Mike Honda

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise today in remembrance of Vincent Chin on the twenty-fifth anniversary of his attack. On June 19, 1982, Vincent Chin, a Chinese American, was brutally and fatally attacked by two white men who had recently been laid-off by an American automaker. Blaming their lost jobs on the rise of Japanese car companies, Chin's attackers, mistaking him for Japanese, sought retribution. Other than residing in Detroit, Michigan, Vincent Chin had no connection to the automobile industry. Vincent Chin, soon to be married and celebrating his bachelor party, wasn't seeking trouble the night of his attack. Chin was attacked and killed simply for being of Asian descent. To add further insult, Chin's murderers charged with, and pleaded guilty to, a mere manslaughter charge. For murdering a man, each received a sentence of only three years probation and a $3,000 fine--a mere slap on the wrist. Neither killer ever served any jail time. The attack on Vincent Chin, his untimely passing, and the insulting lack of justice and punishment for his murders galvanized a community that had not previously come together so broadly. For the first time, there emerged a self-defined Asian American and Pacific Islander racial identification that went beyond the progressive college-educated youth and into the working-class segments of the community. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino; waiters, lawyers, and grandmothers came together with a heightened awareness of the shared experience of racism and discrimination faced by Asian American and Pacific Islanders, regardless of ethnic and socioeconomic background. Twenty-five years after his fatal attack, Vincent Chin remains a contemporary martyr and rallying point for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Movement. While today is indeed a day to remember and honor the life and death of Vincent Chin, it is also a reminder that hate crimes are not a memory in a regrettable past. Unfortunately, the past twenty-five years remain littered with physical and verbal assaults and murders based in hate. Listed here are a few such acts: January 29, 1996, Thien Minh Ly, shot and killed in Tustin, California. October 15, 1998, Kanu Patel and Mukesh Patek, shot and killed in Camp Springs, Maryland. August 10, 1999, Joseph Ileto, shot and killed in Chatsworth, California. September 15, 2001, Balbir Singh Sohdi, shot and killed in Mesa, Arizona. September 15, 2001, Waqar Hasan and Vasudev Patel, shot and killed near Dallas, Texas. July 30, 2006, Iqbal Singh, stabbed in Santa Clara, CA, My home district. October 21, 2006, Robert Stanford, Song Sun Lee and Kam Yan Li, shot and killed in San Francisco, CA. March 16, 2007, Marie Martinez, beaten on an MTA bus in New York City. Madam Speaker, this small sampling from across this nation shows us that hate crimes remains an issue to be heard and combated by all Members of Congress and all Americans. I applaud my colleagues in the House of Representatives for recently passing the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, H.R. 1592; recognizing the pervasive and contemporary nature of hate crimes in this nation. The death of Vincent Chin and the injuries and death suffered by the countless other victims of hate crimes serve as a heavy reminder for this nation to combat hate and continue in its quest for freedom and justice for all Americans.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable person, Ruth Onita Spake, who has dedicated her career and life to public service as Chief Financial Officer for the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency. She is retiring from the County of Santa Clara on July 20, 2007 after thirty-seven years of exemplary work. Ruth Onita Spake was born on April 3, 1945 in Tallahassee, Florida. Academic excellence was a priority for her; she received an Associates Degree from Napa Junior College and obtained her Bachelors Degree and a Standardized Secondary Teachers Credential from the University of California, Davis. Before joining the Social Services Agency, she worked as a substitute teacher and as a cost account clerk for an international newspaper. Ruth's career with Santa Clara County began in 1970 as a Food Stamp Eligibility Worker, where she interviewed applicants on an individual basis to help determine their eligibility to receive county resources. She quickly rose through the ranks and became a Supervisor in just four years. Soon after that, she was appointed as the Program Coordinator, responsible for organizing and directing the entire food stamp program. After receiving a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of California, Riverside, Ruth continued to contribute to Santa Clara County. In 1980, she joined the County Executive's Office of Management and Budget where she stayed for five years. However, she could not resist the call to work towards improving the welfare of Santa Clara residents. By 1985, she had returned to the Social Services Agency to manage the agency's budget. Ruth progressed quickly through the agency, and her efforts were admired by all those who had the pleasure of working with her. By the early 1990's, Ruth was managing the $500 million dollar budget of Social Services in conjunction with Central Services and Information Systems. Her role as the Chief Financial Officer afforded her the opportunity to initiate modernization for the agency. She planned and implemented a multi-building renovation project for the agency, revamping the physical infrastructure to supply superior services for the residents. In addition, Ruth co-chaired the California Welfare Directors and California Department of Social Services Task Force, an association that significantly refurbished the statewide county reimbursement process. This development benefited not only the inhabitants of Santa Clara County but also positively affected those of all fifty-eight counties in California. Ruth's main interest is her desire to travel. Being of French descent, she is strongly attracted to the French culture and can be classified as a true Francophile. After her retirement, she will undoubtedly dedicate her time to exploring foreign countries and expressing her love for anything French. Ruth's outstanding achievements at the Social Services Agency were numerous, and their impact on Santa Clara County is immeasurable. Her ability to understand and employ the funding behind the provisions of public social services is astonishing. Where others might have merely done what was required of them, Ruth has gone above and beyond what her job description entailed to provide the Social Services Agency with more. efficient methods of serving the residents of Santa Clara County. I offer my congratulations to Ruth Onita Spake on her thirty-seven distinguished years of exceptional service to the Santa Clara community. Her dedication and sacrifice is the very definition of public service, and her tireless efforts to build and sustain the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency will forever be appreciated and remembered by all.