Hoyer Remarks at 2015 Congressional Symposium for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) delivered the following remarks today at the 2015 Congressional Symposium for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, hosted by the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus:

“I am so very pleased to be here with all of you and Richard [Liu] and certainly [Representative] Judy Chu and [Representative] Mike Honda, who do such an extraordinary job in leading your [Congressional Asian Pacific American] Caucus and in making sure that all of us understand the issues of great importance to all Americans but particularly to Asian Pacific Americans and to make us sensitive to their concerns. I don’t know whether or not Congresswoman [Madeleine] Bordallo is here, but I want to thank her as well, [Representative] Mark Takano, [and] Professor [Taeku] Lee in the back room. He is ready to come on and probably thinking: Hoyer, don’t speak too long because I have really something good to say.

“I’m excited to be here with all of you to pay tribute to Asian American heritage and history and to celebrate the innumerable ways in which Asian-Pacific American communities have helped shape our country. We’re also here, of course, to celebrate CAPAC, a caucus that has been making a real difference in Congress for over twenty years. It may seem like just yesterday that the Caucus was founded, but it was twenty years ago, and it continues to grow in influence and effect. A witness to that is the size of this conference that you’re having, Judy and Mike. It’s terrific. I want to thank Chairwoman Judy Chu for her continued leadership and her efforts to ensure that CAPAC is playing a central role in the most important debates of our day.

“I meet periodically as the Whip with the chairs of all the caucuses, because, while we have individual issues, we also have collective issues. And, very frankly, something that affects one of us positively, likely affects all of us positively, and the contrary is true as well.  Something that affects an individual negatively, may well, in fact, affect the rest of us negatively, and we need to be sensitive to one another’s concerns.

“CAPAC’s role within the Democratic Caucus cannot be overstated. It is critical, it is important, and it is what continues to be a voice of conscience and a reminder of our responsibility to fight on behalf of those who came to this country to seek the American Dream, as my father did from Denmark.

“Throughout Asian Pacific [American] Heritage Month, we honor those who never lost sight of that dream or lost faith in our country to make that dream attainable for all willing to work hard. Even when our country shamefully discriminated against Chinese immigrants in the nineteenth century, those who came here still did everything they could to help build our economy and connect the two coasts of our continent. And when America went to war and disgracefully interned [Japanese Americans] in a prejudiced, simplistic, negative, contrary-to-our-Constitution way, as if they were the enemy, their sons and daughters volunteered – perhaps your fathers or grandfathers – volunteered to fight on the front line and serve as nurses and pilots and other roles.

“Today, communities across the country are combating bigotry and discrimination by promoting tolerance, respect, and understanding. Too frequently, however, we find that those attributes are not present. And, as Judy was mentioning in respect to [Jimmy] Kimmel and others, we need to be constantly on guard and not be silent, either in a small group or when we see it portrayed on television, we need to speak up, and we need to act out. CAPAC is doing that on a national level, and I’m proud to serve alongside its Members as we work together to fight for justice, human rights, equal opportunity, and a better future for all Americans.

“Judy and Mike, I look forward to continuing to work with you and my colleagues from CAPAC to fix our broken immigration system and keep families from being torn apart. And we will keep pushing for legislation that restores the Voting Rights Act so that every American, no matter what language they speak, how they worship, or the color of their skin, can register to vote and cast a ballot to have an equal voice in our democracy.

“As we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, let us continue to work together to make America better.”