Media

n Thursday, May 12, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee hosted a hearing entitled “The Zika Public Health Crisis: the Urgent Need for the President’s Emergency Funding Request.” Witnesses at the hearing included Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Honorable Mitch Landrieu, Mayor of the City of New Orleans, and Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director at the Centers for Disease Control. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), a member of the committee, attended the hearing and participated in the discussion on the importance of the federal government in supporting efforts to combat the spread of the Zika virus in the United States. Earlier this week, Rep. Chu also met with the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District about their efforts to combat mosquitos and mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and West Nile Virus. This work includes a public awareness campaign to halt the spread of the invasive Aedes mosquito, which has begun to spread throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

Today, Reuters reported the Obama Administration intends to launch a nationwide 30-day “surge” of new immigration deportation raids targeting hundreds of families and young adults through the months of May and June. In January, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) condemned similar raids that resulted in the deportation of 121 individuals, mainly women and children from Central America.

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.