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the contributions and well-deserved retirement of Ms. Alette Lundeberg. Alette has served the County of Santa Clara for 23 years, and has worked tirelessly for decades as an advocate for poor and indigent peoples, founding numerous programs for the underserved population in the community. Alette has been a leading figure on welfare and refugee issues at the local, state, and national levels. Alette Lundeberg began demonstrating her leadership ability through teaching in the 1970s as an instructor at San Jose State University and De Anza College in Cupertino. She taught a graduate-level social science course focusing on public service. In addition to teaching, Alette worked as the Community School Director for the Sunnyvale Elementary School District, where she established city-wide community education programs for women. From 1977 to 1979, Alette worked in the County Executive's Office of Santa Clara as an Associate Management Analyst. She investigated and mediated complaints of discrimination, analyzed legislation, and prepared funding proposals. In the 1980s, Alette started working with the Social Services Agency's Refugee program. She was responsible for the $16 million dollar annual budget and managed 130 staff members while collaborating with local counties and states on legislation issues. In the late 1990s, Alette was appointed as Administrator of Benefit Services for the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency. She has been responsible for the Agency's Employment Support Initiative, which has been the planning arena for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, a welfare program that assists California families through services and cash aid. Aside from working as the Administrator of Benefit Services, Alette has also been a Board Member for numerous local community groups including the San Jose Development Corporation, Planned Parenthood of Santa Clara County, and Asian Americans for Community Involvement. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor this wonderful role model and mentor: Alette was my teacher on women's issues. Alette has spent countless years enriching the community through her leadership and dedication. Alette Lundeberg's work has been inspirational to many in the community and I offer her my best wishes for her much deserved retirement and thank her once again for her work serving the people of Santa Clara County.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, June 5, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for a rollcall vote on that day. Had I been present I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall 426 for passage of H. Res. 397, condemning violence in Estonia and attacks on Estonia's embassies in 2007, and expressing solidarity with the Government and the people of Estonia.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, May 22, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for six rollcall votes on that day. Had I been present I would have voted: ``no'' on rollcall 390 on agreeing to the Price of Georgia amendment No. 9; ``no'' on rollcall 391 on agreeing to the Doolittle of California amendment No. 19; ``no'' on rollcall 392 on agreeing to the Hensarling of Texas amendment No. 30; ``no'' on rollcall 393 on agreeing to the Neugebauer of Texas amendment; ``yea'' on rollcall 394 on agreeing to the Neugebauer of Texas amendment No. 4; ``no'' on rollcall 395 on motion to recommit with instructions for H.R. 1427.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 30, 2007, Vietnamese Americans across the nation observed the 32nd anniversary of the fall of Saigon to North Vietnam, marking the end of the Vietnam war. There are now more than 1.12 million Vietnamese Americans living in the United States. They overcame many hardships to rebuild their lives, created thriving communities, contributed to the diversity and well- being of our country and worked towards their American dreams. They have not forgotten that their former compatriots, family members, and friends in Vietnam are still being denied the basic freedoms that America has fought so hard for. Vietnamese Americans of different generations are actively working with their counterparts in Vietnam to create a more open, democratic society that is free of oppression and religious persecution. The United States, in good faith, granted Vietnam permanent normal trade relations with the assurances that Vietnam was and will continue to improve its human rights records. Vietnam expressed its desire to create stronger, bilateral relations with the United States. However, despite these assurances, Vietnam has significantly increased the level of its detention, harassment, and oppression of political activists in the past several months since its accession into the World Trade Organization. They have blatantly disregarded their own claims that they will be actively engaged in promoting and protecting human rights with the United Nations Human Rights Council. On May 2, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 243, calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. The resolution further urges the Government of Vietnam to comply with internationally recognized standards for basic freedom and human rights and adhere to the rule of law. In voting in favor of House Resolution 243, my thoughts were with Father Nguyen Van Ly, a well-known peaceful political dissident, who was shown in an alarming video being physically silenced by Vietnamese guards at his anti-propaganda trial. The literal image of free speech being smothered has been broadcasted to the world and the United States cannot stand quietly by. The list of those dissidents being harassed, threatened, and detained continues to grow as Vietnam attempts to quiet political dissidents prior to their general elections this May. I urge the Department of State to adopt the re-designation of Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concern for its continued oppression of religious freedom, as recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. It is my hope that the Vietnamese government will consider how their actions are viewed by the world, and that they immediately cease their detention and harassment of peaceful, democratic activists.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call upon our good friend from California, Congressman Xavier Becerra.

Mr. HONDA. Mahalo. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Asian American Pacific Islander community and to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, commonly known as CAPAC, I feel privileged to be here tonight to speak of the Asian and Pacific Islander American history and accomplishments. And before I continue, I would also like to recognize you, Mr. Speaker, for presiding over this Special Order and also knowing that you too have worked with other Asian American leaders in your home State, specifically Senator Stan Matsunaga. For that we are grateful. Additionally, I will be highlighting those isues affecting our community and the priorities for CAPAC. The history of APA Heritage Month: In celebrating APA Heritage Month, I want to give thanks to the late Representative Frank Horton from New York and my good friend Secretary Norman Mineta, along with Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Masayuki Matsunaga, that May is now designated as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The first 10 days of May coincide with two important anniversaries: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, to the U.S. and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. In 1992 Congress passed public law No. 102-450, the law that officially designated May of each year as ``Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.'' The first AAPI settlement in this country dates back to 1763, when Filipinos escaped imprisonment aboard Spanish galleons and established a community near New Orleans. The AAPI community quickly expanding. Currently, there are approximately 14.6 million AAPIs living in the United States, comprising just over 5 percent of the total U.S. population. By the year 2050, there will be an estimated 33.4 million individuals living in the United States who identify as Asian alone, representing a 213 percent increase from 2000, comprising 8 percent of the total U.S. population. My home State of California has both the largest AAPI population, 4.9 million, and the largest numerical increase of AAPIs since 2000. There are some needs. Mr. Speaker, this year's theme for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, ``Meeting the Challenges for Asian Pacific Americans,'' reflects hardships overcome by the AAPI community while highlighting the hope we maintain as we contribute to the prosperity of this great Nation. As our community expands, we must also continue to educate our fellow citizens about the uniqueness of our experiences. The AAPI community is often misperceived as monolithic. Our community is extremely diverse in our languages, ethnicities, culture, and challenges. Aggregating such a large and diverse group makes it difficult to understand the unique problems faced by the individual ethnicities and subgroups, such as the Southeast Asian Americans, who are refugees that fled their home countries during the late 1970s and the early 1980s. As a country, we need to better address the needs of the AAPI community when we discuss comprehensive immigration reform, education, health issues, and veterans' affairs. Comprehensive immigration reform: Mr. Speaker, our Nation was founded by immigrants who valued freedom and liberty, who sought to be free from persecution and from tyranny. Families fled their home countries to seek refuge in this great Nation because they too believed in ``liberty, justice, and freedom for all.'' It is in this spirit that CAPAC supports immigration legislation that shifts the debate from an exclusionary, anti-immigrant, enforcement-only approach to one that confronts the social and economic realities behind immigration; honors the dignity of all families and communities; and recognizes the economic, social, and cultural contributions of immigrants to our great country. Today, AAPIs constitute a growing and vibrant piece of the American fabric. In 2005 close to 9 million of this Nation's foreign born were born in Asia, constituting approximately one quarter of the foreign- born population and over one half of the total AAPI population. Even with a relatively high naturalization rate, there are approximately 1.5 million Asian undocumented immigrants living, working, or studying in the U.S., representing 14 percent of the undocumented immigrants in the United States. These include victims of immigration fraud, who have become undocumented due to no fault of their own. Many work and study hard, pay taxes, and yet live in fear with no hope of gaining a path to legal permanent resident status. Let's give these workers and these students an opportunity. In addition to an earned pathway to citizenship, family reunification is a high priority in the AAPI community. Immigration reform must espouse the family values that are so fundamental to our national ideals. Family members provide care for the sick, for their children, and for their elderly. Family members are crucial for small businesses and educational opportunities. Close to 2 million AAPIs wait years, sometimes even decades, in order to reunite with their families in the United States. AAPI families who seek to be reunited with their family members overseas have not seen their dreams come true because of our dysfunctional immigration system. We need comprehensive immigration reform to address these backlogs. And education: In addition to immigration reform, expanding educational access for all Americans is also a high priority for CAPAC. Mr. Speaker, as Americans, we need to ensure that our children receive a quality education by providing adequate teacher training, funds for after-school and extra-curricular activities, and ensuring that college is affordable for every student who desires to receive a higher education. According to the U.S. Census, 41 percent of Asians age 25 and over have a bachelor's degree or higher level of education. However, when the data is disaggregated for AAPI subgroups, we find that the ``model minority'' stereotype is, in fact, a myth. According to the 2000 Census, only 9.1 percent of Cambodian Americans, 7.4 percent of Hmong Americans, 7.6 percent of Lao Americans, 19.5 percent of Vietnamese Americans, and 16.5 percent of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who are 25 years and older have a bachelor's degree or higher degrees. These numbers show that we must do a better job of disaggregating the data and information about our communities to assess the needs of those hardworking Americans who still falter behind. To address the disparities between subgroups of the larger AAPI community, we need Congress to pass the Asian American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions bill, which my colleague from Oregon, Representative David Wu, has introduced in January. This legislation will provide Federal grants to colleges and universities that have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent AAPI and at least 50 percent of its degree-seeking students receive financial assistance. As a caucus, we will work to increase the availability of loan assistance, scholarships, and programs to allow AAPI students to attend a higher education institution; to ensure full funding for teachers and bilingual education programs under the No Child Left Behind law to support English language learners; and to support full funding of minority outreach programs for access to higher education such as the TRIO programs to expand services to serve AAPI students. In health, Mr. Speaker, a common misperception of AAPIs is that as a group, we face fewer health problems than other racial and ethnic groups. But, in fact, AAPI as a group, and specific populations within this group, do experience disparities in health and health care. For example, AAPIs have the highest hepatitis B rates of any racial group in the United States. This week, health advocates from around the country will be participating in a National Awareness Campaign to bring attention to and educate their communities about prevention of hepatitis B through testing and vaccination. In the United States, 12 million people have been infected at some time in their lives with the hepatitis B virus, and more than 5,000 Americans die from hepatitis B related liver complications each year. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders account for more than half of the chronic hepatitis B cases and half of the deaths resulting from chronic hepatitis B infections in the United States. In order to break the silence surrounding this deadly disease and bring awareness to the American people, Congressman Edolphus Towns, Congressman Charlie Dent and I have introduced H.R. 366, which supports the goals and ideals of National Hepatitis B Awareness Week. I hope my colleagues will join me in educating our communities about the dangers of this disease. AAPIs are also five times more likely to develop cervical and liver cancer than any other ethnic and racial group. Furthermore, according to the Census Bureau, 18 percent of AAPIs went without insurance for the entire year in 2000. This means that the uninsured are not only more likely to go without health care for serious medical conditions, they are also more likely to go without routine care, less likely to have a regular source of care, less likely to use preventive services, and have viewer visits per year. At the same time, without appropriate language translation services or properly translated materials, limited English proficient immigrants cannot receive adequate care as well as State and Federal benefits for which they may be eligible. In the AAPI community, 76 percent of Hmong Americans, 61 percent of Vietnamese Americans, 62 percent of Korean Americans and 39 percent of Tongans speak limited English. Therefore, eliminating health care disparities in the AAPI community must include data collection, linguistically appropriate and culturally competent services and access to health insurance. CAPAC has been working with both the Congressional Hispanic and Black Caucuses on the Health Care Equity and Accountability Act to eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities for all of our communities. The act would expand the health care safety net, diversify the health care workforce, combat diseases that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities, emphasize prevention and behavioral health, and promote the collection and dissemination of data and enhance medical research. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to extend my gratitude to the patriotic men and women serving our country in the military, including the 62,378 AAPIs who are on active duty in the military, and the 7,904 AAPIs who are currently deployed in the global war on terrorism. I also commend and thank the 446,000 AAPI veterans who have fought for our country. I would like to highlight and honor the Filipino veterans who have not been compensated or recognized for their service, which I believe is a national disservice to these brave veterans. As a country, it is our duty to ensure these veterans have equal access to all of the benefits and treatment that other veterans receive. We believe that our troops should be taken care of when we send them into battle and that they should be given the respect when they return home. Therefore, CAPAC endorses H.R. 760, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act introduced by Representative Bob Filner, who chairs the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. CAPAC thanks Representaive Filner for his leadership on this issue. H.R. 760 would do justice by providing the full benefits promised to all Filipino veterans who fought in World War II under the command of the U.S. military. The Filipino Veterans Equity Act would eliminate the disparities and benefits between some Filipino veterans and restore the honor and dignity they so deserve. With Congressman Filner as the Chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, we have a great chance to get this bill to the floor. There are many firsts among the AAPIs. I am proud of our community's accomplishments, and I would like to recognize many of the AAPIs first in areas of art, film, sports, science, academia and politics, but also emphasize that they should not be the last. In 1847, Yung Wing, a Chinese American, graduated from Yale University and became the first AAPI to graduate from an American university. In 1863, William Ah Hang, a Chinese American, became the first AAPI to enlist in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. In 1922, Anna May Wong, in her lead role in ``The Toll of the Sea,'' at the age of 17 became the first AAPI female to become a movie star, achieving stardom at a time when prejudice against the Chinese in the United States was rampant. In 1944, An Wang, a Chinese American who invented the magnetic core memory, revolutionized computing and served as a standard method for memory retrieval and storage. And today we have iPods that are smaller than a deck of cards that can hold up to four gigabytes of information, all coming from this 1944 invention by An Wang. During World War II, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army, comprised mostly of Japanese Americans, became the most highly decorated unit of its size in the history of the U.S. Army, including 22 Medal of Honor recipients, Senator Daniel Inouye being one of them. In 1946, Wing F. Ong, a Chinese American of Arizona, became the first AAPI to be elected to State office. In 1947, Wataru ``Wat'' Misaka became the first ethnic minority and the first AAPI to play in the National Basketball Association for the New York Knicks. How about that? In 1948, two Californian divers, Dr. Samuel Lee, a Korean American, and Victoria Manalo Draves, a Filipina American, became the first AAPIs to win Olympic gold medals for the U.S. In 1956, Dalip Singh Saud, an Indian American, became the very fist AAPI to be elected to the U.S. Congress. In 1959, Hiram Leong Fong, a Chinese American, became the first AAPI to be elected as a United States Senator and is the only AAPI to actively seek the Presidential nomination of a major party. In 1965, Patsy Takemoto Mink, a Japanese American, becames the first AAPI woman and woman of color elected to the United States Congress. In 1971, Judge Herbert Choy, late Ninth Circuit Court judge, became the first AAPI to sit on the Federal bench. In 1985, Haing Ngor, a Cambodian American survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, became the first AAPI to win an Academy Award for his role in ``The Killing Fields'' movie. In 1985, Ellison Onizuka, grandson of a Japanese immigrant, became the first AAPI astronaut to reach outer space, and in 1986 died in the space shuttle explosion of the Challenger. In 2000, Secretary Norman Mineta was confirmed as Secretary of Commerce under President Clinton and became the very first AAPI to hold a cabinet post; then continued his service to America as Secretary of Transportation under President Bush. In 2001, Secretary Elaine Chao was confirmed as Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush, becoming the first AAPI female to hold a cabinet position. Mr. Speaker, the Asian and Pacific Islander American community continues to fight for our civil rights as Americans. Even after the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, we as a community did not grow embittered or cowed by discrimination; instead, we progressed and moved forward. I am a proud member of the AAPI community, and I am proud to be one because we continue to serve as positive contributors to our many communities by investing in education, business and cultural opportunities for all Americans. In closing, this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month we take pride in our history, accomplishments and the promise of our future as we continue to pave the way for a better tomorrow and a better America.

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call upon my colleague, Ms. Bordallo, who hails from Guam.

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks, and include extraneous material on the subject of my special order.

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call upon our good friend, colleague from Texas, Representative Al Green.

