Order Code 97-398 GOV
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Asian Pacific Americans in the
United States Congress
Updated July 31, 2003
Lorraine H. Tong
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

Asian Pacific Americans in
the United States Congress
Summary
This report provides information on the 33 Asian Pacific Americans who have
served in the United States Congress from 1903 to the present, including 13 Resident
Commissioners from the Philippine Islands. These Resident Commissioners served
from 1907-1946 while the Philippines were a U.S. territory and commonwealth (all
were Philippine born). Information on Members and territorial delegates includes
party affiliations, length and dates of service, and committee assignments.
Asian Pacific Americans have served in both houses of Congress representing
California, Hawaii, Oregon, Virginia, American Samoa, and Guam. They have
served in leadership positions, including committee chairs.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Alphabetical Listing of Asian Pacific
American Members and Delegates, Selected Biographical Information,
and Committee Assignments During Their Tenure in Office . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
List of Tables
Table 1. Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the 58th-108th Congresses
(1903-2005) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Table 2. Number of Asian Pacific American
Members and Delegates by State and Territory,
58th-108th Congresses (1903-2005) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Table 3. Number of Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the U.S. Congress,
58th-108th Congresses (1903-2005) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Table 4. Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands,
60th-79th Congresses (1907-1946) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Asian Pacific Americans in
the United States Congress
Introduction
Standard sources identify 33 Asian Pacific Americans elected to Congress from
1903 to the present.1
Their ancestry has included Chinese, Chamorro, Filipino,
Asian Indian, Japanese, Korean, Native Hawaiian, and Samoan. Of these 33 Asian
Pacific American Members, 13 were Resident Commissioners from the Philippine
Islands elected to the United States Congress from 1907 to 1946 (all were born in the
Philippines).2 Of the 20 remaining, 15 Asian Pacific Americans have served only in
the House, including six Delegates, and two have served only in the Senate. Three
have served in both houses: Daniel Ken Inouye (D-HI), Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
(D-HI), and Daniel Kahikina Akaka (D-HI). Fourteen of the 20 Asian Pacific
American Members and territorial delegates have been Democrats, and six have been
Republicans. The first Asian Pacific American Member of Congress was
Representative Dalip Singh Saund (D-CA), an immigrant from India who served in
1 The designation “Asian Pacific American” is commonly used to identify a person having
origins in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example,
Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand,
Vietnam, and the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. It is
also the term used for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, founded in May
1994, and refers to those who have self-identified themselves as such. In this report, the
“Asian Pacific American” designation encompasses a wide range of ethnic and national
identities, rather than a purely geographic designation. Thus, it does not include those of
Australian or New Zealand ancestry, for example. Included in this total number is one
Member who is African American with Filipino heritage.
2 The Philippine Islands were part of territory ceded to the United States by Spain under the
Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898. The Act of July 1902 granted the Philippine Islands
the right to elect two Resident Commissioners to the United States Congress. Historically,
U.S. territories were granted nonvoting Delegates to the Congress prior to statehood.
Congress distinguished between the territories acquired after the Spanish-American War and
those bound for statehood. Thus, Congress provided for “resident commissioners” to the
United States from Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Resident Commissioners were not
accorded the same status as nonvoting Delegates, although, it should be noted, the rights of
Delegates have changed over time. Resident Commissioners from the Philippines were
granted floor privileges in the House with the right of debate on Feb. 4, 1908. However,
they did not have the right to vote or to serve on standing committees. When the Philippine
Islands became a self-governing commonwealth, in transition to full sovereignty in 1935,
the number of Resident Commissioners was reduced from two to one. On July 14, 1946, the
Philippines became fully independent and the office of Resident Commissioner was
terminated (P.L. 73-127). For the purposes of this study, a separate table listing Resident
Commissioners from the Philippines is included at the end of the report.

