May 9, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2315 the child is at home, the parent cer- fying the top gangs that are a threat to CONGRESSIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC tainly is able to search the child. So kids and the Homeland Security of the CAUCUS country and to take them down; a that ought to be the case at school as The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. ING- Health Information Technology Pro- well. And it is important because of the LIS of South Carolina). Under the day and time that we live in. Our chil- motion Act to accelerate high tech- Speaker’s announced policy of January nology, health information technology dren are subjected to risks that you 4, 2005, the gentleman from California to make sure that your medical record, and I never dreamed about, and so it is (Mr. HONDA) is recognized for 60 min- when appropriately available, is appro- imperative that adults that are on the utes as the designee of the minority priate to every doctor that you see and scene, the teachers in the classroom, leader. administrators in the school, be trust- is in a survivable form in case there is a fire or other catastrophe. And, last, a Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would ed to make the right decisions in these like to recognize the gentleman from areas and not be exposed to liability, 401–Kids Tax Deferred Savings Account Texas, Congressman AL GREEN. not have to think in the back of their to have more guaranteed access of chil- dren, not just in the suburbs, but also Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speak- mind, if I do that, will I get sued. er, I rise to celebrate the contributions That’s just foolishness, and it threat- in cities and in rural communities into the middle class with tax deferred sav- of the Asian Pacific Islander American ens our children. community and to celebrate Asian Pa- So I am proud once again that you ings from the day a child is born. cific American Heritage Month. brought that forward. I yield to my colleague from Georgia I also want to take this opportunity Mr. KIRK. What we want is to give a to wrap up. to thank and commend my good friend message to the country’s teachers that Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank you so much for yielding and for your leader- from California, Congressman HONDA, when it comes to an issue of the safety ship on this issue. I want to also thank for his strong leadership as Chair of the and security of kids in the classroom, once again our leadership, the Speaker Congressional Asian Pacific American do not hesitate. Do not worry about and majority leader, majority whip, Caucus. some impending lawsuit. Make sure conference Chair, for allowing us to Mr. Speaker, for over 200 years, Asian that your classroom is secure. We are share with the House and with the Americans have played a pivotal role going to trust your judgement as a cer- American people tonight this exciting, in the development of our great Na- tified teacher, as a full-time employee commonsense suburban agenda. And tion. When it was time to build the of the school, to make that call and to it’s not just for the suburban area, but transcontinental railroad, they were make sure the classroom is secure. the problems and challenges that we When you look at all of this, we there. Chinese immigrants were paid have in suburban America oftentimes know that the House has long been a $28 a month to do the very dangerous precede those that we see elsewhere. forum for issues on rural issues, and work of blasting and laying ties over And so it is so very important that we those are very important issues. We treacherous terrain. It was their labor move this forward, the commonsense under harsh working conditions, for have also been a forum for issues on suburban agenda. urban communities, and those are vital meager wages, that helped in the devel- As I mentioned before, folks in our opment and progress of our Nation. to the future of the country. districts are concerned about all the But there is a reality in the 21st cen- When our Nation was drawn into war, big issues, the huge issues, the war on they were there. From World War II tury and it is that Americans, a major- terror, the crisis of illegal immigra- ity of them, live in suburbs. Suburban through the current wars in Iraq and tion; but they are also concerned about Afghanistan, Asian Americans have families face a number of critical prob- the issues of school safety. They are lems. There are drug gangs moving been on the front lines in our battle to also concerned about the issues of defend and protect our Nation. There into suburbs that are seeking to take making certain that their children are on suburban law enforcement commu- are 32 Asian American Medal of Honor safe when they go on the Internet. recipients, and thousands of others who nities that do not have the experience They are also concerned about the im- of big-city departments. have served and continue to coura- portance of having private personal geously serve our Nation. There are thousands of online preda- medical records and the ease of being tors who are trying to contact our kids When hundreds of thousands of peo- able to take them from one doctor to ple were evacuated from Louisiana and using powerful engines like another. They are terribly concerned Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, MySpace.com. about making certain that we preserve they were there. The Asian American We are watching as green and open our Nation’s open space and green community in my home city of Hous- space disappear in the suburbs. And space. And they are concerned about ton joined all Americans around the millions of Americans worry that it the ability that they have to assist country in welcoming Katrina evacuees may be tougher for their children to their children in succeeding, whether it and assisting the relief efforts. In enter the middle class than it was for be through starting a business or pro- Houston, the Asian American commu- us. viding a college education for them. Suburban families are under attack, So I commend the gentleman from Il- nity raised more than $200,000 for the and they need a voice in the Congress; linois so highly for his leadership on Katrina Relief Fund and took in over and that is why this agenda is coming this issue. He has been a champion for 15,000 displaced Americans. forward. the entire length of time, short time, And the contributions of this com- These are critical issues in my dis- that I have been in the United States munity will continue far into the fu- trict of Libertyville, Illinois. They rep- Congress. It is a privilege to stand with ture. Tomorrow, when it is time to resent commonsense, practical, grass- you this evening, and I look forward to cure the diseases of the future, they roots solutions coming from the com- shepherding with you these issues will be there. There are more than munities to the Congress in a way that through the United States House and 105,000 Asian American doctors in the we welcome Republicans and Demo- Congress. United States. crats coming together to move this Mr. KIRK. I thank the gentleman. Tomorrow, when new worlds are to be agenda forward. Tomorrow, then, five dozen Members of explored, they will be there. There are We will be outlining all of this in de- Congress come together to unveil the thousands of Asian Americans working tail tomorrow: a School Safety Acquir- suburban agenda, many of these pieces in the space program. ing Faculty Excellence Act, which of legislation already with bipartisan And tomorrow, when it is time to helps us screen and make sure that ev- support, and it represents common- elect the leaders that will guide our eryone coming into contact with kids sense solutions addressing real issues great Nation, they will be there, in is safe and appropriate; a Delete On- before the country, important issues Congress, on the Supreme Court, and Line Predators Act to make sure that for all families, and it represents a as President. If our country is to live these powerful search engines are not critical agenda of key items of legisla- up to its promises in the Declaration of put in the service of online predators; a tion addressing problems before Amer- Independence and the Constitution, Gang Elimination Act, making the ican families that can be done in this every ethnic group will have one of its commonsense step forward of identi- session of Congress. own to serve as President. VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:19 May 10, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00135 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K09MY7.092 H09MYPT1 jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with HOUSE H2316 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 9, 2006 This is why we must protect the vot- Additionally, the United States Cen- the health and education challenges ing rights of Asian Americans and oth- sus reports 1.1 million businesses are that confront them in our great Na- ers to vote under the Voting Rights owned by Asian Pacific Americans; tion. Act. We must win this battle now, so 312,700 military veterans have contrib- My commendation to all Asian Pa- that the 14 million Asian Americans, uted in protecting our democracy and cific community groups, especially together with all Americans, can have our democratic ideals around the those in my district, that have worked the equitable input that they justly de- world.