#226 11/6 Meeting Summary; Request for GAO Review; 12/16 Protest in Miami; From Congress; +
In This Issue #226
· 2023/11/06 Monthly Meeting Summary
· Congressional Request for GAO to Review Federal Investigations into Foreign Influence of Research
· 2023/12/16 Justice4All Protest in Miami, Florida
· Latest Activities and Developments from U.S. Congress
· News and Activities for the Communities
2023/11/06 Monthly Meeting Summary
The November 6, 2023, APA Justice monthly meeting summary is now available at https://bit.ly/41n2TiL.
We thank the following speakers for their updates and discussions:
· Gene Wu 吳元之, Member, Texas State House of Representatives, described the third special and perhaps more special sessions that the Texas governor has called after the close of the 2023 legislative session. Gene cautioned us not only the possible reintroduction of SB 147 and related alien land bills, but also the passage of dangerous and unconstitutional anti-immigration bills that will create the state's own code-based immigration laws. Gene will continue to conduct his town hall meetings to stay vigilant and informed. It is an effective model for communities across the country to organize and deal with the alien land bills and related issues that are appearing at the state and federal levels. The town hall meetings are organized with Professor Steven Pei and others on Sundays at 8:00 pm CT. All are welcome to join with the Zoom registration link at https://bit.ly/40U6aFS.
Andy Kim, Member, U.S. House of Representatives; Executive Board Members, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Congressman Kim serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the CCP. These roles give him important insights into some of the dynamics that are both dangerous and concerning about the trajectory and how it intersects with the AAPI community and our nation. Congressman Kim is worried from his close look that the Select Committee is setting the stage for a new era of xenophobia and poorly planned policies that could lead our country and the AAPI community to be less safe. He described the systematic pattern where the decisions are being made about US foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific and parts of Asia that are different from Europe and other parts of the world. Congressman Kim feels very strongly about the need for the AAPI community to get further engaged in a broad array of issues. Congressman Kim is running for the New Jersey Senate seat in 2024. If you wish to support and stay engaged with Congressman Kim, please contact Jack Our at Jack@andykim.com.
Dr. Sergio Lira, Co-Vice President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Alliance (TMAC); President, Greater Houston, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Formed in 1929, LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic and Latin-American civil rights organization in the United States. It has over 135,000 members today. Dr. Lira witnessed a long history of anti-immigrant treatment faced by the Asian American and Hispanic American communities, such as anti-Asian hate incidents during the COVID pandemic; alien land bills in Texas, Florida, and other states across the nation; and the case of New York Police Department Officer Anwang 昂旺. We need to work together to ensure that we fight and advocate together. Working in silos is not going to give us the strength to have real impact on legislation. Dr. Lira is excited to join TMAC and lend his expertise and experience to fight these issues. Together we can make positive change.
Cindy Tsai 蔡欣玲, Interim President and Executive Director, Committee of 100 (C100). C100 is about 35 years old. From its very first day, it has had a dual mission. One is to ensure full inclusivity of Chinese Americans in America. The second is to be a force to encourage constructive relationships between the people in the U.S. and Greater China. In today’s geopolitical world, Cindy said C100 cannot serve one of the missions without thinking about the other. Cindy shared two works in progress during the meeting. One is an interactive map to track state alien land bills with options to filter individual bills by categories and contacts at the state legislature level. The other is a playbook for those who are relatively new in political engagement and advocacy about basic rules and tools that should be understood before we get involved. It is like Political Engagement Advocacy 101 and will lessen some of the obstacles that we face. Cindy invited community members to contact her at ctsai@committee100.org if they wish to participate and contribute to these two resources.
Andrew Chongseh Kim, Senior Foreign Attorney (Texas, Illinois), Bae, Kim & Lee LLC in South Korea. Andy Kim, aka amicably as "the other Andy Kim," joined the call from Seoul. Andy is also General Counsel, Korean American for Political Action, and author of a landmark white paper on the Economic Espionage Act. He sent greetings to all the leaders at the monthly meeting, especially to Congressman Andy Kim about the pride, excitement, and warm wishes of the Korean American community about his run for the Senate.
Dr. Albert Wang, Chair, API Coalition. Dr. Wang reported on the formation of API Coalition to help unite and connect API elected officials and community leaders. API Coalition would hold a national summit after the end of the APEC meetings, which Congresswoman Judy Chu would also attend and speak. Dr. Albert Wang can be contacted at aybwang@comcast.net. Andy Li, President of API Coalition, can be contacted at andy.j.li@gmail.com.
Casey Lee, Policy Advisor, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Casey substituted for Nisha Ramachandran, CAPAC Executive Director, and reported that CAPAC was monitoring two appropriation bills in the House that were scheduled for a vote. The first was on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The second was the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. CAPAC is reviewing any potentially harmful anti-Asian amendments for both that may impact our communities including the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Section 702 reforms.