Mr. HONDA. Just to comment about both Congressmen Al Green and Xavier Becerra, they too are also members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Hispanic Caucus, and so they serve dual roles in their leadership. And I think CAPAC, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, enjoys the leadership, experience and the insights of these two gentlemen, and it makes our caucus stronger and partners with the other caucuses. And it's no wonder that they come to Congress on behalf of the community because the communities there trust these two men and they trust their leadership and their insights and their conscience. So to both I say, thank you. I'd like to call upon a Congresswoman who hails from the Aloha State who, I think, is probably the re-incarnation of the spirit of Patsy Mink, Mazie Hirono.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I know that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have faced a long history of hate crimes, from the 1880 lynching of Chinese in Denver's Chinatown, to the brutal killing of Vincent Chin in 1982, to post-September 11 violence against Arabs, Sikhs, and Muslims, including the murder of Balbir Sigh Sodhi, and more recently, the killing of Cha Vang, a Hmong individual, in Wisconsin just this year. Hate crimes are under-reported and under-prosecuted. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act provides the resources necessary for all levels of government to investigate and prosecute hate crimes based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. Hate crimes are unique in that they are motivated by hostility toward an entire community, and are oftentimes rooted in a wider public sentiment of discrimination, xenophobia, and intolerance. The passage of this Act is a step in the right direction in promoting tolerance in our intgrated society.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor San Jose State University on the occasion of its founding 150 years ago. For a century and a half, San Jose State has provided affordable, quality education. From its humble beginnings as a normal school to train teachers, San Jose State has grown into a comprehensive university, offering bachelor's and master's degrees in 134 programs. The University reflects the ethnic diversity of California and particularly, that of Santa Clara County with no single ethnic group comprising a majority of the student population. As a graduate of San Jose State, I am particularly proud to note that the University ranks tenth among the Nation's top public universities in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to minority students across all disciplines. Additionally, San Jose State University has conferred bachelor's degrees in business management and the health professions to more Asian American and Pacific Islanders than any other college or university in the Nation. I would like to thank my colleagues Representative Zoe Lofgren, Representative Anna Eshoo, Representative Sam Farr and Representative Jerry McNerney for joining me today in recognizing San Jose State University's sesquicentennial.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Chairman Baird for the support of my amendment, and the Science Committee staff for their assistance in putting this amendment together. I would also like to thank the chairman and ranking member for their excellent work on the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2007. I strongly support the work of the National Science Foundation, and as a cosponsor of this legislation, I urge my colleagues to support this passage. Some years ago, I was a high school science teacher, and I clearly remember my students stopping me during one of my favorite lessons to ask the timeless question, why do I need to know this? Science is difficult. Global warming is hard to understand also. Some people are asking, why do I need to know this? Hundreds of years ago, Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton made remarkable discoveries about gravity and the behavior of falling objects, but to this day, most people couldn't explain the law of gravity or what determines the speed of a falling object if they had to. Most of the time people can go on with their lives, their everyday lives, without understanding scientific concepts, suffering no ill effects. You don't need to understand gravity to keep from falling. You don't need to understand your lungs in order to breathe. But global warming presents a new kind of a problem. The understanding of global warming will play a significant role in our ability to actually address the problem. And, we don't have much time. Global warming will cause significant impacts, including shifting weather patterns, drought, rising sea levels, and disrupted wildlife migration patterns. Nearly every point on the globe is getting warmer, and the debate is no longer if, but when, these changes will occur. These threats are the most natural consequences of a worldwide overreliance on fossil fuels and destructive, wasteful use of resources. We have lived on the earth, but we have not yet learned to live with the earth. But we can't just give in to the fear and the sense of helplessness. We can turn the tide of global warming if we have the knowledge. That is why we need to know this. My amendment will allow the National Science Foundation to support the creation of K-12 science curriculum, informal education materials, exhibits, and multi-media relevant to global warming, climate science, and greenhouse reduction strategies. The education provided by this amendment will help people of all ages and backgrounds to make choices in their daily lives and in their communities to stop global warming. They will learn about the complex interrelationships between natural cycles and human activity. They will understand how their own actions and their own informed choices can heal the earth. This amendment by itself is, however, not the answer. A comprehensive and sustainable energy and environmental policy will require the expanded use of green energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal. We will also need to continue to find ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, from industry, and energy production. We need to increase the efficiency of energy use and transmissions, especially in buildings. We need to change much more than just our light bulbs. But people need to know why we need these things, and this amendment provides for that. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. Amendment Offered by Mr. Sullivan to Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Honda

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 272, a resolution offered by my fellow Californian Representative Barbara Lee to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the elimination of the transatlantic slave trade. I commend my colleague for introducing the resolution and I am proud to be a co-sponsor. As Chair and Founder of the Congressional Ethiopian American Caucus, I am particularly interested in the history of the African Diaspora. My experience has taught me that the history of the Diaspora is as complex and divergent as the communities themselves. Our challenge is to educate ourselves about the Diaspora and to understand how African Americans embrace and explore their heritage. To tell the story of African immigration to the United States, we have a moral and cultural obligation to acknowledge the transatlantic slave trade. Today, the House is recognizing an important milestone in world history by considering H. Res. 272, Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. On March 25, 1807, the transatlantic slave trade was abolished by the British Parliament, and the United States Government followed suit a year later. The transatlantic slave trade was the largest forced migration in the world history, and it accounted for nearly 12,000,000 people transported in bondage from their African homelands to the Americas. On this day, we pay our respects to those who died as a result of slavery, including through exposure to the horrors of the Middle Passage and in resistance to enslavement. As the resolution notes, the slave trade and its legacy continue to have a profound impact on social and economic disparity, racism and discrimination, and continue to affect people of African descent today. As a Nation we must move beyond telling the story about this crime against humanity, to empowering current and future generations to take action against the political and economic structures that impede our social progress. I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop policies that will repair the damage that resulted from the devastating practice of transatlantic slave trade, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution commemorating its abolition.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Equal Pay Day. Issues of equity and fairness are integral to the strength of our democracy. Pay equity, and its effect on every person in the U.S., is a vital issue and it is unconscionable that in the 21st century, the vast majority of women are still not paid fairly for their work. I look forward to the day when every person, regardless of their gender, race or ethnicity, is receiving equal pay for equal work. According to the Census, women are paid, on average, 77 cents per one dollar earned by a man. Racial and ethnic disparities exacerbate this difference with African American women making 66 cents, Latinas making 55 cents and Asian American women making 80 cents. A recent study by the American Association of University Women reveals that the income gap between men and women widens dramatically following graduation from college, growing from a 20 percent difference immediately following graduation to a 31 percent difference ten years later. This gap persisted despite controls for numbers of hours worked, parenthood, and occupation choice. I am a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will improve the remedies available to victims of wage discrimination based on sex. Passage of this legislation will be one of many societal changes we have seen over the past one hundred years of women's struggle for equality in America, but there remains much to be done. The current income gap continues to stand in the way of true equality and as a Nation we must work to close the gap faster than the current, abysmally slow, 1.5 cents per year. There are rays of sunshine to be seen on the horizon, but we cannot consider this particular battle won. I look forward to continuing the struggle for equality with my colleagues in Congress during the 110th Congress.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1230, the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act of 2007. I would also like to thank the Governor of Puerto Rico, Anibal Acevedo Vila, for his leadership in developing the concepts and ideals embodied by this legislation. H.R. 1230 allows for the voice of the Puerto Rican people to be heard through a democratic and unbiased political process. This bill affords the people of Puerto Rico one of the most fundamental human rights, self-determination. Affording the people the opportunity to decide their own future and government is fundamental to the history of the United States. As representatives of American Government, we are responsible to uphold the ideals and virtues of democracy, freedom, and choice. As such, the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are entitled to a democratic process of self-determination defined by the well considered decision of the Puerto Rican people. The process outlined by H.R. 1230 respects the right of the people of Puerto Rico to elect delegates to a constitutional convention that will draft and submit a proposal outlining the desired self-determination option. This proposal would then be approved by the people and then sent on for congressional approval. H.R. 1230 does not bias the decision of the people by imposing unsupported definitions and skewing the debate in the direction of any option; nor does it attempt to exclude others. This bill recognizes the right of the people of Puerto Rico to hold open and democratic debate on the topic of political status and affiliation with the United States. Congress should offer their input and response only after the Puerto Rican people have reached their own consensus on a self-determination proposal. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in this House not support any process that is imposed on Puerto Rico and its people by the Federal Government. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1230 and provide the Puerto Rican people the path to decide their future. The Commonwealth deserves, and is entitled to, true self-determination.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, April 24th, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for two rollcall votes. Had I been present I would have voted: ``yea'' on rollcall 248 for passage of H. Res. 327, providing for consideration of H.R. 362 to authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics and science teachers, and for other purposes; ``yea'' on rollcall 249 for passage of H. Res. 318, providing for consideration of H.R. 363 to authorize appropriations for basic research and research infrastructure in science and engineering, and for support of graduate fellowships, and for other purposes.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in enthusiastic support of H.R. 362, the 10 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act, and H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Act. The National Academies' report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' found that the United States ``must prepare with great urgency to preserve its strategic and economic security.'' To do this, we must compete by optimizing our knowledge-based resources, particularly in science and technology, and by sustaining the most fertile environment for new and revitalized industries and the well-paying jobs they bring. As a Representative from Silicon Valley, I am keenly aware of how innovation is a driving force behind our Nation's economy. There is one thread that runs through both bills that I particularly support, something I call teaching innovation. H.R. 363 authorizes the NSF to support research on the process of innovation and the teaching of inventiveness, while H.R. 362 enables the development and dissemination curriculum tools for teaching inventiveness and innovation. These provisions are derived from H.R. 1492, the Innovations for our Nation's Vital Educational Needs for Technology (INVENT) Act. From talking to Silicon Valley CEOs, I have learned that, in especially innovative high-tech companies, the cutting-edge work has really been driven by a few highly innovative scientists and engineers who tend to have many patents, while other employees have only a few. To maximize our Nation's knowledge-based resources, I believe we need to figure out how these people do it and teach others those skills. I am grateful to Chairman Gordon and also to the former chairman, Sherry Boehlert, with whom I worked on this during the 109th Congress.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1361, the Relief for Entrepreneurs: Coordination of Objectives and Values for Effective Recovery (RECOVER) Act of 2007. This bill makes crucial improvements to the Small Business Administration's disaster relief programs. It will help provide greater access to, and more effective distribution of, loans and grants to those affected individuals in the aftermath of natural disasters. One of the many lessons learned from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina is that the Federal Government must be better prepared to assist all the people of this Nation in times of greatest need. In legislating to improve disaster relief programs, Congress must keep in mind the multifaceted nature of any solution and strive to create equitable access for all affected communities. While this bill takes great strides in making funds available to individuals affected by natural disasters, more must be done to ensure access for the segments of the population that may not be reached through standard means, including limited English proficient communities. Among the communities severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina were the Vietnamese American and Cambodian American shrimpers of the Gulf Coast. For many, their livelihoods were destroyed as their boats were left damaged and not seaworthy. These losses were compounded by the inaccessibility of government aid as many of these shrimpers are limited English proficient and were unable to learn of government programs that could have helped them. Unfortunately, the Federal Government fell short of servicing the needs of this segment of the American population. Mr. Chairman, it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure equitable access to Federal disaster relief programs for all Americans. We do not know where the next disaster will strike, but we will be better prepared if we acknowledge that different communities have different needs; access to information in the appropriate language is vital. Congress must do its part. The RECOVER Act certainly adds necessary amendments to the Small Business Act, but I stress to my colleagues in the House, we cannot stop there. To ensure equitable access to all affected individuals and communities, Congress and the Small Business Administration must take the extra steps to ensure that information, outreach, and loan and grant disbursement are made available to communities that are difficult to serve. I trust that this House will continue to ensure proper preparation and full and equitable access to relief programs for affected individuals and communities in the next natural disaster to affect this Nation.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce the legislation I am introducing, the Global Warming Education Act. Scientific concepts, whether simple or complex, can take a significant amount of time to become widely known and understood. Hundreds of years ago, Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton made remarkable discoveries about gravity and the behavior of falling objects, but to this day, most people cannot explain the Law of Gravity, what determines the speed of a falling object, or why an astronaut in orbit appears to be weightless. Many adults have difficulty explaining the cause of the seasons, the phases of the Moon, or the composition of the atmosphere. People can go on with their everyday lives without most scientific knowledge, suffering no ill effects. You don't need to understand gravity for things to keep falling. You don't need to understand how your lungs work in order to breathe. Global warming, however, presents a new kind of problem. The widespread understanding of global warming will play a significant role in our ability to actually address the problem. If we do nothing, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise, and global warming will continue. We don't have much time. It is well established that global warming may cause significant negative impacts, including drought, rising sea levels, retreating glaciers, changes to wildlife migration patterns, and increased storm strength. These threats are real. They are the natural consequences of a worldwide over-reliance on fossil fuels, an insatiable appetite for energy, and inefficient use of resources. There are things that people can do, right now, to help fight global warming. People need to be armed with the knowledge that will help them in this fight. I believe that by expanding knowledge, we can maximize the impact of carbon-reducing measures. My new legislation, the Global Warming Education Act, will create a Global Warming Education Program in the National Science Foundation, to broaden the understanding of human-induced global warming, possible long and short-term consequences, and potential solutions. This program will provide formal and informal learning opportunities to people of all ages, including those of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The program will provide actionable information to enhance the implementation of new technologies, programs, and incentives related to energy conservation, renewable energy, and greenhouse gas reduction. Maximum understanding will ensure maximum impact. The activities in the Global Warming Education Program will include a public information campaign to help people understand global warming, and grants for innovative projects to expand climate science education. These grants can be used to develop new climate science education materials including print, electronic, and audiovisual materials. With the increased knowledge provided by this act, people will be able to make choices in their lives and in their communities to fight global warming. People will learn about home improvements, tax incentives, and other measures that can benefit the environment. They will learn about alternative energy sources and new technologies. They will learn about transportation and consumer choices that can also benefit their pocketbooks. They will learn how their own actions and their own informed choices can make a difference. The Global Warming Education Act is one part of the solution to global warming. In addition to improvements in climate science education, this Congress will need to pass measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, promote clean, renewable energy, and increase energy efficiency. I thank the cosponsors of this bill for their support, and I urge the rest of my colleagues in the House to support the Global Warming Education Act.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, in any endeavor, one must set achievable goals and benchmarks. As a teacher, I found that it was critical to provide guidance to students whose reports were not proceeding on schedule. President Bush definitely needs some help in his work in Iraq. His initial research was terribly flawed and cut corners in disturbing ways. He ignored the advice of learned experts in his stubborn pursuit of a flawed hypothesis. When he brainstormed an outline for pursuing the war, he never planned for how it would end. His incoherent strategy in Iraq rambles on and on without any movement towards a successful conclusion. I personally would have failed this student long ago. The question we face today, however, is on whether we should set a strategy for redeploying our troops out of Iraq or continue giving the President a blank check to continue an open-ended war in Iraq. I voted against the war and I want our troops out now. Now that Democrats have been voted in as the majority in the House and Senate, we have responsibilities to our constituents to exercise constitutional and congressional oversight in Iraq. To fulfill that responsibility, I stand in support of the Iraq Accountability Act, which would establish a definite date to end this awful war.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in shock and disappointment at recent news from Japan, where it was reported that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has denied the historical fact that the Japanese Imperial Army forced as many as 200,000 women into sex slavery during the Second World War, and publicly stated that Japan will not issue an apology, even if a resolution is passed in the United States House of Representatives. On February 15, a hearing on this issue was held by the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of this House's Committee on Foreign Affairs. This was truly a historic occasion, because it brought three survivors of the Comfort Women horrors to Washington to tell their very real, very personal stories. Not only did that hearing give us an opportunity to reflect on one of the darker episodes of human history, it provided us with a chance to make history by bringing that darkness and forgotten tragedy to light and justice. Those three women, now advanced in years--Jan Ruff O'Herne, Yong Soo Lee, and Koon Ja Kim--traveled thousands of miles to bring their stories to us, stories which were for many decades kept only in their hearts for reasons best understood only by those who had to endure what these women--and some 200,000 others throughout Asia--had to endure. Some might ask: Why, more than 60 years after the end of the Second World War, are we discussing the ordeals of the so-called Comfort Women? Shouldn't this be considered a mere footnote to history? Aren't there more important or more pressing issues at hand in the early years of the 21st century? Those who ask such questions fail to comprehend the lasting relevance of the experience of these women during the war, and of the continuing, obstinate failure, in the face of overwhelming evidence and international scrutiny, of the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge, apologize and accept unequivocal responsibility for their suffering and torture. The recent news from Tokyo and Prime Minister Abe's inexplicable denial adds greater resonance to our exploration of this topic. One Japanese Diet Member said, with no apparent irony, that the Comfort Women brothels were no different than a buffet lunchroom. Nariaki Nakayama said bluntly: ``Some say it is useful to compare the brothels to college cafeterias run by private companies, who recruit their own staff, procure foodstuffs and set prices.'' Madam Speaker, without objection, I wish to insert into the Congressional Record an article on this issue that appeared in the New York Times on Thursday, March 1, reporting Prime Minister Abe's remarks. Abe Rejects Japan's Files on War Sex (By Norimitsu Onishi) Tokyo, March 1.--Prime Minister Shinzo Abe denied Thursday that Japan's military had forced foreign women into sexual slavery during World War II, contradicting the Japanese government's longtime official position. Mr. Abe's statement was the clearest so far that the government was preparing to reject a 1993 government statement that acknowledged the military's role in setting up brothels and forcing, either directly or indirectly, women into sexual slavery. That declaration also offered an apology to the women, euphemistically called ``comfort women.'' ``There is no evidence to prove there was coercion, nothing to support it,'' Mr. Abe told reporters. ``So, in respect to this declaration, you have to keep in mind that things have changed greatly.'' The United States House of Representatives has begun debating a resolution that would call on Tokyo to ``apologize for and acknowledge'' the military's role in wartime sex slavery. But at the same time, in keeping with a recent trend to revise Japan's wartime history, a group of conservatives in the governing Liberal Democratic Party is stepping up calls to rescind the 1993 declaration. Mr. Abe, whose approval ratings have been plummeting over a series of scandals and perceived weak leadership, seemed to side with this group. A nationalist who has led efforts to revise wartime history, Mr. Abe softened his tone after becoming prime minister last fall. In fact, he first said he recognized the validity of the declaration, angering his conservative base. ``Some say it is useful to compare the brothels to college cafeterias run by private companies, who recruit their own staff, procure foodstuffs and set prices,'' Nariaki Nakayama, the leader of 120 lawmakers who want to revise the declaration, said Thursday. ``Where there's demand, business crops up,'' Mr. Nakayama said, according to The Associated Press. ``But to say women were forced by the Japanese military into service is off the mark. This issue must be reconsidered, based on truth, for the sake of Japanese honor.'' Historians believe some 200,000 women--Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipinos, as well as Japanese, Dutch and other European women--served in Japanese military brothels. For decades, Japan denied that its military had been involved, calling the brothels private enterprises and the women prostitutes. But in 1992, a Japanese historian, Yoshiaki Yoshimi, outraged by government denials, went to the Self-Defense Agency's library and unearthed, after two days of searching, documents revealing military involvement in establishing brothels. One was titled ``Regarding the Recruitment of Women for Military Brothels.'' Faced with this evidence, the government acknowledged its role and issued the declaration. But the response angered people across the political spectrum. The women and their supporters said that the government was not fully acknowledging its responsibility because the declaration was issued by Yohei Kono, then chief cabinet secretary, and not adopted by Parliament. It is known inside Japan simply as the ``Kono Statement.'' What is more, supporters accused the government of evading direct responsibility by establishing a private, nongovernment fund to compensate the women. Many former sex slaves have refused to accept compensation from this fund. But conservatives said the declaration went too far in acknowledging the military's role in recruiting the women. While the documents showed that the military established the facilities, Mr. Yoshimi did not find documentation that the military had forcibly recruited the women. Conservatives have seized on this distinction to attack the declaration. Supporters of the women say that the Japanese authorities famously burned incriminating documents or kept them hidden. At the same time, many former sex slaves have stepped forward in recent years with their stories. Three testified in the United States Congress recently, saying that Japanese soldiers had kidnapped them and forced them to have sex with dozens of soldiers a day. Given this recent news report, Madam Speaker, it becomes even clearer that the experience of the Comfort Women is not just an episode that belongs on the backburner of history. Instead, it is a vivid reminder that the human rights of women around the world are never fully secure. We know that rape, sexual abuse and sometimes murder of women and girls in war are still committed by armies and paramilitary forces in various countries. One thinks of Darfur, of Bosnia, of East Timor. I am sure that Members of this House and those listening to these proceedings can think of other examples. Denial of the unimaginable atrocities committed by Imperial Japan's Armed Forces against the Comfort Women during World War II should not be tolerated. Neither are they to be forgotten nor swept under the rug by those who hope the subject will go away simply because the victims are growing old and will soon be gone. The fact that some political leaders in modern Japan hold onto the view that the Comfort Women issue is a ``historic fabrication'' is, in a word, appalling. The Japan Times also recently interviewed Yasuji Kaneko, an 87 year old former foot soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He stated that he ``still remembers the screams of the countless women he raped in China as a foot soldier . . . They cried out, but it didn't matter to us whether the women lived or died . . . We were the Emperor's soldiers. Whether in military brothels or in the villages, we raped without reluctance.'' His statement was no historical fabrication. It is our moral imperative to act and act courageously on this issue. I am a strong proponent of encouraging our friend and ally, the Government of Japan, to set the record straight on the Comfort Women tragedy and educate its future generations properly about what occurred. In doing so, Japan will take an important step in our collective aim to eliminate violence against women in war by making it unambiguously unacceptable. It is unacceptable to view rape as merely endemic to war, or an incidental adjunct to armed conflict. Rape is a unique weapon focused on non-combatants and intended to instill terror in its victims and to demonstrate the power of the perpetrators. It is a truly uncivilized act, and defending Imperial Japan's widespread use of rape during its Asian conquests is beneath modern, democratic Japan's better values and aspirations. Madam Speaker, on January 31, along with six of our colleagues, I introduced House Resolution 121, which addresses the issue of protecting the human rights of the Comfort Women. The denial by Prime Minister Abe of Japan that Comfort Women were forced into sexual slavery is unacceptable and stands to underscore why passage of H. Res. 121 is important. It is my hope that we will be able to have a full vote by the House of Representatives sooner rather than later. I would also like to thank the Comfort Women survivors--Jan Ruff O'Herne, Yong-Soo Lee, and Koon-Ja Kim--for journeying so far last month to testify on behalf of their 200,000 sisters who suffered under Imperial Japan. Their courage and the dignity with which they have lived their lives deserve our admiration and utmost respect.