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the House from 1957 to 1963. The first Asian Pacific American Senator elected to
Congress was Hiram Leong Fong (R-HI), who was seated on August 24, 1959, as one
of Hawaii’s first two Senators after it was admitted to the Union. Senator Fong also
was the first American of Chinese ancestry elected to Congress. Early in the 20th
century, Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole represented the territory of Hawaii from 1903 to
1922 as a non-voting Delegate to the House. He was related to the Hawaiian royal
family, and also held the title of prince.
Seven Asian Pacific Americans currently serve in the 108th Congress, two in the
Senate and five in the House, including two Delegates.3 A record nine Asian Pacific
Americans were elected to the 107th Congress and also in the 101st Congress
(although only eight actually served at any one time during the 101st Congress).
Senator Akaka, who was a Representative until the 101st Congress, was appointed to
the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Matsunaga.
Subsequently, Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink (D-HI) won the September 1990
special election to fill the House seat vacated by Senator Akaka.
Representative Mink, a Member of the 107th Congress,4 was the first of the two
Asian Pacific American women who have been elected to Congress. She was first
elected to the House in the 89th Congress and served from 1965 to 1977. The other
Asian Pacific American woman was Representative Patricia Fukuda Saiki (R-HI),
who served from 1987 to 1991.
Senator Inouye, a Member of the 108th Congress, is the Asian Pacific American
with the longest congressional service. He was the first American of Japanese
ancestry to be elected to Congress, and he was Hawaii’s first Member of the House
after it was admitted to the Union. He began his service on August 24, 1959, and
was subsequently elected in 1962 to the Senate where he has served since January 3,
1963.
Many of the Asian Pacific American Members and territorial delegates have had
similar educational and professional backgrounds. Seven have been educators,
including two high school principals, two college professors, and a president of a
state college. Nine have held law degrees or practiced law; two have also been
judges. Most have held elected state or local offices before seeking a congressional
seat. Many have been elected to state and local governments: eight have served in
state legislatures, one was a lieutenant governor, and two have been mayors.
3 One of the Senators, Daniel Akaka, Democrat of Hawaii, is Native Hawaiian and also
Chinese American; one of the Representatives, Robert Scott, Democrat of Virginia, is
African American with Filipino heritage. In 107th Congress, one of the Delegates, Robert
Underwood, Democrat of Guam, is Chamorro and also Hispanic.
4 Rep. Patsy Mink died on Sept. 28, 2002, but she was posthumously elected to the 108th
Congress on Nov. 5, 2002. Rep. Ed Case was elected in a special election to serve the
remaining five weeks of her term in the 107th Congress. He was subsequently elected to the
108th Congress on Jan. 4, 2003 in a special election.

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Ten Members and territorial delegates have military experience, including two
who served in other than the U.S. armed forces, and several are decorated war
veterans. One was a brigadier general.
Two Asian Pacific American Members have chaired full committees, four have
chaired subcommittees and one was an acting chair of a subcommittee.
In the 107th Congress, when the Democrats gained the majority in the Senate in
June 2001,5 Senator Inouye became chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
He also assumed the chair of the Senate Committee Appropriations Subcommittee
on Defense, and the chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Subcommittee on Communications. Senator Inouye was the first
chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1976 to 1977, and was
the Senate chair of the Secret Military Assistance to Iran and Nicaragua Opposition
Select Committee (Iran-Contra Committee) from 1987 to 1988. From 1987 to 1994,
he was chairman of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs. Senator Inouye has also
chaired seven different Senate subcommittees.
These include the Senate
Appropriations Subcommittees on the District of Columbia (1971-1972), Foreign
Operations (1973-1980, 1987-1988), and Defense (1989-1994); the Senate
Commerce Subcommittees on Foreign Commerce and Tourism (1971-1976),
Merchant Marine and Tourism (1977-1980), and Communications (1987-1994); and
the Intelligence Subcommittee on Budget Authorization (1979-1980).
Also in June of 2001, Senator Daniel Akaka became chairman of three
subcommittees: the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and
Management Support, the Energy and National Resources Subcommittee on National
Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation, and the Governmental Affairs
Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services.
Senator Matsunaga chaired the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Tourism and
Sugar (1977-1980).
In the House, Representative Norman Yoshio Mineta (D-CA) was chair of the
House Public Works and Transportation Committee (1993-1994). Prior to chairing
the full committee, he chaired the Subcommittees on Public Buildings and Grounds
(1977-1978), Oversight and Review (1979-1980), Aviation (1980-1989), and Surface
Transportation (1990-1992). In the fall of 1994, Representative Robert Takeo Matsui
(D-CA) served as acting chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on
Trade. In the 105th Congress, Representative Jay C. Kim (R-CA), the first Korean
American to be elected to Congress, chaired the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development.
Asian Pacific American Members and territorial delegates have also served in
congressional party leadership positions. In the Senate, Senator Inouye served as
Assistant Majority Whip from 1975 to 1976 and Deputy Democratic Whip from 1981
5 S.Res. 120, considered and agreed to on June 29, 2001, provided for Democratic majorities
on all Senate standing and select committees (except for the Select Committee on Ethics
which always has equal party representation).

