Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress

Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress

Order Code 97-398 GOV
Asian Pacific Americans in the
United States Congress
Updated June 23, 2008
Lorraine H. Tong
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division

Asian Pacific Americans in
the United States Congress
Summary
Nine Asian Pacific Americans served in the first session of the 110th Congress:
two Senators, six Representatives, and one Delegate. With the resignation of one
Representative at the beginning of the second session, eight Asian Pacific Americans
currently serve in the 110th Congress. Of the 36 Asian Pacific Americans who have
served in the United States Congress from 1903 to the present, there have been five
Senators (three have also served in the House), 15 Representatives, six territorial
Delegates, and 13 Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands. Resident
Commissioners served from 1907-1946 while the Philippines was a U.S. territory and
commonwealth (all were Philippine born). The ancestry of these Asian Pacific
Americans has included Chinese, Chamorro, Filipino, Asian Indian, Japanese,
Korean, Native Hawaiian, and Samoan. Of the 23 Asian Pacific Americans, 16 were
Democrats and 7 were Republicans.
Asian Pacific Americans have served in both houses of Congress representing
California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon, Virginia, American Samoa, and Guam. They
have served in leadership positions, including committee and subcommittee
chairmanships. This report presents information on Senators, Representatives, and
Delegates, including party affiliations, length and dates of service, and committee
assignments. It will be updated in each new Congress when information becomes
available, or as events warrant.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Background and Previous Occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Leadership in Committees and Subcommittees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tables and Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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-110th Congresses (1903-2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Table 2. Number of Asian Pacific American Members and Delegates
by State and Territory, 58th-110th Congresses (1903-2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Table 3. Number of Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the U.S. Congress, 58th-110th Congresses (1903-2009) . . 19
Table 4. Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands,
60th-79th Congresses (1907-1946) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Asian Pacific Americans in
the United States Congress
Introduction
Nine Asian Pacific Americans served in the first session of the 110th Congress:
two Senators, six Representatives, and one Delegate. With the resignation of one
Representative1 at the beginning of the second session, eight Asian Pacific Americans
currently serve in the 110th Congress. Standard sources identify a total of 36 Asian
Pacific Americans elected to Congress from 1903 to the present.2 Their ancestry has
included Chinese, Chamorro, Filipino, Asian Indian, Japanese, Korean, Native
Hawaiian, and Samoan.3 There have been five Senators (three who also served in the
House), 15 Representatives, and six Delegates. Eighteen Asian Pacific Americans
have served only in the House, 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). Sixteen Asian Pacific Americans have been
Democrats, and seven have been Republicans. Nine is the highest number of Asian
Pacific Americans who have served at any one time. These Asian Pacific Americans
have represented California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon, Virginia, American Samoa,
and Guam. Eight Asian Pacific Americans have represented Hawaii, and seven have
represented California. There were also 13 Resident Commissioners from the
1 Rep. Bobby Jindal resigned on January 14, 2008, and was sworn in as governor of
Louisiana on the same day. He is the nation’s first Indian-American to be elected governor.
2 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. As promulgated by the U.S.
Office of Management and Budget, the official terms to be used in designating these
Americans for federal reporting purposes are “Asians” and “Native Hawaiians and other
Pacific Islanders.” U.S. Office of Management and Budget, “Revisions to the Standards for
the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity,” Federal Register, vol. 62, no.
210, October 30, 1997, pp. 58782-58790.
3 Sen. Daniel K. Akaka is Native Hawaiian and also Chinese American; Representative
Robert Scott (D-VA) is African American with Filipino heritage; Delegate Robert
Underwood (D-Guam) is Chamorro and also Hispanic.

