House Bill Aims to Restart "China Initiative"

Controversial Trump administration program targeted Chinese academics for possible espionage.

The Department of Justice ended a controversial program nearly two years ago called the China Initiative, which targeted mostly ethnic Chinese academics and their links to China. The program was stopped in 2022 after criticism of racial profiling. Now, a proposed House spending bill wants to bring the initiative back.

More here: House bill aims to restart controversial DOJ program that targeted Chinese academics

So yeah, we're still doing this. The China Initiative, created during the Trump administration, was an effort to investigate and prosecute Chinese espionage in the United States, and targeted academics and scientists of Chinese descent who found themselves under scrutiny for past affiliations with Chinese institutions.

About 90% of the more than 70 cases prosecuted under the initiative involved people who were ethnically Chinese. Just about a quarter were convicted and usually for much lesser charges. In February 2022, the Department of Justice ended the China Initiative, citing in part racial and ethnic bias, though the FBI says it still has more than 2,000 cases related to China. The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment. And now a proposed House spending bill wants to restart the initiative.

In some cases where the Justice Department was unable to find evidence of espionage, officials brought lesser charges, only to drop them -- but not before damage was done to the scientists' reputations and careers. The suspicion extends to national security employees with ties to Asia, who are regarded as potential intelligence threats because they have family members in, say, China or Taiwan.

More here: Asian American Officials Cite Unfair Scrutiny and Lost Jobs in China Spy Tensions

People Are Dying, But This Seems Like a Good Use of Energy

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



House Lawmakers Unveil Resolution Blaming China For The Coronavirus
A bipartisan pair of House lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a resolution that blames China for causing a global pandemic and calls on the Chinese government to publicly declare that COVID-19 began there. Yes, while there are people dying in the midst of health crisis, not to mention a disturbing rise in hate crimes in Asians, pointing fingers seems to be the best use of our time, energy and resources.

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"You fucking Chinese, spreading the coronavirus."
In Brooklyn, an Asian man waiting for the subway was accosted by a stranger who spit on him and threatened him in a coronavirus-related hate crime. According to police, the 26-year-old victim was on the Atlantic Avenue 2/3 platform on Tuesday morning when 19-year-old Nicholas Theodore confronted him, saying "You fucking Chinese, spreading the coronavirus. You people got the virus." He then spit in the victim's face and mimicked having a gun, jamming his hand in his coat pocket and pointing his finger. The victim alerted a nearby police officer and Theodore was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment as a hate crime and menacing.

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Chef Floyd Cardoz, Who Elevated Indian Cuisine, Has Died Of Coronavirus
Floyd Cardoz, an influential chef who married regional Indian cuisine with French and new American flavors, died Wednesday morning of complications from the coronavirus in New Jersey, at age 59.

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Racism in the Time of Coronavirus
On the latest episode of the podcast Long Distance, host Paola Mardo shares her experience with COVID-19 racism. She also talks to me and Devin Cabanilla about the disturbing rise of anti-Asian racism and xenophobia.

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The Claudia Kishi Club
The documentary short The Claudia Kishi Club, directed by Sue Ding, is a love letter to Claudia Kishi, the iconic Asian American character from The Baby-Sitters Club book series. I'm proud to have a small part in the project.

"Honoring the sacrifices they made for our nation is long overdue."

Rep. Grace Meng introduces resolution in Congress to recognize Chinese railroad workers.



New York congresswoman Grace Meng has introduced a resolution in Congress to recognize the almost 12,000 Chinese workers who helped build America's transcontinental railroad during the 19th century.

"In May, we will commemorate 150 years since the end of the railroad's completion, and providing these laborers with the national recognition they deserve would be an outstanding way to commemorate this milestone," Rep. Grace Meng said in a statement. "Honoring the sacrifices they made for our nation is long overdue."

The resolution acknowledges the risks Chinese laborers faced between 1865 and 1869 as they toiled in dangerous conditions on the monumental engineering project, all while dealing with discrimination and unequal pay and treatment.

More here: N.Y. congresswoman introduces resolution honoring Chinese railroad workers

Congressman calls himself "an Asian trapped in a white body"

Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) was speaking to a room full of Asians.



Uh, no. I don't care where you live, what you eat, who your friends are, or who you're married to. It does not give you honorary Asian status, and it definitely does not make you an "Asian trapped in a white body."

That's a quote. That's what Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) told attendees at an event for Asian American and Pacific Islander voters in Washington on Tuesday night. During remarks at the 2019 Celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Members of the 116th Congress, the congressman -- who is white -- told the crowd -- which was largely Asian -- "I'm an Asian trapped in a white body."

