When the 112th U.S. Congress opened last month, two new Asian American lawmakers took their seats in the House of Representatives. They are U.S. Representatives Hansen Clarke (D, Michigan, District 13) and Colleen Hanabusa (D, Hawaii, 01).

Clarke is the first Bangladeshi American to serve in the U.S. Congress. A fine artist and a lawyer, he has two decades of experience serving the state of Michigan as a legislator.

U.S. Rep. Mike Honda (D, CA), who ends his second term as Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair this month, congratulated both lawmakers. “It’s becoming a common occurrence for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to make congressional history with each cycle,” he commented.

Honda said, “Colleen Hanabusa is a national trailblazer in her own right, as she is the first woman to preside over either chamber of the Hawai‘i State Legislature, and the first Asian American or Pacific Islander woman in the nation to preside over a state legislative body.”

Honda also thanked those who lost in the November 2 elections. He expressed gratitude to U.S. Representatives Joseph Anh Cao (R, New Orleans) and Charles Djou for their service as executive board members of CAPAC.

“It has been a particular honor to serve in Congress alongside Representative Cao, the first Vietnamese American member of Congress,” he said. “His story has inspired new generations of Vietnamese American community leaders to make their voices heard in government.”

Honda handily won re-election in California. AAA-Fund, a political action committee based in the nation’s capital, also reported U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono (D, HI) sailed effortlessly to victory. Also in Hawaii, Senator Daniel Inouye was re-elected to his ninth term. Inouye, a World War II veteran, was declared the winner with 76 percent of the vote. In California, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu won a second term, and U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra was re-elected, as well as U.S. Rep. David Wu (D-OR).

Local legislators also scored victories, with State Delegates Kumar Barve, Susan Lee and Kris Valderrama all victorious in their re-election bids. Indian American winners Sam Arora (District 19) and Aruna Miller (District 15) join them as new state delegates.