CRS-4
to 1986. From 1977 to 1988, he was Secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference.
Senator Inouye then chaired the Democratic Steering Committee from 1989 to 1994.
Senator Matsunaga served as Chief Deputy Majority Whip from 1979 to 1980 and
Chief Deputy Minority Whip from 1981 to 1986. From 1987 to 1988, Senator
Matsunaga was Chief Deputy Majority Whip. Representative Mink served as
Secretary of the Democratic Caucus from 1975 to 1977, Minority Regional Whip
from 1997 to1998, and has served as Minority Whip at Large from 2001 until her
death in September 2002. Representative Mineta was a Majority Whip at Large from
1977 to 1981, Deputy Majority Whip from 1982 to 1994, and Deputy Minority Whip
in 1995. Representative Matsui was Majority Whip at Large from 1987 to 1994 and
has served as Minority Whip at Large since 1995. Representative Kim was Majority
sophomore class whip in the 104th Congress. Representative Robert Anacletus
Underwood (D-Guam) served as Democratic Caucus Whip at Large for the 105th and
106th Congresses. Representative Underwood also served as a Deputy Whip for the
Democratic Study Group of the House Democratic Caucus in the 105th Congress. In
the 106th Congress, Representative David Wu6 served as Democratic Freshman Class
president for July-December 2000. Representative Michael Honda served as regional
whip for the 107th Congress and continues to do so in the 108th Congress.
The bicameral Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) was
established on May 16, 1994. The goals of the Caucus are to work on policies and
legislation of concern to the Asian Pacific American community; to educate other
Members about the history, contributions, and concerns of Asian Pacific Americans;
and to protect and advance the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans.
Representative Mineta, one of the founders of the Caucus, served as the first chair.
Upon Representative Mineta’s resignation from the House, Representative Mink
became chair of the Caucus and served in that position through the 105th Congress.
In both the 104th and 105th Congresses, Representative Underwood was vice chair of
the Caucus, and Senator Akaka served as secretary of the Caucus. In the 106th
Congress, Representative Underwood chaired the Caucus, Representative Wu served
as vice chair, and Senator Inouye served as secretary.
In the 107th Congress,
Representative Wu served as Caucus chair, Representative Michael M. Honda served
as vice chair, and Senator Inouye continued as secretary. In the 108th Congress,
Representative Wu continues to serve as chair, and Representative Honda also
continues as vice chair. Membership to the Caucus is also open to Members who are
not of Asian Pacific heritage. Currently, 118 Members of Congress have joined the
Caucus.
Representatives Mineta7 became the first Asian Pacific American to serve in a
Cabinet position when he was sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Commerce on July 21,
2000. Under the new administration, Secretary Mineta was nominated to a second
Cabinet post and was sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Transportation on January 25,
2001.
This report presents information on Asian Pacific American Members of
Congress obtained from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,
6 Rep. Wu is the first Chinese American to represent a district on the U.S. mainland.
7 Rep. Mineta had resigned from the House on Oct. 10, 1995.