The comment was shared in a tweet by National Journal fellow Nicholas Wu, who was in attendance.

TJ Cox declares victory in the last undecided House race

The 116th U.S. Congress will include 20 AAPI members -- the most ever.



More than three weeks after election day, we have a winner.

In California's 21st Congressional District, TJ Cox defeated three-term Republican Rep. David Valadao on Wednesday, giving Democrats a gain of seven House seats in the state and 40 nationwide.

Cox is only one of two Filipino Americans currently elected to the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, in New Jersey's 3rd District, Andy Kim became only the second ever Korean American elected to the House. Their victories, along with Michael San Nicolas' victory for Guam's delegate representative, solidifies a historic number of AAPI members in Congress.

The 116th United States Congress will include 20 AAPI members -- the most ever.

Interior Secretary's response to hearing about Japanese American incarceration: "Konnichiwa"

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa was not amused.



"Konnichiwa." Wow. So you know one fucking Japanese word. Slow clap.

It's one thing -- annoying as shit -- when some fool tries to bust one of these on you in a bar or on the street. (Asian folk, raise your hand if you've been on the receiving end of an unsolicited "konnichiwa" or a "ni hao.") It's wholly inappropriate when it happens during a hearing of the United States Congress.

But that's what happened Thursday during a hearing of the House Committee on Natural Resources. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), who is Japanese American, was pressing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke about re-funding a National Park Service program that offers grants towards the preservation of incarceration sites where Japanese Americans -- including Hanabusa's grandparents -- were held during World War II.

"Are you committed to continue to grant programs that are identified, I believe, as the Japanese American Confinement Sites grants program which were funded in 2017? Will we see them funded again in 2018?" Hanabusa asked.

Zinke's response: "Oh, konnichiwa."

I imagine Rep. Hanabusa had to summon every molecule of her being to suppress an eye roll.

Congressman compares holding town halls to getting yelled at by "Orientals"

"You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do..."



An Illinois congressman recently remarked that holding town halls is not "productive." Which is fine, if you don't want to the kind of politician who connects with your constituents on that level. But then he proceeded to compare town halls to the practice of "cleansing" by "Orientals," to which we must respond: what the fuck?

GOP Rep Says Holding Town Halls Is Like Being Yelled At In A Ritual By 'Orientals'

Republican Rep. Mike Bost was referring to town hall gatherings occurring across the country, in which Republican members of Congress have met with raucous crowds expressing concerns about Donald Trump's policies. You could say things have gotten kind of loud. Bost says the town halls are "out of control."

"You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where you'd put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them? That's not what we need," Bost said last week in a meeting editorial board of The Southern. "The amount of time that I have at home is minimal, I need to make sure that it's productive."

Bost hosted a tele-town hall instead of an in-person one. Basically, he didn't want to get yelled at.

Filipino veterans to be awarded Congressional Gold Medal

President Obama signs the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act.



On Thursday, President Obama signed the "Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act," awarding a Congressional Gold Medal, our nation's highest civilian honor, to the thousands of Filipino veterans who fought for the United States during World War II.

S. 1555, sponsored by Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Tulsi Gabbard, honors more than 260,000 Filipino and Filipino American soldiers who fought under U.S. command during the second world war. The bill unanimously passed in both chambers of Congress earlier this year.

"The Filipino veterans of World War II overcame many challenges in their fight for compensation, family reunification, and verification of wartime service," Senator Hirono said in a statement, calling the medal a long overdue but fitting tribute. "By signing our bill into law, President Obama recognized these veterans' courage and perseverance, both during the war and in the decades of battles for benefits that followed."

Congress passes bill to honor Filipino World War II veterans

House passes the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act.



On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S.1555, the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, recognizing Filipino veterans who fought for the United States during World War II with a Congressional Gold Medal, our nation's highest civilian honor.

S.1555, sponsored by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), honors more than 260,000 Filipino and Filipino American soldiers who fought under U.s. command during the second world war. The Senate passed this bill unanimously over the summer, and it will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.

Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, applauded the passage of the bill and called the recognition of Filipino veterans "long overdue."

"During World War II, more than 200,000 Filipino soldiers served bravely alongside American forces and played a critical role in ultimately helping the United States to achieve victory in the Pacific," Chu said. "We in CAPAC have made it a top priority to ensure that these Filipino World War II veterans receive the benefits and recognition that they deserve, and the passage of today's bill is a tremendous victory for our veterans and the broader Filipino American community."

Watch Judy Chu and a squad of AAPIs reppin' at the DNC

Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus take the stage in support of Hillary Clinton.



