Press Releases
Washington, D.C. – Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) observed the second annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Day Against Bullying and Hate. This date coincides with the birthday of Vincent Chin, whose brutal murder in 1982 sparked national outrage and led to the pan-ethnic AAPI movement that exists today. Today, in the midst of anti-Asian attacks related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the day is more pertinent than ever. CAPAC Members released the following statements:
CAPAC Leadership
The House of Representatives today passed H.R 6800, the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion bill to support businesses, families, and state and local governments as the coronavirus crisis continues. Under the Heroes Act, State and local governments would receive billions to help maintain payrolls and make up for lost revenue due to stay-at-home orders. Small businesses would see additional relief under an expanded Paycheck Protection Program that will last to December 31st, 2020, and is more targeted to underserved communities.
WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders of color are warning that the COVID-19 pandemic risks disproportionately undercounting historically underserved communities. In the letter to Census Bureau Director Dr. Steven Dillingham, the Tri-Caucus Chairs and Native American Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Deb Haaland are requesting immediate action and answers to their questions about census operations impacted by COVID-19, but also critical to a complete count in 2020.
Washington, D.C. – Today marks the beginning of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which commemorates the history, contributions, and achievements of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community throughout the month of May. The observance originally began as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week,” which was established through a joint Congressional resolution in 1978, and was later designated as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month” in section 102 of title 36, United States Code.
WASHINGTON— Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House Democrats appointed to serve on the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, including Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Executive Member and Freshman Representative Andy Kim (NJ-03). CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) issued the following statement:
Washington, D.C. – Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statements to mark the month of Ramadan, which begins tonight at sunset. Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar for Muslims, who spend their days fasting from sunrise to sunset, giving charity, and engaging in worship and reflection.
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair:
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, President Trump issued an executive order restricting immigration to the United States for 60 days. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued the following statement:
Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statements to celebrate Vaisakhi, a historical and religious festival in Sikhism that marks the start of the spring harvest in Punjab and the birth of the global Sikh community.
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair:
Washington, D.C. – On Friday, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) sent a letter to the White House urging the Trump administration to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) Americans, including millions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, have access to federal programs, materials, and resources pertaining to COVID-19. So far, materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been translated into Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Washington, D.C. – Today is Census Day, the day used by the U.S. Census Bureau as a reference point for the 2020 Census to determine who is counted and where they are counted. Census Day is not a deadline, and households can continue to respond to the 2020 Census until August 14th. In order to ensure that 2020 Census operations do not contribute to the spread of COVID-19, the Census Bureau recently announced that it is taking necessary actions to delay in-person census outreach.