CRS-5
1774-present (see [http://clerkweb.house.gov]); The Almanac of American Politics
2000
; Politics in America 2000; and various editions of the Congressional Directory.
Information on heritage and ancestry was provided to these source books by the
Members. Information on committee assignments and leadership positions was
obtained from various editions of the Congressional Directory, various editions of
the Congressional Yellow Book (a publication of Leadership Directories, Inc.),
information on Member Web sites, and telephone calls to Member offices.
For an overview of Asian Pacific American political participation in the United
States, see CRS Report RS20206, Asian Pacific American Political Participation
and Representation in Elective Office
, by Kevin Coleman.

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Alphabetical Listing of Asian Pacific
American Members and Delegates, Selected
Biographical Information, and Committee
Assignments During Their Tenure in Office8
AKAKA, DANIEL KAHIKINA. Democrat; a Representative and Senator from
Hawaii. Born on September 11, 1924. Elected to the House of Representatives for
the 95th -101st Congresses; served from January 3, 1977, to May 15, 1990. Appointed
to the Senate in 1990 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Spark
Matsunaga and subsequently elected by special election to the Senate in November
1990. Re-elected in 1994 and 2000; has served in the Senate since May 16, 1990.
Committee Assignments
H. Agriculture
H. Appropriations
H. Merchant Marine and Fisheries
*
S. Armed Services
S. Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
*
S. Energy and Natural Resources
*
S. Governmental Affairs
*
S. Indian Affairs
*
S. Veterans’ Affairs
*
S. Select Committee on Ethics
BLAZ, BEN GARRIDO. Republican; a Delegate from Guam. Born on February
14, 1928. Elected to the 99th-102nd Congresses; served from January 3, 1985, to
January 3, 1993.
Committee Assignments
H. Armed Services
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
FALEOMAVAEGA, ENI F. H. Democrat; a Delegate from American Samoa.
Born August 15, 1943. Elected to the 100th-108th Congresses; has served since
January 3, 1989.
Committee Assignments
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
H. Education and Labor
*
H. International Relations
*
H. Resources
8 Asterisks indicate current committee assignments.

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FONG, HIRAM LEONG. Republican; a Senator from Hawaii. Born on October
15, 1906. First Asian Pacific American elected to the Senate and first American of
Chinese ancestry elected to Congress. Elected to the Senate in 1959 upon the
admission of Hawaii to the Union, reelected in 1964 and 1970; served from August
21, 1959, to January 3, 1977.
Committee Assignments
S. Appropriations
S. Interior and Insular Affairs
S. Judiciary
S. Post Office and Civil Service
S. Public Works
HAYAKAWA, SAMUEL ICHIYE. Republican; a Senator from California. Born
on July 18, 1906; died on February 26, 1992. Elected to the Senate in 1976; served
from January 3, 1977, to January 3, 1983.
Committee Assignments
S. Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
S. Budget
S. Labor and Human Resources
S. Interior and Insular Affairs
S. Foreign Relations
HONDA, MICHAEL M. Democrat; a Representative from California. Born on
June 27, 1941. Elected to the 107th and 108th Congresses; has served since January
3, 2001.
Committee Assignments
H. Budget
*
H. Transportation and Infrastructure
*
H. Science
INOUYE, DANIEL KEN. Democrat; a Representative and Senator from Hawaii.
Born on September 7, 1924.
First American of Japanese ancestry elected to
Congress. Elected to the House for the 86th and 87th Congresses; served from August
21, 1959, to January 3, 1963. Elected to the Senate in 1962, reelected in 1968, 1974,
1980, 1986, 1992, and 1998; has served in the Senate since January 3, 1963.
Committee Assignments
H. Agriculture
H. Banking and Currency
S. Armed Services
S. District of Columbia
S. Public Works
Joint Committee on the Library