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Philippine Islands elected to the United States Congress from 1907 to 1946 (all were
born in the Philippines).4
The first Asian Pacific American Member of Congress was Representative
Dalip Singh Saund (D-CA), an immigrant from India who served in 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.
Senator Inouye, a Member of the 110th 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.
There have been only four Asian Pacific American women who have served in
Congress. Representative Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a freshman Member, joins
Representative Doris O. Matsui5 (D-CA) in the 110th Congress. The other two were
Representative Patsy T. Mink (D-HI), the first Asian Pacific American woman to be
elected to Congress, and Representative Patricia Fukuda Saiki (R-HI).
Background and Previous Occupations
Many of the Asian Pacific Americans have had similar educational and
professional backgrounds. Eight have been educators, including two high school
principals, two college professors, and two presidents of a state college and a
4 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 February 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.
5 Rep. Doris Matsui won a special election on March 8, 2005, to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of her husband Rep. Robert T. Matsui (D-CA), who had been elected to the 109th
Congress, on January 1, 2005.

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university system. Nine have held law degrees or practiced law; two have also been
judges. Many have held elected state or local offices before seeking a congressional
seat: nine have served in state legislatures, two were lieutenant governors, and two
have been mayors.
Ten Asian Pacific Americans have military experience, including two who
served in other than the U.S. armed forces. One was a brigadier general. Some were
decorated war veterans, including one Medal of Honor recipient.
Leadership in Committees and Subcommittees
Three Asian Pacific Americans have chaired committees — Senators Inouye6
and Akaka7 and Representative Norman Y. Mineta.8 Eight Asian Pacific Americans
have chaired subcommittees — Senators Inouye, Akaka, and Matsunaga;9
Representatives Jay C. Kim,10 Norman Y. Mineta, Robert C. Scott, David Wu; and
Delegate Eni F. H. Faleomavaega. In addition, Representative Robert T. Matsui
served as acting chair of a subcommittee.
In the 110th Congress, several Asian Pacific Americans chair committees and
subcommittees. In the Senate, Senator Inouye is chair of the Commerce, Science,
and Transportation Committee and the chair of the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Defense. Senator Akaka chairs the Veterans’ Affairs Committee
6 In the 107th Congress, when the Democrats gained the majority in the Senate in June 2001,
Senator Inouye became chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs. He also assumed the chair
of the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and the chair of the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications.
Senator Inouye was the first chair 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 the following Senate subcommittees: 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).
7 Also in June of 2001, Sen. Akaka became chairman of three subcommittees: the Senate
Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, the Energy and
Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation,
and the Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and
Federal Services.
8 Rep. Mineta 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).
9 Sen. Matsunaga was chair of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Tourism and Sugar
(1977-1980).
10 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.

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and also chairs three subcommittees: the Armed Services Subcommittee on
Readiness and Management Support; the Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal
Workforce, and the District of Columbia; and the Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittee on National Parks.
In the House, Representative Scott is chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee
on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. Representative Wu11 is chair of the
House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, and
Delegate Faleomavaega is chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia,
the Pacific, and the Global Environment.
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
The bicameral and bipartisan 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, Delegate Robert
Underwood was vice chair of the caucus, and Senator Akaka served as secretary of
the caucus. In the 106th Congress, Delegate 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 first session of the 108th Congress, Representatives Wu and Honda continued
as chair and vice chair, respectively. In the second session, Representative Honda
became chair, Delegate Faleomavaega became vice chair, Delegate Madeleine
Bordallo became secretary, and Representative Ed Case became whip. In the 109th
Congress, Representatives Honda and Case and Delegates Faleomavaega and
Bordallo were all re-elected to the same positions.
In the 110th Congress, Representative Honda and Delegates Faleomavaega and
Bordallo continue in their 109th Congress positions. The CAPAC Executive Board
members are: Senators Akaka and Inouye, and Representatives Neil Abercrombie,
Xavier Becerra, Doris Matsui, Mazie Hirono, Al Green, Robert Scott, and David Wu.
CAPAC formed seven task forces: Civil Rights, Education, Health, Housing and
Economic Development Priorities, Hurricane Katrina and Rita: Disaster Preparedness
and Relief, Immigration, and Women’s Issues. Membership to the caucus is not
11 Rep. Wu is the first Chinese American to represent a district on the U.S. mainland.

