CALL TO ACTION -- estimated chance of success is 99.9%,
if you get involved!
On May 26 Repts. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Judy Biggert (R-IL) introduced
a bipartisan resolution (not a bill) expressing regret for six decades of
legislation targeting the Chinese people for physical and political
exclusion, including the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act. It is known
as House Resolution 282. A parallel bipartisan Senate Resolution
201 was also introduced by Sens. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Scott Brown
(R-MA).
On May 28, Cong. Chu asked 80-20 to help secured co-sponsors of both
resolutions. This "Call To Action" is to ask YOU to help secure co-
sponsorship from your own Congressperson.
80-20 never asks our supporters to do anything which it doesn't do itself.
So, we first spent the last 6 days securing co-sponsors ourselves. Result? A
complete success! The ENTIRE congressional delegation of Delaware, the
First State, became co-sponsors. Senator Tom Carper & Christ Coons
are co-sponsoring S. Res. 201. Delaware's one and only Congressman,
John Carney, co-sponsors H. Res. 282. When S.B. wrote to thank each,
Senator Tom Carper emailed back and said, "S.B. you are welcome, but
it is we who should thank you. All the best. Tom"
Will you please work with 80-20 to become a successful lobbyist of your
own Congressperson? It'll be educational and fun. :-)
1) Click on http://www.congressmerge.com/
Click on your state, then click on the "Contact Form" to the right of
Your Congressperson's name. Fill out the info that is required by your
Rept. You are ready to email the following.
2) Use your own words but state something as shown below:
"I am an Asian American, and I urge you to co-sponsor the bipartisan
H. Res. 282. For background information, please find the research
done by Mr. Harlan Geer on S. Res. 201, at the request of Sen. Carper
of DE, which is almost identical to S.R. 282. Sen. Carper is now a co-
sponsor of H.R. 201.
'Dear Senator Carper:
I am following up on Mr. Woo’s request that you cosponsor Senate
Resolution 201. . . . . Here is some background on this issue:
Starting in 1882, Congress passed a series of discriminatory anti-
Chinese laws, most notably the Chinese Exclusion Act. This bill barred
anyone 1000 of Chinese descent from immigrating to America. This was
the first federal law barring any race or ethnicity of people from
immigrating to the United States. The original bill barred anyone from
China immigrating for 10 years, while an amendment passed two years
later barred immigration of any person of Chinese descent, regardless
of whether they are immigrating from China or any other country. A
bill in 1892 extended this ban another 10 years, while a bill in 1902
extended this ban indefinitely. (emphasis added by S. B. Woo) After 41
years, Congress repealed the ban in 1943, coinciding with the Chinese
allying with the US during World War II. Congress never passed a bill
or resolution expressing regret or apologizing for the original ban.
Recommendation:
. . you should cosponsor S. Res 201. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion laws
unfairly targeted people of Chinese origin and descent on the basis of
anti-Chinese prejudices and for no other reason. . . . Harlan'
Please co-sponsor H Res 282. All Chinese Americans, perhaps all Asian
Americans since we are mostly in the same boat, in your district
will thank you! Please be so kind as to let me know of your decision.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Yours full name.
Title (if you have an impressive title, use it & add (title
is for identification purposes only))]"
3) Copy and Paste item 2 onto the window for your "message."
4) After you have e-mailed your congressman, let me know his or her name,
party affiliation, state, and Congressional District number.
Congratulations, you are now a lobbyist! :) Let me know when your
Congressperson replies to tell you whether to co-sponsor or not. Do NOT
forward me his/her form reply.
You are DONE! Step by step, we become full-fledged US citizens --
upholding all our responsibilities and demanding our full rights.
Want to keep an org. like the 80-20 alive? Using a credit card, go to
http://www.80-20initiative.net or send your check to
80-20 PAC P.O. Box 603 Osprey, FL 34229.
Respectfully yours,
S. B. Woo, a volunteer, 80-20 PAC, Inc
http://www.80-20initiative.net
P.Ss.
(1) The following are already co-sponsors to the best of 80-20's knowledge:
H.R. 282: Judy Chu (D, CA-32), Judy Biggert (R, IL-13), John Carney
(D, DE-1), Mike Coffman (R, CO-06), and Dana Rohrabacher (R, CA-46)
S.R. 201: Scott Brown (R-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Orrin Hatch
(R-UT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Daniel
Akaka (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Chris Coons (D-DE)
(2) 80-20 also wants to thank leaders of Project 1882 who might have
initiated and helped form the idea of getting our Congress to express regret.
THANK YOU, Michael Lin and others. :) :)
