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By Jennie L. Ilustre
Congressman Ted Lieu credited his historic election as vice chair of the Democratic Caucus in Congress to an acknowledgment by his colleagues of the Asian Pacific Americans’ growing “political power.”
Lieu will assume the No. 2 post when the new Congress starts on January 3 next year.
In a vote among his colleagues in the House of Representatives, the NBC News report by Kimmy Yam added that Lieu defeated Representatives Joyce Beatty of Ohio, Debbie Dingell of Michigan, and Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania.
Asian American leaders said Lieu’s historic feat gave an Asian American a seat at the head of the able. Lieu’s first-ever election also emphasized his outstanding achievements, diversity’s importance and its role in inspiring future generation of leaders.
Madalene Mielke, president and CEO of Asian Pacific Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), told NBC that Asian Americans now have “someone in the room who can help to set legislative priorities” and with it, an important input from an Asian American viewpoint.
“We applaud the caucus in embracing diversity and appointing the first Asian American to the vice chair position,” she said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates, commented in an email interview.
“We hope that this kind of representation in government will encourage future generations of Asian Americans to pursue public service and elected office.” she added.
She stressed Representative Lieu “has always been a champion on issues of equity and access, and we look forward to his continued leadership.”
Asian American Power
Lieu, a Taiwanese American, said his election was “actually more of a recognition by my colleagues of the growing importance of the Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities,” according to the NBC report.
A Pew Research found that the Asian American electorate surged 139% over two decades, the report noted, adding that in the midterm elections last November 8, the Asian American vote “made up the margin of victory in a number of races, including in Nevada, where Asian Americans make up 10% of the electorate and helped swing the 3rd Congressional District blue.”
Politico, a leading newspaper in the nation’s capital, noted this in the last presidential election cycle. It reported that the Asian American and Pacific Islander voters have lately been playing a bigger role in major political races “including in swing states like Georgia, where AAPI voters helped push President Joe Biden and Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to victory in tight contests… “
Congressman Lieu’s star keeps rising. In a related development, he was the speaker at AAPI Victory Alliance’s five-year anniversary on December 5. The organization hosted the Asian American Pacific Islander Policy Convening: “Looking Beyond the Midterms into the Next Legislative Sessions.”
The event brought together legislators, academics, and policymakers to discuss the transition from November election efforts to policy-making and governing into 2023 and beyond.
About Ted Lieu
Looking for a better life and opportunity, Lieu and his family immigrated to the U.S. when he was three years old.
Settling in Cleveland, Ohio, his parents sold gifts and jewelry at flea markets to make ends meet. They were eventually able to operate six gift stores, where he and his younger brother worked as teenagers.
With the support of hard-working parents and a country that provided limitless opportunity, he would go on to attend Stanford for his undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Political Science, and then Georgetown University, where he received his law degree magna cum laude after serving as Editor-in-Chief of the law review. Ted also received four American Jurisprudence Awards.
Recognizing the great opportunities America had given to his family, Lieu wanted to serve his country to preserve the American Dream. He joined the United States Air Force, where he served in the JAG corps.
After serving on active duty for four years, he continued to serve his country and joined the Air Force Reserve before retiring from the Air Force in 2021. He received numerous medals for his outstanding military service, including the Air Force Humanitarian Service Medal and multiple Meritorious Service Medals. He retired with the rank of Colonel in 2021.
Congressman Lieu
Congressman Lieu has represented California’s 33rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since he was first elected in 2014.
In Congress, he has established himself as a leader on the environment; cybersecurity; civil liberties; government ethics and veterans. He is also an outspoken proponent of more effective government oversight.
Following the January 6 insurrection, he co-authored the Article of Impeachment advanced by the House. He subsequently served as an Impeachment Manager for the second Senate impeachment trial of then President Donald Trump.
In addition to government reforms, Congressman Lieu is a champion of measures to reduce the harms of climate change. The first bill he introduced after coming to Congress was the Climate Solutions Act, which aims to make California’s ground-breaking renewable energy goals and climate emissions reduction targets a national model.
In 2019 and again in 2021, he introduced an aggressive version of the legislation in order to tackle society’s most pressing issue. He is also a founder and co-Chair of the California Coastal Caucus, which advocates for issues that impact California’s coastal communities.
As one of only four computer science majors currently serving in Congress, he is frequently sought out for his insight on technology and innovation matters including cybersecurity, cloud computing and innovation as well as the sharing and creative economy.
He has also introduced legislation to prioritize consumer safety in technologically-advanced cars,as well as legislation that would ensure law enforcement and tech companies protect consumer privacy.
Lieu has been a leader in Congress against ethnic and racial profiling, including discrimination against the LGBT community and hate toward the Asian American community.
Before his election to Congress in 2014, he served as a California State Senator from 2011 to 2014, and before that, as a State Assemblyman from 2005 to 2010. His legislative accomplishments included authoring landmark legislation regulating the subprime mortgage industry; a first-in-the-nation ban on gay conversion therapy for children; and a first-in-the-nation ban on the use of tanning beds for minors.
Lieu fought for California state tax reform that saved small businesses from millions in retroactive taxes, and tax incentives for film and TV production. He also co-authored California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act and co-authored the law banning state pension funds from investing in Iran’s nuclear and energy industries.
Lieu started his elected service as a Member of the Torrance City Council in 2002. Prior to serving on the Council, he was a Torrance Environmental Quality Commissioner.
His wife Betty is a member of the Torrance Board of Education and a former California Deputy Attorney General. He and his wife live in Torrance with their two sons, Brennan and Austin.