On Wednesday, if you were watching the proceedings at the Democratic National Convention, you may have seen a squad of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders take the stage, repping the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and talking about their support for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of CAPAC, recalled that there was a time, not too long ago, that seeing an Asian face in the U.S. Capitol was a rare sight. But there are now a record number of API members of Congress.

"We have gone from being marginalized to becoming the margin of victory in key swing states and districts all across our nation," Chu said. "America needs a president who will fight for us. Someone who rejects the hateful rhetoric too often used to divide us and believes that America's diversity is our greatest strength. That is why we've got to elect Hillary Clinton as our next President of the United States."

Chu highlighted how CAPAC's membership includes Rep. Doris Matsui and Rep. Mike Honda, who both spent part of their childhoods incarcerated in internment camps as Japanese Americans -- a dark chapter of our country's history that Donald Trump doesn't seem to have any problem with. The congresswoman also paid tribute to the late congressman Mark Takai, who died last week after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai dies at 49

First-term Congressman passed away on Wednesday after battling pancreatic cancer.



Sad news. U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, a first-term Congressman from Hawaii's first district, died Wednesday morning in Honolulu, nine months after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 49.

Mark Takai, Congressman from Hawaii, Dies at 49

Born and raised in Oahu, Takai was a lieutenant colonel in the Hawaii Army National Guard and veteran of the Iraq War. At the age of 27, he was elected to the Hawaii State Legislature, where he served for twenty years before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014.

Last fall, Takai confirmed that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and underwent surgery to remove a tumor in his pancreas, followed by chemotherapy. In February, he announced that he would seek re-election, but later announced that he would not run for a second term after learning the cancer had spread.

"Right now, for the sake of my family, I need to focus on getting better rather than getting re-elected," Takai said in a statement at the time. "Although I will not be running for re-election, I intend to serve out the remainder of my term in Congress. There is still much work that I am determined to see through for Hawaii and our nation over the next few months."

A statement from his office said Takai passed away at his home, surrounded by his family.

Congressional candidate wants to 'Make America White Again'

Rick Tyler is running for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District.



At least you know where he's coming from. In Tennessee, a congressional candidate has put his own spin on Donald Trump's inane campaign slogan with a billboard that calls to "Make America White Again."

'Make America White Again': A politician's billboard ignites uproar

Rick Tyler, an independent candidate in the race for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district, put up the billboard off Highway 411 in Polk County, prompting a wave a criticism. It has since been taken down.

Tyler claims he has no hatred in his heart for "people of color," and believes that American should go back to a "1960s, Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver time when there were no break-ins; no violent crime; no mass immigration." So he's citing fictional TV programs while yearning for an era that never actually existed.

In a Facebook post, Tyler elaborates, explaining that "It was an America where doors were left unlocked, violent crime was a mere fraction of today's rate of occurrence, there were no car jackings, home invasions, Islamic Mosques or radical Jihadist sleeper cells." He actually calls it "Norman Rockwell America."

Hasan Minhaj rips Congress to shreds over gun control

"Is this what you want your legacy to be?"



While Democrats were in the middle of a marathon filibuster on the Senate floor over gun control legislation on Wednesday, comedian Hasan Minhaj was unleashing his own impassioned call to action before a room full of congress people and pundits at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner.

After delivering the usual barrage of jokes about the likes of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Fox News, the The Daily Show correspondent devoted the last few minutes of his speech to address Sunday's shooting massacre that killed 49 people at a popular gay nightclub in Orlando, ferociously calling out the complicity and inaction of the "do-nothing Congress" -- and all of us, really -- that led to this horrific moment.

Watch as Hasan Minhaj destroys the room with truth and hilarity -- and damn, looks good while doing it:

Obama signs bill removing "Oriental" from federal laws

Rep. Grace Meng's bill eliminating outdated term for Asian Americans from U.S. code.



As of last week, the words "Oriental" and "Negro" will no longer be part of federal law.

On Friday, President Obama signed a bill eliminating the outdated racial descriptors after the legislation passed unanimously in the House and Senate. Yes, they were still on the books. Yes, this was a long time coming.

Obama Signs Bill Removing 'Oriental' and 'Negro' From Federal Laws

H.R.4238, sponsored by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), aimed to "modernize" two references to "Orientals" and "Negros" in the U.S. Code governing public health, social welfare and civil rights, dating back to the 1970s. The words will be replaced with "Asian Americans" and "African Americans," respectively.

Rep. Meng introduced the bill in December, and it passed the House easily in February. It reached the president's desk last week after the Senate unanimously approved it on Monday.