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restricted to those of Asian Pacific heritage; the caucus is open to all Members of
Congress.12
Tables and Data
This report also provides a list of selected biographical information about 23
Asian Pacific American Members and Delegates, and their committee assignments
during their tenure. Four tables summarize information about the 36 Asian Pacific
Americans who have served in Congress. Table 1 shows the Congress, the dates,
and the name of the Members and Delegates who served in the House and Senate.
Table 2 shows the state or territory, the number of Members and Delegates elected
from the state or territory, and their names. Table 3 reflects the Congress, years,
total number of Members and Delegates, and the number of Members and Delegates
in the House and Senate. Finally, Table 4 lists Resident Commissioners from the
Philippine Islands, the Congresses in which they served, and the dates of their
service.
Sources for the information on Asian Pacific Americans presented in this report
included the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-present
available at [http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp]; 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 Official Alphabetical List of the House of
Representatives of the United States, various editions of the Congressional Yellow
Book (a publication of Leadership Directories, Inc.), information on Member
websites, 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.
12 For more information on CAPAC, see [http://honda.house.gov/capac].

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Alphabetical Listing of Asian Pacific
American Members and Delegates, Selected
Biographical Information, and Committee
Assignments During Their Tenure in Office13
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, 2000, and 2006; 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. Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
*
S. Indian Affairs
*
S. Veterans’ Affairs, Chair
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-110th Congresses; has served since
January 3, 1989.
Committee Assignments
H. Interior and Insular Affairs
H. Education and Labor
*
H. Foreign Affairs
*
H. Natural Resources

H. Small Business
13 Asterisks indicate current committee assignments.

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FONG, HIRAM LEONG. Republican; a Senator from Hawaii. Born on October
15, 1906; died on August 18, 2004. 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
HIRONO, MAZIE KEIKO. Democrat; a Representative from Hawaii. Born on
November 3, 1947. Elected to the 110th Congress; has served since January 3, 2007.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Education and Labor
*
H. Small Business
*
H. Transportation and Infrastructure
HONDA, MICHAEL M. Democrat; a Representative from California. Born on
June 27, 1941. Elected to the 107th - 110th Congresses; has served since January 3,
2001. He served as regional whip for the 107th and 108th Congresses. In the 110th
Congress, he was named Democratic senior whip.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Appropriations
H. Budget
H. Science and Technology
H. Transportation and Infrastructure

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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, 1998, and 2004; has served in the Senate since January 3, 1963.
He served as assistant majority whip from 1975 to 1976 and deputy Democratic whip
from 1981 to 1986. From 1977 to 1988, he was secretary of the Senate Democratic
Conference. From 1989 to 1994, he chaired the Democratic Steering Committee.
Committee Assignments
H. Agriculture
H. Banking and Currency
S. Armed Services
S. District of Columbia
S. Public Works
Joint Committee on the Library
*
Joint Committee on Printing
*
S. Appropriations
*
S. Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chair
*
S. Indian Affairs (chair in previous Congresses)
*
S. Rules and Administration
S. Select Committee on Intelligence, chair
Select Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and Nicaragua
Opposition (Iran-Contra Committee), Senate chair
JINDAL, Bobby. Republican; a Representative from Louisiana. Born on June 10,
1971. Elected to the 109th and 110th Congresses; served from January 3, 2005 until
his resignation on January 14, 2008. In the 109th Congress, he was elected
Republican freshman class president. He served as assistant majority whip in the
109th Congress, and as assistant minority whip in the first session of the 110th
Congress. Elected to be governor of Louisiana; sworn in on January 14, 2008.
Committee Assignments
H. Education and the Workforce
H. Homeland Security
H. Natural Resources

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

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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. He was
Republican sophomore class whip in the 104th Congress.
Committee Assignments
H. Small Business
H. International Relations
H. Transportation and Infrastructure
MATSUI, Doris Okada. Democrat; a Representative from California. Born on
September 25, 1944. Elected to the 109th Congress in a special election on March 8,
2005, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband, Representative Robert
T. Matsui; re-elected to the 110th Congress; has served since March 8, 2005.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Energy and Commerce
*
H. Ru
les
H. Transportation and Infrastructure
H. Science and Technology
MATSUI, ROBERT TAKEO. Democrat; a Representative from California. Born
on September 17, 1941; died on January 1, 2005. Elected to the 96th-109th
Congresses; served from January 3, 1979, to January 1, 2005. He served and was
majority whip at large from 1987 to 1994 and served as minority whip at large from
1995 to 2003, and as minority whip at large in the 108th Congress.
Committee Assignments
H. Budget
H. Government Operations
H. Interstate and Foreign Commerce
H. Judiciary
H. Ways and Means

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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. He served as chief deputy majority whip
from 1979 to 1980 and chief deputy minority whip from 1981 to 1986, and from
1987 to 1988 he was chief deputy majority whip.
Committee Assignments
H. Agriculture
H. Post Office and Civil Service
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, sworn in as U.S. Secretary
of Transportation on January 25, 2001, served until July 7, 2006. He was a majority
whip at large from 1977 to 1981, deputy majority whip from 1982 to 1994, and
deputy minority whip in 1995. He 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. He was nominated to a second Cabinet post and was sworn in as U.S.
Secretary of Transportation on January 25, 2001, and continued in that post in the
second term until July 7, 2006. He has the distinction of being the longest serving
secretary in the history of the Department of Transportation.
Committee Assignments
H. Budget
H. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
H. Post Office and Civil Service
H. Public Works and Transportation, chair
H. Science and Technology

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MINK, PATSY TAKEMOTO. Democrat; a Representative from Hawaii. Born
December 6, 1927; died on September 28, 2002. 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. She served as secretary of the Democratic
Caucus from 1975 to 1977, minority regional whip from 1997 to1998, and served as
minority whip at large from 2001 until her death in September 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, and confirmed by the Senate on March 21,
1991, to be administrator of the Small Business Administration after leaving
Congress.
Committee Assignments
H. Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
H. Merchant Marines and Fisheries
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

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SCOTT, ROBERT CORTEZ. Democrat; a Representative from Virginia. Born
on April 30, 1947. An African American with Filipino heritage. Elected to the 103rd
- 110th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1993.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Budget
*
H. Education and Labor
*
H. Judiciary
H. Science, Space, and Technology
H. U.S. National Security and Military Commercial
Concerns with the People’s Republic of China
SUNIA, FOFÓ 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; was not a candidate for
the 108th Congress; served from January 3, 1993, to January 3, 1993; unsuccessful
candidate for governor of Guam. In the 105th Congress, he served as a deputy whip
for the Democratic Study Group of the House Democratic Caucus, and also served
as Democratic Caucus whip at large for the 105th and 106th Congresses.
Committee Assignments
H. Education and Labor
H. Armed Services
H. Resources
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

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WU, DAVID. Democrat; Representative from Oregon.14 Born on April 8, 1955.
Elected to the 106th -110th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1999. I n t h e
106th Congress, he served as Democratic freshman class president for the period July-
December 2000.
Committee Assignments
*
H. Education and Labor
*
H. Foreign Affairs
*
H. Science and Technology
14 Rep. Wu is the first Chinese American to represent a district on the U.S. mainland.

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Table 1. Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the 58th-110th Congresses
(1903-2009)
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

CRS-15
Congress
Dates
House
Senate
97th 1981-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa
1983
Robert Takeo Matsui
Daniel Ken Inouye
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Spark Masayuki
Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia
Matsunaga
Antonio Borja Won Pat
98th 1983-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
1985
Robert Takeo Matsui
Spark Masayuki
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Matsunaga
Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia
Antonio Borja Won Pat
99th 1985-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
1987
Ben Garrido Blaz
Spark Masayuki
Robert Takeo Matsui
Matsunaga
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia
100th 1987-
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Daniel Ken Inouye
1989
Ben Garrido Blaz
Spark Masayuki
Robert Takeo Matsui
Matsunaga
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Patricia Fukuda Saiki
Fofó Iosefa Fiti Suniab
101st 1989-
Ben Garrido Blaz
Daniel Kahikina Akakac
1991
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Spark Masayuki
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Matsunaga
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 Cortez Scottd
Robert Anacletus
Underwood

