The small hand on the wall clock pointed at 5, time to head for home. But inside the Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, lawmakers continued to attend to the nation’s business.

The spotlight was on U.S. Congressman David Wu, Democrat from Oregon . It was his turn to question U.S. Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on the metrics of America’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan – a timeline, he said, when our government’s attention can fully turn to other domestic and international issues.

Leaning forward to address the general and the ambassador, he later noted it was not a military problem, adding, “I think the uniformed services have done absolutely everything that the civilian authority has asked it to do, and I thank you for that. But I would like to ask both of you gentlemen, what are the metrics of success?”

Much later, on exiting the committee room, Congressman Wu went straight to the coffeemaker. He held a paper cup as top legislative aide Elsa Tung reminded him of a scheduled vote following this interview.

As the nation celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Congressman Wu serves as an inspiring example, not just to the community but to all Americans as well. In 1961, he and his family left Taiwan to join his father in the U.S. , thanks to an executive order by President John F. Kennedy updating unfair immigration quotas. He was six years old.

He went on to study in public schools as a straight-A student. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University in 1977, attended Harvard Medical School , and received a law degree from Yale University in 1982.

Congressman Wu is the first and only Chinese American member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Now in his fifth term, he is running for re-election in Oregon’s first congressional district this November. 

Passion to serve

His love for this great country and his heritage, and a passion for public service are obvious in his work and his words. And despite the lengthy session, he exuded high-wattage energy and poise typical of those who travel the halls of power, made more impressive by his inborn humility.

His interest in public service had its beginnings in history and his parents’ experience. Japan’s invasion of China in the 1930s brought his parents together, and after the war, they decided to take jobs in Taiwan. The eruption of the civil war in China in 1947 disrupted their lives, and they then decided to build a new life in America.

“The 1926 Immigration Act made it much, much harder for people who are not from Europe, to come to America ” the congressman recalled. Because of the quota system, it took his father years to get here, starting in the late 40s. He finally left Taiwan in 1955, when David was four months old. The family was reunited in America six years later.

In the 1960s election, “those of us in Taiwan were all puling for Richard Nixon,” Congressman Wu said, smiling at the irony. “So you can never be sure what things history throws at you.”

He added: “President Kennedy signed an executive order two months after his election, and six months later, because of that, my mother, sisters and I had a chance to go to America. Policy decisions, elections, and politics make a difference. That’s what makes doing this worthwhile and important. This is the best job I’ve ever had, and I am honored to be selected by Oregonians, to wake up every day and help make this world a slightly better place.”  

Priorities

For the congressman, public service is a way of life. To be sure, he is Oregon ’s shining star, serving constituents since 1998. He is also everyone’s champion.

His priorities include improving the nation’s public education system and making college more affordable; encouraging new business investment and supporting high-tech research; improving the nation’s healthcare system and the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and meeting the national obligation to future generations by preserving Social Security and protecting the natural environment.

In the U.S. Congress, Congressman Wu serves on the House Education and Labor Committee. He also serves on the Committee on Science and Technology, which has jurisdiction over research and technology policy and NASA, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. Last year, as a result of his knowledge and interest in international policy, the House leadership asked him to serve on a third committee, the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Congressman Wu also served as chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) in 2001-2004. As current CAPAC Education Taskforce chairman, he recently led a legislative victory in expanding college opportunities for or low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. The bill would establish the Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions grant program. The program provides grants to eligible colleges and universities that serve large numbers of low-income AAPI students to help the schools improve and expand their services, including curriculum development, academic instruction, tutoring and counseling.

Portland Classical Chinese Garden Executive Director Gloria Lee has nothing but praises for Congressman Wu. She said in an email interview: “Years ago, Congressman Wu was traveling with a group of Portland officials in search of opening up an exchange relationship with China. Suzhou was the ancestral home of his family, and when the group visited Suzhou, it received a warm reception.”

In time, the delegation worked to form a sister city organization and launched a friendship project that became “Lan Su Yuan,” Garden of Awakening Orchids, otherwise known as the Portland Classical Chinese Garden.

“In 2000, the Garden opened to visitors worldwide. It inspires and educates locals and tourists. Portland has Congressman Wu to thank for initiating the relationship to build bridges between East and West,” Executive Director Lee said.

Quest for excellence

The congressman is, indeed, living the American Dream. He and his wife Michelle are blessed with two children: Matthew, 10, and Sarah, 8. But the congressman’s parents, K.C. and Helen Wu, said his achievements are a result of their son’s quest for excellence at a young age.

They recalled in an email: “If he wanted to do something, he would spend time and effort to reach his goal without our supervision. When he was in fourth grade, he wanted to play the violin. He practiced until he was satisfied with his skill. Eventually, he became the first violinist in his group.”

They added that in high school, he wanted to play football. “During the summer of his freshman year, he ran two miles from our house to the football field at his school and back. At the football field he ran for two hours. He did this all summer. He became a member of varsity football team during his last three years in high school.”

In his senior year, he was one of three co-captains of the team, and was nominated football scholar. He was a straight A student. He graduated as valedictorian of his class of more than 600 students at Westminster High School . He was also a Merit Scholar that year.

But he never bragged about his academic or athletic achievements, said his parents. “As a child, he was a humble and hardworking person and steadfast for excellence – and he still is.”