Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Established in 1994, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is currently comprised of more than 40 Members of Congress of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent or who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the AAPI community.  AAPIs have become the fastest-growing minority group, with more than 17 million AAPIs now living in the United States.

After serving as CAPAC Chair for an unprecedented 7 years over four Congresses (2004-2011), I was proud to hand over the gavel to my colleague and dear friend, Congresswoman Judy Chu.  It has been an honor to continue serving our community as CAPAC Chair Emeritus, Immigration Taskforce Chair, and Appropriations Taskforce Chair.  To visit CAPAC’s website, please click here.

My Work as CAPAC Immigration Taskforce Chair

Meeting with President Obama

On September 23, 2011, CAPAC held a historic first meeting with President Obama, where I urged the President to support all provisions of the Reuniting Families Act in comprehensive immigration reform.  The President affirmed that family reunification cannot be sacrificed when developing a comprehensive immigration package.

I also asked the President to oppose any effort to expand the E-Verify program due to its detrimental effects on AAPI workers and small business owners.  Nearly 60 percent of all AAPIs are foreign-born, and E-Verify is 30 times more likely to report erroneous Tentative Non-Confirmations for naturalized citizens.  The President shared CAPAC’s concerns about E-Verify in its current form and added that the Administration would not take any major steps forward without consulting CAPAC first.

Meeting with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

On October 12, 2011, CAPAC members met with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano to discuss a number of issues, including family reunification, prosecutorial discretion, DREAM-eligible students, Transportation Security Administration screenings, and issues related to the Territories.  I urged the Secretary to ensure that DREAM-eligible students and other low-priority individuals are not deported, according to the June 17, 2011 Prosecutorial Discretion Memorandum by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton.  The Secretary reiterated her support of the DREAM Act and focusing DHS resources on high-priority deportations.

My Work as CAPAC Chair Emeritus

Meeting with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

On November 16, 2011, CAPAC members met with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and White House Initiative on AAPIs Executive Director Kiran Ahuja to address the educational needs of AAPI students.  As the principal author of the Equity and Excellence Commission in the Department of Education, I reiterated the need for the Secretary to prioritize educational equity within the AAPI community.  I also encouraged the Secretary to expand the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program, which gives grants to institutions to serve underrepresented AAPI students.

Meeting with Comcast and NBC Universal Senior Executives

Starting in January of 2011, we began to see the benefits of the Comcast and NBC Universal memorandum of understanding reach the AAPI community.  I proudly supported Chairwoman Chu in a meeting with senior NBC executives to follow up with several of these commitments, including greater corporate diversity, investments in AAPI programming, and AAPI representatives in the mainstream media.

Summit for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions

On March 16, 2012, I delivered the keynote address at the first-ever Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Western Regional Summit at De Anza College.  Since being established in 2007, the AANAPISI program has made a monumental difference in the lives of AAPI students by providing critical resources for college access and success.  The Summit reminded us of the serious need to address the Model Minority Myth, and to educate the broader community on the significant educational and cultural barriers facing AAPI youth nationwide.  As Appropriations Taskforce Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I will continue to advocate for funding of equitable education for AAPI students, and ensure the AANAPISI program is a chief priority in Congress.

My Work as CAPAC Appropriations Taskforce Chair

Drawing upon my experience as a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I served as this year’s CAPAC Appropriations Taskforce Chair, ensuring that the needs of the AAPI community are included throughout the FY 2013 federal budget and appropriations process.

This year, I advocated for requests that are critical to the well-being of the AAPI community and the welfare of the nation, including:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• The Census Bureau
• Executive Office for Immigration Review
• Preventing hazing in the armed forces
• Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
• Citizenship and Integration Grant Program
• Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• Japanese American Confinement Sites
• Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions
• Department of Health and Human Services Division of Viral Hepatitis
• Housing Counseling Assistance
• Fair Housing Initiatives Program