Rep. Mark Takai will not seek re-election due to cancer

Hawaii Congressman was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year.



U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has announced that he will not seek a second term in Congress due to health problems.

Takai, who represents Hawaii's 1st district, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. He had planned to fight the cancer while running for re-election, but recently learned the disease had spread.

US Rep. Mark Takai will not seek re-election due to cancer

"Right now, for the sake of my family, I need to focus on getting better rather than getting re-elected," Takai said in a statement Thursday. "Although I will not be running for re-election, I intend to serve out the remainder of my term in Congress. There is still much work that I am determined to see through for Hawaii and our nation over the next few months."

Mark Takano: Courage is Choosing Compassion Over Fear

"What takes wisdom is recognizing that history is now repeating itself."



Many of us are still fairly angry about Roanoke mayor David Bowers' remarks calling for the refusal of assistance for Syrian refugees, citing the incarceration of Japanese American during World War II as model policy and historical precedent. Bowers is a moron who gets his facts dangerously wrong.

Of course, the hammer fell swift and hard, with Bowers getting blasted from all sides. Voices from across the Asian American community, from George Takei to Mike Honda, have spoken out about Mayor Bowers' remarks.

In remarks on the House floor last week, Rep. Mark Takano (D-California) also addressed Bowers' comments and urged fellow lawmakers not to give into fear regarding the resettlement of Syrian refugees, sharing about his own family's experience of forced relocation after the bombing of Pearl Harbor:

Is the government racially profiling Chinese American scientists?

Sherry Chen and Xiaoxing Xi were both falsely accused of espionage.



This week, congressional leaders held a press conference calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the recent cases against Chinese American scientists who were wrongfully suspected of economic espionage.

Backed by California Democrats, Chinese American scientists arrested on espionage charges demand answers

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), and Rep. Michael Honda (CA-17) were joined by Sherry Chen, a U.S. citizen and employee of the National Weather Service in Ohio, as well as Dr. Xiaoxing Xi, a U.S. citizen and Interim Chair of the Physics Department at Temple University.

Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen is running for Congress

35-year-old underdog candidate officially announces bid for California 46th District.



Bao Nguyen, the underdog activist and organizer who surprised pretty much everybody when he was elected mayor of Garden Grove, California last year, has announced that he is running for U.S. Congress.

Garden Grove mayor Bao Nguyen to announce bid for Congress

On Tuesday afternoon, Nguyen officially announced his candidacy to represent California's 46th district, which includes Santa Ana, Anaheim, and parts of Garden Grove and Orange.

He joins a crowded race to replace Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who is stepping down to run for U.S. Senate. The field already includes former state Senators Lou Correa and Joe Dunn and Anaheim Councilman Jordan Brandman, all vying for the top two spots in next June's primary election.

Nguyen, 35, made the announcement amongst a small gathering of supporters in Santa Ana:

Is the government racially profiling Asian Americans?

Members of Congress call on Attorney General to investigate Sherry Chen espionage case.



Members of Congress, joined by APA community leaders, are calling the U.S. Attorney General to investigate and determine whether race and national origin were factors in unfounded espionage-related charges brought against Sherry Chen, a Chinese American hydrologist with the National Weather Service.

Members of Congress Ask for Review of Dropped Espionage Case

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch is being asked investigate not only if race was a factor in Mrs. Chen's arrest, but also to determine whether race, national origin, religion or gender are being used by federal agencies in targeting federal employees for arrest, surveillance or other actions.

In October 2014, Chen was publicly arrested at her workplace and charged with four felony charges, largely built on the suspicion that she had been working on behalf of the Chinese government to threaten U.S. infrastructure. But less than one week before trial, the government dismissed all charges against Mrs. Chen.

A letter to Attorney General Lynch, signed by twenty-two members of Congress, expresses concern that Chen's case is indicative of a broader campaign of racial profiling against Asian Americans. It certainly isn't the first time this has happened. Sherry Chen is just the latest example.

Tammy Duckworth announces bid for U.S. Senate

Congresswoman will challenge incumbent GOP Senator Mark Kirk.



In a YouTube video posted Monday morning, Illinois Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth officially announced that she is running for the United States Senate against incumbent GOP Senator Mark Kirk.

Tammy Duckworth launches Illinois Senate bid

"I'm running for the United States Senate in 2016 because it's time for Washington to be held accountable and put Illinois' families and communities first," Duckworth says in the two-minute video, which highlights her humble upbringing and her personal background as a wife, a mother and a combat veteran.

"If you elect me as Illinois' senator I will fight my heart out to represent you with honor and integrity."

Here's the announcement: