this milestone, and wish him many more!

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, once again, our country has been shocked by a horrific act of gun violence, and, once again, the only real response from Congress has been a moment of silence. Well, this is not the time to be silent. Congress needs to act, and Congress needs to act now. This murderer at the Pulse nightclub of Orlando, who was once on the terror watch list, was free to walk into a store and purchase an assault weapon that could kill 49 people and wound 53 others. Today, someone inspired by ISIS, who was deemed too dangerous to even board a plane, could walk into a gun store to buy whatever weapon they want. That is outrageous. That is why we must pass the no fly, no buy legislation that would keep those on the terrorist watch list from buying lethal weapons. Unless we act to finally keep the most dangerous weapons out of the most dangerous hands, our moments of silence will become our legacy of silence.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. ``He was guilty the minute I woke up. No one can talk me out of the hurt he caused me. Worst of all, I was warned, because he now knows you don't remember, he is going to get to write the script. He can say whatever he wants and no one can contest it. I had no power, I had no voice, I was defenseless. My memory loss would be used against me. My testimony was weak, was incomplete, and I was made to believe that perhaps, I am not enough to win this. His attorney constantly reminded the jury, the only one we can believe is Brock, because she doesn't remember. That helplessness was traumatizing. ``Instead of taking time to heal, I was taking time to recall the night in excruciating detail, in order to prepare for the attorney's questions that would be invasive, aggressive, and designed to steer me off course, to contradict myself, my sister, phrased in ways to manipulate my answers. Instead of his attorney saying, Did you notice any abrasions? He said, You didn't notice any abrasions, right? This was a game of strategy, as if I could be tricked out of my own worth. ``The sexual assault had been so clear, but instead, here I was at the trial, answering questions like: ``How old are you? How much do you weigh? What did you eat that day? Well what did you have for dinner? Who made dinner? Did you drink with dinner? No, not even water? When did you drink? How much did you drink? What container did you drink out of? Who gave you the drink? How much do you usually drink? Who dropped you off at this party? At what time? But where exactly? What were you wearing? Why were you going to this party? ``What'd you do when you got there? Are you sure you did that? But what time did you do that? What does this text mean? Who were you texting? When did you urinate? Where did you urinate? With whom did you urinate outside? Was your phone on silent when your sister called? Do you remember silencing it? Really? Because on page 53 I'd like to point out that you said it was set to ring. Did you drink in college? You said you were a party animal? How many times did you black out? Did you party at frats?''

