My Caucuses

On Friday, May 13, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, introduced legislation to curb mental health stigma in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. H.R.5234, the Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act, instruct the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide outreach and education strategies for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community by partnering with local advocacy and behavioral health organizations that have an established record of serving AAPIs. These strategies will increase awareness of symptoms of mental illness common among AAPI populations, provide linguistically and culturally appropriate interventions, and encourage individuals and communities to use a comprehensive, public health approach when addressing mental and behavioral health.

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the implementation of the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) program that will offer certain beneficiaries an opportunity to seek parole and come to the United States to be reunited with their family members. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statement:

Today, Department of Education Secretary John King announced a $1 million grant competition for states to gather and study disaggregated data on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students beyond the breakdowns of race and ethnicity currently collected. The purpose is to identify gaps in educational achievement and opportunities, as well as to improve the college and career readiness of underserved AAPI communities and English language learners.

Sunday marked the start 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.