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*
Joint Committee on Printing
*
S. Appropriations
*
S. Commerce, Science and Transportation
*
S. Indian Affairs
*
S. Rules and Administration
KALANIANAOLE, JONAH KUHIO. Republican; a Delegate from the Territory
of Hawaii. Born on March 26, 1871; died on January 7, 1922. Elected to the 58th-
67th Congresses; served from March 4, 1903, to January 7, 1922.
Committee Assignments
H. Agriculture
H. Coinage, Weights and Measures
H. Post Office and Post-Roads
H. Private Land Claims
H. Territories
KIM, JAY C. Republican; a Representative from California. Born on March 27,
1939. First American of Korean ancestry elected to Congress. Elected to the 103rd-
105th Congresses; served from January 3, 1993, to January 3, 1999.
Committee Assignments
H. Small Business
H. International Relations
H. Transportation and Infrastructure
MATSUI, ROBERT TAKEO. Democrat; a Representative from California. Born
on September 17, 1941. Elected to the 96th-108th Congresses; has served since
January 3, 1979.
Committee Assignments
H. Budget
H. Government Operations
H. Interstate and Foreign Commerce
H. Judiciary
*
H. Ways and Means
MATSUNAGA, SPARK MASAYUKI. Democrat; Representative and Senator
from Hawaii. Born October 8, 1916; died on April 15, 1990. Elected to the House
of Representatives for the 88th-94th Congresses; served from January 3, 1963, to
January 3, 1977. Elected to the Senate in 1976, reelected in 1982 and 1988; served
from January 3, 1977, to April 15, 1990.
Committee Assignments
H. Agriculture
H. Post Office and Civil Service

CRS-9
H. Rules
S. Commerce
S. Energy
S. Finance
S. Foreign Relations
S. Labor and Human Resources
S. Veterans’ Affairs
MINETA, NORMAN YOSHIO. Democrat; a Representative from California.
Born November 12, 1931. Elected to the House for the 94th-104th Congresses.
Served from January 3, 1975, until his resignation on October 10, 1995. Confirmed
by the Senate on July 20, 2000, and sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Commerce on July
21, 2000. Confirmed by the Senate on January 24, 2001, and sworn in as U.S.
Secretary of Transportation on January 25, 2001.
Committee Assignments
H. Budget
H. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
H. Post Office and Civil Service
H. Public Works and Transportation
H. Science and Technology
MINK, PATSY TAKEMOTO. Democrat; a Representative from Hawaii. Born
December 6, 1927. First Asian Pacific American woman to be elected to Congress.
Elected to the 89th-94th Congresses; served from January 3, 1965, to January 3, 1977.
Appointed Assistant Secretary for the Office of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State. Elected again in 1990 in
a special election to the 101st Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment
of Daniel Akaka to the Senate. Re-elected to 102nd-107th Congresses; served until her
death on September 28, 2002; posthumously elected to the 108th Congress on
November 5, 2002.
Committee Assignments
H. Budget
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
H. Natural Resources
H. Education and the Workforce
H. Government Reform
SAIKI, PATRICIA FUKUDA. Republican; a Representative from Hawaii. Born
on May 28, 1930. Elected to the 100th-101st Congresses; served from January 3,
1987, to January 3, 1991. Appointed Administrator of the Small Business
Administration after leaving Congress.
Committee Assignments
H. Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
H. Merchant Marines and Fisheries