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, the month of May is recognized as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, an important time to celebrate our Nation's rich cultural diversity as well as the many accomplishments and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders all across our country. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are now the fastest growing racial group in the country, and today more immigrants come from Asia than from any other region in the world. As chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, or CAPAC, I have seen these growing numbers reflected here in Congress, where we now have 14 Asian American and Pacific Islander Members of Congress, which is a historic high. We have also seen these numbers reflected in the diversity of our Federal workforce as well as in the Federal judiciary, where we have more than tripled the number of Asian Pacific American judges who serve on the Federal bench. This includes the historic nomination of Sri Srinivasan to the U.S. District Court of Appeals, which is extremely notable because it is the court from which many U.S. Supreme Court Justices have risen, and we know that it is only a matter of time before we have our first Asian American Supreme Court Justice. In addition to working to diversify our Federal workforce, we in CAPAC have the privilege to advocate for the priorities and concerns of Asian Pacific Americans on a broad range of issues, from combating racial profiling, to keeping immigrant families together through comprehensive immigration reform, to ensuring that all Americans can access the ballot box and have a voice in our democracy. Today far too many in the Asian Pacific American community are being profiled because of the way they look or the religion they practice, and whether they are Chinese Americans who are being singled out for economic espionage or are Muslim or Sikh Americans who are wrongfully perceived as terrorists, we know that profiling creates a culture of suspicion that not only breeds mistrust, but that also endangers the lives and livelihoods of innocent Americans. Take the recent case of a Chinese American scientist who was wrongly targeted as a spy for China. One terrible morning, Professor Xiaoxing Xi woke up to see guns pointed at him and 12 FBI agents arresting him in front of his wife, two daughters, and the whole neighborhood. They dragged him off to jail, accused him of being a spy for China, and threatened him with 80 years in jail. It turned out that the FBI agents were wrong. So they dropped all charges, but not before ruining Professor Xi's life. We have also seen this happen in the case of Sherry Chen, a hydrologist at the National Weather Service of Ohio, who was arrested in front of her coworkers and was accused of being a spy for China, only to have her case dismissed. Asian American scientists and engineers, who have worked hard to get their advanced degrees and be successful in their careers, now live in fear that they, too, may be next. As CAPAC's chair, I have made it a priority to fight back against these injustices. We have met with Attorney General Loretta Lynch to demand answers to these cases. We have held press conferences, have written letters, and have questioned the FBI and the Department of Justice during congressional hearings. We know we must speak up. In fact, we need only to look at the horrors of what happened to innocent Japanese Americans who were imprisoned during World War II to know what can happen when we remain silent. That is why it is so important for diverse communities to have a voice in our democracy. Today the ability for us to make a difference is enormous, and we in CAPAC are working hard to ensure that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have access to the ballot box through our efforts to restore the Voting Rights Act. Nationally, Asian Pacific Americans have doubled our voter registration numbers over the last decade from 2 million to 4 million people, and, by 2040, we will have doubled even those numbers. We are the sleeping giant. In fact, Asian Pacific Americans have gone from being marginalized to being the margin of victory. As we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May, let us remember not only the many contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, but also the challenges that we must continue to confront in order to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or language ability, can achieve the American Dream. Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Ms. JUDY CHU of California

Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sergeant Louis Van Iersel, a decorated veteran of both World Wars, by offering a bill to designate the U.S. Post Office in the city of Sierra Madre, California, the Louis Van Iersel Post Office. Sergeant Van Iersel was the true embodiment of an American hero. An immigrant from the Netherlands, his acts of heroism began even before he sat foot on American soil. On his voyage to the United States in 1917, he assisted in the rescue of 27 shipwrecked British soldiers torpedoed by a German vessel. On the very day he arrived in the United States, Mr. Van Iersel registered for the draft and enlisted in the Army. He didn't speak a word of English, but he learned while working in the Army kitchen. He was eventually assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division and was deployed to France at the end of World War I. It was in France that Mr. Van Iersel showed extraordinary heroism time and time again. He first gained notice when he and a comrade braved German gunfire to carry 17 soldiers to safety. He was then promoted to sergeant, when he led a small reconnaissance patrol and found enemy trenches. It was there that he was able to use his native language of German to infiltrate them and convince the officer in charge to surrender 60 German soldiers. From there, Mr. Van Iersel increased his efforts to gain information on German troop movements. In one particularly treacherous situation, Mr. Van Iersel braved heavy fire to swim across the icy Seine River. He overheard German soldiers discussing a heavy artillery barrage that would have wiped out the whole American battalion. With this critical information, he swam back across the river and reported his findings, enabling the American troops to take cover before the attack began. Because of his actions, he saved 1,000 American lives. For all his efforts, he was awarded dozen of medals, including two military medals, the French Croix de Guerre and the American Medal of Honor. These are the highest honors that both countries can bestow. At the end of the World War I, Mr. Van Iersel moved to the city of Sierra Madre, California, in my district. He became a citizen, got married, and started a family. But then World War II broke out, and Mr. Van Iersel knew he could not sit idly by. He and his three sons all reported to the Army to enlist and to serve their country. But Mr. Van Iersel was turned away, because the Army told him he was too old to serve. While he would not let this stop him, undeterred, Mr. Van Iersel talked his way into the Marine Corps. He served with the 3rd Marine Division in the Pacific, and safely returned home in 1945. Mr. Van Iersel passed away at the age of 93. But as a longtime resident of Sierra Madre, Mr. Van Iersel exemplified the American Dream, raising his family after he left military service, volunteering with his local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, and remaining an active member of the community. I encourage you to honor his extraordinary legacy and vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4761.