Joanna Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC. Joanna reported on the imminent introduction of a bipartisan FISA 702 reform bill in Congress, a Tri-Caucus briefing on FISA section 702 reform for the first week of December, and continuing efforts to oppose the Rounds amendment in the NDAA.
Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org. Gisela reported that AASF would have a convening to focus on AI for science and medicine the following Sunday. AASF leadership would also convene. The top priority for AASF is to prevent what AASF sees as multiple attempts to increase disclosure requirements. With legislation, AASF is also concerned with congressional attempts towards reinstating the Department of Justice’s China Initiative, including the use of appropriation bills.
Read the 2023/11/06 monthly meeting summary: https://bit.ly/41n2TiL. Read past monthly meeting summaries: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP
Congressional Request for GAO to Review Federal Investigations into Foreign Influence of Research
On December 11, 2023, leading Members of Congress requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a formal review of ongoing federal efforts to investigate allegations of foreign influence in federally funded research. The Members seek to ensure that researchers are not facing discriminatory treatment while federal agencies implement policies to protect U.S. research security.Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) joined Ranking Members Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08) of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology to author the letter to Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States.“As a global leader in scientific research, the United States has long fostered and benefited from a culture of openness and international collaboration,” the Members wrote. “Contributions from U.S. scientists of diverse backgrounds and foreign researchers have made the United States a science and technology powerhouse. In recent years, however, concerns arose about foreign entities, especially from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), attempting to influence U.S.-based researchers whose scientific work is funded by federal agencies.”As a result of these concerns, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began investigating 246 scientists in 2018, 81 percent of whom identified as Asian. 103 of those scientists eventually lost their jobs. A November 2022 GAO report noted that U.S. university representatives and stakeholder groups have voiced concerns about racial bias in these investigations as well as harm to careers and reputations.
“Federal agencies are in the process of implementing new research security policies at the direction of Congress and the White House,” the Members continued. “It is imperative that in developing and carrying out these policies, agencies reject racial biases that have historically plagued attempts to crack down on academic espionage.”To that end, the Chair and Ranking Members request GAO conduct a review and offer recommendations related to due process, agency data, and whether agencies’ present policies, procedures, and training ensure investigations are free from bias and do not result in discriminatory treatment. CONTACTS:Graeme Crews, (202) 597-2923 (CAPAC)Cassie Anderson, (202) 308-1766 (Science)Nelly Decker, (202) 226-5181 (Oversight)Read the Congressional letter: https://bit.ly/3t9rdrR.
2023/12/16 Justice4All Protest in Miami, Florida
On December 16, 2023, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET, a protest will be held in Miami, Florida. It is an event for community members to gather in solidarity to oppose unconstitutional legislation and unfair property registration requirements targeting specific members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
SB 264, a legislation imposing a restrictive property purchase ban for certain community members, has raised significant concerns. Violations of this ban could result in severe civil and criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to 5 years. Moreover, SB 264 mandates property registration, threatening law-abiding, taxpaying AAPI community members with an unprecedented and unreasonable penalty of $1,000 per day if their properties remain unregistered by December 31st, 2023.The rally will witness the presence of notable Asian American political leaders including Congresswoman Judy Chu, Texas State Representative Gene Wu, and 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang. WHAT: In-Person Protest - Justice4AllWHEN: December 16, 2023, 2-4 pm ET/11-12 noon PTWHERE: Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132HOSTS: Florida Asian American Justice Alliance, United Chinese Americans, and othersDESCRIPTION: The rally is an urgent call for unity and justice, aiming to bring together individuals of all backgrounds in opposition to discrimination and unfair treatment. It stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment to justice, diversity, and equality that Miami holds dear. For further information, please visit www.FAAJA.org and www.ucausa.orgCONTACTS: info@faaja.org or info@ucausa.org.
New Florida law blocks Chinese students from academic labs
According to Science on December 12, 2023, a new state law is thwarting faculty at Florida’s public universities who want to hire Chinese graduate students and postdocs to work in their labs. In effect since July, the law (Senate Bill 846) prohibits institutions from taking money from or partnering with entities in China and six other “countries of concern.” The list of banned interactions includes offering anyone living in one of those countries a contract to do research. Students could be hired only if they are granted a waiver from the state’s top higher education body. But how that process would work is not clear, and the 12 public colleges and universities covered by the law are still writing rules to implement the statute.More than 280 faculty members at the University of Florida (UF), which has the state’s largest research portfolio, have signed a petition urging UF to clear up the confusion and to voice support for an open-door policy on hiring.