CRS-10
SAUND, DALIP SINGH. Democrat; a Representative from California. Born on
September 20, 1899; died August 22, 1973. First American of Indian ancestry to be
elected to Congress. Elected to the 85th-87th Congresses; served from January 3,
1957, to January 3, 1963.
Committee Assignments
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
H. Foreign Affairs
SCOTT, ROBERT C. Democrat; a Representative from Virginia. Born on April
30, 1947. An African American with Filipino heritage. Elected to the 103rd - 108th
Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Budget
H. Education and the Workforce
*
H. Judiciary
H. Science, Space, and Technology
H. U.S. National Security and Military Commercial
Concerns with the People’s Republic of China
SUNIA, FOFO IOSEFA FITI. Democrat; elected as first Delegate from American
Samoa. Born on March 13, 1937. Elected to the 97th -100th Congresses; served from
January 3, 1981, until his resignation on September 6, 1988.
Committee Assignments
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
H. Merchant Marines and Fisheries
H. Public Works and Transportation
UNDERWOOD, ROBERT ANACLETUS. Democrat; a Delegate from Guam.
Born July 13, 1948. Elected to the 103rd-107th Congresses; served until January 3,
1993, was not a candidate for the 108th Congress; unsuccessful candidate for
governor of Guam.
Committee Assignments
H. Education and Labor
H. Armed Services
H. Resources

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WON PAT, ANTONIO BORJA. Democrat; the first Delegate from Guam. Born
on December 10, 1908; died on May 1, 1987. Elected to the 93rd-98th Congresses;
served from January 3, 1973, to January 3, 1985.
Committee Assignments
H. Armed Services
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
WU, DAVID. Democrat; Representative from Oregon. Born on April 8, 1955.
Elected to the 106th -108th Congresses; has served since January 6, 1999.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Education and the Workforce
*
H. Science

CRS-12
Table 1. Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the 58th-108th Congresses
(1903-2005)
Congress
Dates
House
Senate
58th-67th
1903-
Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaolea

1923
68th-84th
1923-


1957
85th
1957-
Dalip Singh Saund

1959
86th
1959-
Daniel Ken Inouye
Hiram Leong Fong
1961
Dalip Singh Saund
87th
1961-
Daniel Ken Inouye
Hiram Leong Fong
1963
Dalip Singh Saund
88th
1963-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1965
Daniel Ken Inouye
89th
1965-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1967
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Daniel Ken Inouye
90th
1967-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1969
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Daniel Ken Inouye
91st
1969-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1971
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Daniel Ken Inouye
92nd
1971-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1973
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Daniel Ken Inouye
93rd
1973-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1975
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Daniel Ken Inouye
Antonio Borja Won Pat
94th
1975-
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Hiram Leong Fong
1977
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Daniel Ken Inouye
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Antonio Borja Won Pat
95th
1977-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa
1979
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Daniel Ken Inouye
Antonio Borja Won Pat
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
96th
1979-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa
1981
Robert Takeo Matsui
Daniel Ken Inouye
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Antonio Borja Won Pat

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Congress
Dates
House
Senate
97th
1981-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa
1983
Robert Takeo Matsui
Daniel Ken Inouye
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia
Antonio Borja Won Pat
98th
1983-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
1985
Robert Takeo Matsui
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia
Antonio Borja Won Pat
99th
1985-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
1987
Ben Garrido Blaz
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Robert Takeo Matsui
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia
100th
1987-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
1989
Ben Garrido Blaz
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Robert Takeo Matsui
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Patricia Fukuda Saiki
Fofo Iosefa Fiti Suniab
101st
1989-
Ben Garrido Blaz
Daniel Kahikina Akakac
1991
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Patricia Fukuda Saiki
102nd
1991-
Ben Garrido Blaz
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
1993
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Patsy Takemoto Mink
103rd
1993-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
1995
Jay C. Kim
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Robert C. Scottd
Robert Anacletus Underwood
104th
1995-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
1997
Jay C. Kim
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Norman Yoshio Minetae
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Robert C. Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood

CRS-14
Congress
Dates
House
Senate
105th
1997-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
1999
Jay C. Kim
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Robert C. Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood
106th
1999-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2001
Robert Takeo Matsui
Daniel Ken Inouye
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Robert C. Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood
David Wu
107th
2001-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2003
Michael M. Honda
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Patsy Takemoto Minkf
Robert C. Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood
David Wu
108th
2003-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2005
Michael M. Honda
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Robert C. Scott
David Wu
a. Del. Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole died on Jan. 7, 1922.
b. Del. Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia resigned on Sept. 6, 1988.
c. Sen. Daniel Kahikina Akaka also served in the House in the 101st Congress until May 15, 1990.
However, he was appointed to the Senate and was sworn in on May 16, 1990, to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Sen. Spark Masayuki Matsunaga on Apr. 15, 1990. Subsequently, he was
elected to the Senate in Nov. 1990.
d. Rep. Robert C. Scott is African American with Filipino heritage.
e. Rep. Norman Yoshio Mineta resigned on Oct. 10, 1995.
f. Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink died on Sept. 28, 2002.

CRS-15
Table 2. Number of Asian Pacific American
Members and Delegates by State and Territory,
58th-108th Congresses (1903-2005)
State or
Number Elected
Name
Territory
California
6
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa
Michael M. Honda
Jay C. Kim
Robert Takeo Matsui
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Dalip Singh Saund
Hawaii
7
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
Hiram Leong Fong
Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Patricia Fukuda Saiki
Oregon
1
David Wu
Virginia
1
Robert C. Scotta
American
2
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Samoa
Fofo Iosefa Fifi Sunia
Guam
3
Ben Garrido Blaz
Robert Anacletus Underwood
Antonio Borja Won Pat
a. Rep. Robert C. Scott is African American with Filipino heritage.

CRS-16
Table 3. Number of Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the U.S. Congress,
58th-108th Congresses (1903-2005)
Total in
Congress
Years
House
Senate
Congress
58th
1903-1905
1
1
-
59th
1905-1907
1
1
-
60th
1907-1909
1
1
-
61st
1909-1911
1
1
-
62nd
1911-1913
1
1
-
63rd
1913-1915
1
1
-
64th
1915-1917
1
1
-
65th
1917-1919
1
1
-
66th
1919-1921
1
1
-
67th
1921-1923
1
1
-
68th-84th
1923-1957
-
-
-
85th
1957-1961
1
1
-
86th
1959-1961
3
2
1
87th
1961-1963
3
2
1
88th
1963-1965
3
1
2
89th
1965-1967
4
2
2
90th
1967-1969
4
2
2
91st
1969-1971
4
2
2
92nd
1971-1973
4
2
2
93rd
1973-1975
5
3
2
94th
1975-1977
6
4
2
95th
1977-1979
6
3
3
96th
1979-1981
7
4
3
97th
1981-1983
8
5
3
98th
1983-1985
7
5
2
99th
1985-1987
7
5
2
100th
1987-1989
8
6a
2

CRS-17
Total in
Congress
Years
House
Senate
Congress
101st
1989-1991
9
6b
3
102nd
1991-1993
7
5
2
103rd
1993-1995
9
7c
2
104th
1995-1997
9
7d
2
105th
1997-1999
8
6
2
106th
1999-2001
8
6
2
107th
2001-2003
9
7e
2
108th
2003-2005
7
5
2
a. Del. Fofo Iosefa Fiti Sunia resigned on Sept. 6, 1988.
b. Although six Asian Pacific Americans were elected to the House in the 101st Congress, only
five served at any one time. Representative Patsy Mink (who had previously served in
the 89th-94th Congresses) did not become a member of the House again until Sept. 1990,
when she was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Daniel K. Akaka.
Senator Akaka had been appointed to the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death
of Spark Matsunaga.
c. Rep. Robert C. Scott is African American with Filipino heritage.
d. Rep. Norman Yoshio Mineta resigned on Oct. 10, 1995.
e. Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink died on Sept. 28, 2002. She was posthumously elected to the
108th Congress on Nov. 5, 2002.

