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WASHINGTON -- Democratic leaders made it clear they were looking for “A New Direction” in 2008 during last month’s town hall meeting in Capitol. Members of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee were joined by the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) to reiterate a commitment to address what they call “misplaced priorities” of the Bush Administration.

"The goal of the town hall is to hear from the AAPI community," said Pelosi.  "We as congressional leaders need to make sure that we have input from all the facets of our diverse nation."

            The meeting fostered a dialogue between Senate Democrats and community leaders, and paid tribute to the community.

            “As the month of May begins, I am proud to recognize Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” said Pelosi. “This year’s theme: ‘Meeting the Challenges for Asian Pacific Americans,’ recognizes the struggles Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) face, and their ability to overcome them to define their place in American history.”

            Pelosi’s office released a list of grievances with the current administration, describing Bush’s FY 2008 budget as “fiscally reckless” and “morally irresponsible.” The document mentions the President’s budget provides $1.5 billion less for after-school programs than was promised in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), 2008 presidential hopeful and a panelist at the event, discussed the issue of college affordability. She said the “deep crisis” was due to the increase of college costs, increase of loans and a decrease in the availability of scholarships and grants. Clinton promised a better mix of need and merit-based scholarships in the coming years. 

            “It takes a country to be committed to the needs of education for our children,” said Clinton. “Finally, we have a Congress that’s listening and we hope to do our best.”

            Rep. David Wu (D-OR) continued Clinton’s thought, and ensured that the Democratic Party would provide more federal assistance to Asian Americans, especially those in the lower income bracket. He said the “model minority” myth about AAPIs can be misleading, and has led some policymakers to focus less attention on AAPI needs and disparities in education.

            “We will take the issue to the House and Senate offices, and we will turn back the myth of those living in the shadow of Asian American achievement,” he said.

            According to the 2000 Census, compared to the national average of 24.4 percent, only 7.5 percent of Hmong, 9.2 percent of Cambodians, 19.4 percent of Vietnamese and 13.8 percent of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, ages 25 or older hold a bachelor’s degree.

AAPI issues

For House Speaker Pelosi, immigration and hate crime issues remained top concerns. In early May, Pelosi helped pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. She also emphasized family values and work ethic in her speech, leading her to speak about immigrants.

            “We are looking for a comprehensive reform bill that will benefit your family, whether you’ve been here for 10 years or 10 days,” Pelosi said. “Asian American immigrants are essential in the innovation of our community. They provide good paying jobs and they recognize the benefit of mobilization.”

The town hall also covered other important AAPI issues, such as housing, economic development, veterans' affairs and civil rights.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) comprise one of the fastest-growing segments of the US population. The diverse interests of our community range from family reunification and due process in our immigration system, full benefits for Filipino veterans, and addressing disparities in health care,” US Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) said.  “This town hall provides a great opportunity for Members of CAPAC and Democratic Leadership to listen to the voices of the AAPI community.”