"I am honored that Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee have selected me to serve on the Appropriations Committee.  I believe my life experiences have prepared me well to serve on the committee.  I came to Congress with more than a decade of experience in local and state government, and more than thirty years service as an educator and administrator.  This experience has shown me how the appropriations priorities set by Congress impact what state and local officials and public servants are able to do for their communities, and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will fight to make sure that we address the needs of states, communities and families. .

"Twelve years of Republican control of the House of Representatives have left our nation with many unmet needs, with working families struggling to make ends meet.  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will work to direct funding to address such fundamental needs as: access to affordable healthcare; worker training; port and border security; adequate law enforcement to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe; health care for our veterans; recovery from natural disasters, particularly Hurricane Katrina, and education, particularly fully funding No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

"I am pleased to bring Silicon Valley representation to the Appropriations Committee.  Silicon Valley is a diverse region, housing one of our nation’s most innovative and powerful economic engines, and it is crucial that the federal government adopt and implement policies to ensure that it continues to grow, such as the Democrats’ Innovation Agenda.

"As Chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, I am also honored to bring an Asian Pacific American voice to the Committee.  APAs are a growing portion of our nation’s population, and they have gone for too long without representation on the committee that sets our nation’s funding priorities."