CRS-18
Table 4. Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands,
60th-79th Congresses (1907-1946)
Congress
Dates
Resident Commissioners
60th
1907-1909
Benito Y Tuason Legardaa
Pablo Ocampoa
61st
1909-1911
Benito Y Tuason Legarda
Pablo Ocampob
Manuel Luis Quezonc
62nd
1911-1913
Benito Y Tuason Legarda
Manuel Luis Quezon
63rd
1913-1915
Manuel Luis Quezon
Manuel Earnshaw
64th
1915-1917
Manuel Luis Quezond
Manuel Earnshaw
65th
1917-1919
Jaime Carlos de Veyra
Teodoro Rafael Yangco
66th
1919-1921
Jaime Carlos de Veyra
Teodoro Rafael Yangcoe
Isauro Gabaldonf
67th
1921-1923
Jaime Carlos de Veyra
Isauro Gabaldon
68th
1923-1925
Isauro Gabaldon
Pedro Guevara
69th
1925-1927
Isauro Gabaldon
Pedro Guevara
70th
1927-1929
Isauro Gabaldong
Pedro Guevara
71st
1929-1931
Pedro Guevara
Camilo Osias
72nd
1931-1933
Pedro Guevara
Camilo Osias
73rd
1933-1935
Pedro Guevara
Camilo Osias
74th
1935-1937
Pedro Guevarah
Francisco Afan Delgadoh
Quintin Paredesi
75th
1937-1939
Quintin Paredesj
Joaquin Miguel Elizaldek
76th
1939-1941
Joaquin Miguel Elizalde

CRS-19
Congress
Dates
Resident Commissioners
77th
1941-1943
Joaquin Miguel Elizalde
78th
1943-1945
Joaquin Miguel Elizaldel
Carlos Pena Romulom
79th
1945-1947
Carlos Pena Romulon
Note: The Philippine Islands were part of territory ceded to the United States by Spain under
the Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898. The Act of July 1902 granted the Philippine
Islands the right to elect two Resident Commissioners to the United States. In 1935, the
Philippine Islands became the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the number of Resident
Commissioners was reduced from two to one. In 1946, the Philippines became fully
independent, and the office of the Resident Commissioner was terminated.
a. Elected Nov. 22, 1907, for a term of two years; granted the privileges of the floor of the
House of Representatives, with the right of debate, Feb. 4, 1908.
b. Term expired Nov. 22, 1909.
c. Elected for a term of two years beginning Nov. 23, 1909.
d. Resigned Oct. 15, 1916; vacancy throughout the remainder of 64th Congress.
e. Term expired Mar. 3, 1920.
f. Elected for a term of three years beginning Mar. 4, 1920.
g. Resigned July 16, 1928, having been nominated for election to the Philippine House of
Representatives; vacancy throughout the remainder of the 70th Congress.
h. When the new government of the Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands was
inaugurated, the terms of office of the Resident Commissioners of the Philippine
Islands expired. Both Resident Commissioners served until Feb. 14, 1936, when a
selected successor qualified (48 Stat. 456). Under this law, the number of Resident
Commissioners was reduced from two to one.
i. Appointed Dec. 21, 1935, to fill vacancy caused by the expiration of the terms of Pedro
Guevara and Francisco A. Delgado, due to the new form of government, and took his
seat on Feb. 14, 1936.
j. Resigned Sept. 29, 1938.
k. Appointed Sept. 29, 1938, to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Quintin Paredes;
service began on Jan. 3, 1939, upon convening of 76th Congress.
l. Resigned Aug. 9, 1944.
m. Appointed to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Joaquin M. Elizalde, and
succeeded him on Aug. 21, 1944.
n. Office of Resident Commissioner terminated on July 4, 1946.