The state law applies to all academic interactions with China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela. UF now employs about 350 graduate assistants and 200 postdocs from the seven countries of concern. But UF faculty see a much bigger ripple effect from the new law. “A substantial number of skilled applications for our graduate programs originate from these countries of concern,” the petition notes, singling out China and Iran. “Restrictions on recruiting could significantly reduce our applicant pool … and lead to a significant erosion of UF’s standing within those international communities.”Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/46Ygcr5
Latest Activities and Developments from U.S. Congress
1. Short-Term Renewal of Section 702 of FISA to April 19, 2024
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which will sunset at the end of the year without congressional action, would stay in place until April 19, 2024, after the Senate voted 87-13 to approve an $886 billion defense authorization bill with a short-term renewal attached. The House passed the measure by a vote of 310-118 on December 14, 2023.Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) voted in opposition of the final version of the NDAA and issued a statement that said in part, "Further, this year’s bill includes a supposedly short-term extension of FISA section 702, which permits warrantless surveillance of Americans, through April 2024. But by failing to include language to prevent FISA Courts from recertifying this surveillance for another year, the bill effectively means a 16-month extension without necessary reforms... Because the final NDAA fails to reduce wasteful spending and retains troubling policies related to key civil liberties, I voted in opposition.”Read Rep. Chu's statement: https://bit.ly/3TpeZFW.
2. Rep. Chu and Senator Hirono Introduce Resolution to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act
On December 14, CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and CAPAC Executive Member Sen. Mazie Hirono (HI) introduced resolutions in both chambers of Congress commemorating the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.The Magnuson Act, which passed on December 17, 1943, repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. In June 2012, Rep. Chu introduced H.Res. 683, a resolution formally apologizing for the Chinese exclusion laws. The resolution passed the House of Representative unanimously on June 18, 2012. The Senate version of the resolution, S.Res. 201, passed the Senate unanimously on October 7, 2011.Read the Resolution: https://bit.ly/48hrIif. Read the CAPAC press release: https://bit.ly/41kW1T5.
3. Florida Senator Says Garlic from China is a National Security Risk
According to BBC on December 8, 2023, Republican Senator Rick Scott has written to the commerce secretary, calling for a government investigation into the impact on national security of garlic imports from China. In his letter, Senator Scott highlighted "a severe public health concern over the quality and safety of garlic grown in foreign countries - most notably, garlic grown in Communist China" and called for the Department of Commerce to take action, under a law which allows investigations into the impact of specific imports on the security of the US.
The Office for Science and Society at McGill University in Quebec, which attempts to popularize and explain scientific issues, says there is "no evidence" that sewage is used as a fertilizer for growing garlic in China. "In any case, there is no problem with this," an article published by the university in 2017 says. "Human waste is as effective a fertilizer as is animal waste. Spreading human sewage on fields that grow crops doesn't sound appealing, but it is safer than you might think."Read the BBC report: https://bbc.in/3RpjjSX
4. Opposition to The DETERRENT Act
On December 4, 2023, the American Council on Education (ACE) and a group of higher education associations wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in strong opposition to the "Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Education (DETERRENT)" Act. Read the ACE letter: https://bit.ly/41plhHH.
On December 6, 2023, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) took to the House Floor to urge her colleagues to vote in opposition to H.R. 5933, the DETERRENT Act.Just Strategy has created an open petition to strongly oppose the DETERRENT Act for concerned individuals to sign on here: https://bit.ly/47Zu1a0.
News and Activities for the Communities
1. APA Justice Community Calendar
Upcoming Events:2023/12/15 Webinar on Voices of AAPI Communities2023/12/16 In-Person Justice4All Protest in Miami, Florida2024/01/07 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/01/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/01/09 The Jimmy Carter Forum on US-China Relations in Honor of 45th Anniversary of Normalization2024/02/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/02/05 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details.
2. APAICS: AA & NH/PI Candidate Pipeline
According to the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), a record 215 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) candidates ran for state and federal office, including in U.S. territories, in the 2023 election cycle. AA & NH/PI candidates running for office increased over 40% this election cycle compared to 2021. With 123 projected winners, there are at least 659 AA & NH/PI elected officials nationwide.Every year, APAICS builds a comprehensive database of candidates through its AA & NH/PI Candidate Pipeline, which monitors general election results for state and federal elections nationwide. The Pipeline also includes information about AA & NH/PI candidates who ran at the state level.
3. Data Analytics, Data Science Degrees See Large Increases in 2022
According to AMSTATNews on December 1, 2023, this fall’s release of the 2022 degree completion data from the National Center for Education Statistics is marked by the large increases in the undergraduate and master’s degrees awarded in the recently introduced categories for data analytics and data science. The number of bachelor’s degrees in data science, for example, jumped to 897 in 2022, from 165 in 2021 and 84 in 2020. For bachelor’s degrees in data analytics, the 2020, 2021, and 2022 numbers are 325, 455, and 767, respectively.The number of bachelor’s degrees in statistics also grew, albeit more modestly than in prior years: 5,408 in 2022, a 2 percent increase over 2021. A 15 percent drop in the number of master’s degrees in statistics to 3,570 in 2022 stood out in the most recent release.Read the AMSTATNews report: https://bit.ly/46VXNep
December 15, 2023