CRS-16
Congress
Dates
House
Senate
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 Cortez Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood
105th 1997-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
1999
Jay C. Kim
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsui
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Robert Cortez Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood
106th
1999-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2001
Robert Takeo Matsui
Daniel Ken Inouye
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Robert Cortez 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 Cortez Scott
Robert Anacletus Underwood
David Wu
108th 2003-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2005
Michael M. Honda
Daniel Ken Inouye
Robert Takeo Matsuig
Robert Cortez Scott
David Wu
109th
2005-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2007
Michael M. Honda
Daniel Ken Inouye
Bobby Jindal
Doris Okada Matsuih
Robert Cortez Scott
David Wu
110th
2007-
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
2009
Mazie Keiko Hirono
Daniel Ken Inouye
Michael M. Honda
Bobby Jindali
Doris Okada Matsuih
Robert Cortez Scott
David Wu
a. Del. Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole died on January 7, 1922.

CRS-17
b. Del. Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia resigned on September 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 April 15, 1990. Subsequently, he
was elected to the Senate in November 1990.
d. Rep. Robert C. Scott is African American with Filipino heritage.
e. Rep. Norman Yoshio Mineta resigned on October 10, 1995.
f. Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink died on September 28, 2002.
g. Rep. Robert Takeo Matsui died on January 1, 2005.
h. Rep. Doris Okada Matsui won a special election on March 8, 2005, to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of her husband, Rep. Robert Matsui, and was sworn in on March 10, 2005. Although
Rep. Robert Matsui was elected to the 109th Congress, he died on January 1, 2005.
i. Rep. Bobby Jindal resigned on January 14, 2008; sworn in as governor of Louisiana on the same
day.

CRS-18
Table 2. Number of Asian Pacific American
Members and Delegates by State and Territory,
58th-110th Congresses (1903-2009)
State or
Number Elected
Name
Territory
California
7
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa
Michael M. Honda
Jay C. Kim
Robert Takeo Matsui
Doris Okada Matsui
Norman Yoshio Mineta
Dalip Singh Saund
Hawaii
8
Daniel Kahikina Akaka
Mazie Keiko Hirono
Daniel Ken Inouye
Hiram Leong Fong
Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Patricia Fukuda Saiki
Louisiana
1
Bobby Jindal
Oregon
1
David Wu
Virginia
1
Robert Cortez Scotta
American
2
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega
Samoa
Fofó 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-19
Table 3. Number of Asian Pacific American Members
and Delegates in the U.S. Congress,
58th-110th Congresses (1903-2009)
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-20
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
109th 2005-2007
8
6f
2
110th 2007-2009
9
[8]g
7[6]g
2
a. Del. Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia resigned on September 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 September
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 October 10, 1995.
e. Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink died on September 28, 2002. She was posthumously elected to
the 108th Congress on November 5, 2002.
f. Rep. Doris Okada Matsui won a special election on March 8, 2005, to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of her husband, Rep. Robert Matsui, and was sworn in on March 10, 2005.
Although Rep. Robert Matsui was elected to the 109th Congress, he died on January 1,
2005.
g. The number in brackets reflects the resignation of Rep. Bobby Jindal on January 14, 2008;
he was sworn in as governor of Louisiana on the same day.

CRS-21
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 Aan Delgadoh
Quintin Paradesi
75th 1937-1939
Quintin
Paradesj
Joaquin Miguel Elizaldek
76th
1939-1941
Joaquin Miguel Elizalde
77th
1941-1943
Joaquin Miguel Elizalde

CRS-22
Congress
Dates
Resident Commissioners
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 November 22, 1907, for a term of two years; granted the privileges of the floor of
the House of Representatives, with the right of debate, February 4, 1908.
b. Term expired November 22, 1909.
c. Elected for a term of two years beginning November 23, 1909.
d. Resigned October 15, 1916; vacancy throughout the remainder of 64th Congress.
e. Term expired March 3, 1920.
f. Elected for a term of three years beginning March 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 February 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 December 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 February 14, 1936.
j. Resigned September 29, 1938.
k. Appointed September 29, 1938, to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Quintin Paredes;
service began on January 3, 1939, upon convening of 76th Congress.
l. Resigned August 9, 1944.
m. Appointed to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Joaquin M. Elizalde, and
succeeded him on August 21, 1944.
n. Office of Resident Commissioner terminated on July 4, 1946.