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About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil liberties.


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NCVA eREPORTER - February 8, 2005

In this NCVA eReporter:

Events

Funding Opportunities

Jobs/Internships

Tips/Resources

News

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EVENTS

SIXTH ANNUAL BENEFIT CONCERT FOR VIETNAM YOUTH

The Amador Theater will host an afternoon of music at the annual Children's Benefit Concert on March 6, 2005. This will be the sixth consecutive year that this benefit concert has been held, and all proceeds will support children in need in Vietnam.  The concert features classical, Vietnamese traditional, and jazz performances by clarinetist and former Cal State Hayward music department head Bill Wohlmacher, pianist Priscilla Granger, members of the Viet Spring Folk Ensemble, and the Just Friends jazz band.  David Louie from ABC7 will be emceeing the event.

In October 1998 at the age of ten, Chi Nguyen began raising money with her sister Truc for her parents' homeland, Vietnam, by organizing five benefit concerts and by selling homemade almond toffee and Chi's personal collection of Beanie Babies.  These events have attracted wide support from Bay Area residents.  In both her first trip to Vietnam in 1999 and her most recent trip last summer, Chi visited a street children's shelter in Can Tho, where her funds have been sent to help provide clothing, meals, literacy classes, and basic medical needs for more than 100 street children.  The children's resilience and strength touched her very deeply and inspired her to work harder to promote Vietnamese children's welfare.  Chi's ongoing effort for children in Vietnam has been recognized by several organizations, including Target, the Tiger Woods Foundation, and NetAid.  Together with Tiger Woods, Chi has been featured on national television and newspaper advertisements promoting her cause and Target's programs.  Chi has also been interviewed by CNN, CNN International, NBC11, National Public Radio (KQED), the New York Times Upfront, and KCBS.

Chi's goal with this concert is to continue helping the street children in Can Tho and to extend her efforts to children in other locations in Vietnam.

What: Sixth Annual Children's Benefit Concert

Who: Chi and Truc Nguyen; professional musicians: clarinetist Bill Wohlmacher and pianist Priscilla Granger;  members of the Viet Spring Folk Ensemble: My-Thuan Tran, Song-My Tran, Thuy-An Tran, and Audry Quynh-An Ngo; Just Friends jazz band musicians; and emcee David Louie from ABC7

When: March 6, 2005, at 2:00 pm

Where: Amador Theater (on the Amador Valley High School campus) 1155 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton

Why: To raise money for the street children of the city of Can Tho, Vietnam.  All proceeds will be donated to VNHELP (Viet Nam Health Education and Literature Projects at www.vnhelp.org), a non-profit organization helping children and communities in Vietnam

Tickets: Admission $9, available at Towne Center Books (Pleasanton, 925-846-8826), Camerata Music (Dublin, 925-828-1011), House of Woodwinds (San Ramon, 925-831-8341), VNHELP office (San Jose, 408-885-1791), and at the door.

For more information:  Contact (925) 275-9250
Email: worldinterchange@gmail.com
Website: www.worldinterchange.net

It all started in October 1998, when 10-year-old Chi Nguyen held a sale of her personal collection of Beanie Babies and homemade almond toffee to help children in her parents' home country of Vietnam. Expecting to raise just $200 from her Bay Area neighbors, she ended the day with more than five times that amount.

Capitalizing on her talent as a pianist and the musical skills of her older sister and friends, Chi organized full-scale concerts that garnered support and attention, and raised funds to help the street children of Can Tho. Working with the organization Viet Nam Health Education and Literature Projects (VNHELP), her efforts have raised $31,000 to provide clothing, meals, literacy classes and basic medical needs for more than 100 orphans.

At the age of 16, Chi is already a veteran of promoting children's rights, but her drive to do more to help children in Vietnam won't let her rest. "I now have a dream of organizing a very large benefit gala event to raise (more money) for Vietnam next year," she explains. "I know that each of these children deserves an opportunity for a better life, and I firmly believe that education will broaden their possibilities."

Contact:
Chi Nguyen
Tel: (925) 275-9250
Email: worldinterchange@gmail.com

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GRANTWRITING WORKSHOP OFFERED

Great Grant Proposals Workshop

In this two-session class, co-sponsored by Writing for Community Success and Media Alliance, participants will learn to sell their organizations and programs to foundation and corporate funders with a well-crafted grant proposal. The class includes extensive handouts, discussions, hands-on exercises, homework, and personalized feedback, plus an optional email follow-up review. Other important tips for getting proposals funded will also be discussed. The workshop sessions will be held on Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday, March 31, in San Francisco, CA. Visit the above website to register.

(http://store.yahoo.com/media-alliance/adcoa.html)

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 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

DOLLAR GENERAL LITERACY FOUNDATION OFFERS SUPPORT FOR ADULT AND FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS

Deadline: April 8, 2005

Since 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has increased the functional literacy of adults by providing grants to nonprofit organizations dedicated to the advancement of literacy. The foundation funds nonprofit programs designed to serve adults or families in need of literacy services.

Nonprofit organizations are invited to submit applications in one of the two following program areas: 1) Literacy instruction for adults, including Adult Basic Education, GED preparation, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL); or 2) Family literacy. Note: Organizations can only submit an application in one program area.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards grants in the amount of $15,000 or less (with $15,000 as the exception). The funds available through the foundation are dispersed throughout Dollar General's thirty-state market area based on the quality of proposals submitted. For fiscal year 2005-06, the foundation will award a minimum of $1 million in grants through its annual RFP process to qualifying nonprofit literacy providers.

The program is open to organizations that are recognized as nonprofit charitable entities with 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service; provide literacy-based programs and services to adults or families in the thirty states where Dollar General stores are located; have not received a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation more than once in the last two years; and have met all reporting requirements from their most recent Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant.

(http://www.dollargeneral.com/community/dgliteracy.aspx)

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NELLIE MAE FOUNDATION SEEKS NEW ENGLAND APPLICANTS FOR PARTNERSHIPS FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS GRANT PROGRAM

Deadline: March 1, 2005

The Nellie Mae Foundation ( http://nelliemaefoundation.org ) has announced a Request for Applications for the second cycle of the College Prep initiative's Partnerships for College Success program.

The College Prep initiative focuses on increasing the number of underserved students in New England who, through effective university-school partnerships, are prepared for admission and success in college. Beacuse three Massachusetts partnerships are already participating in the program, applications for this cycle are invited from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Applications are invited from existing college/university and high school partnerships that are designed to improve student achievement, college preparation, access, and attainment for all students. Partnerships for College Success is focused on college/university-school partnerships that serve low-income, minority, and potential first-generation college-going students.

Eligible applicants must be four-year colleges or universities in a highly collaborative partnership with a school serving grades 7-12 or 9-12.

The foundation plans to invite two additional college-school partnerships to join the program in 2005. Grants are for up to $150,000. Annual grants will be renewable for up to five years.

(http://www.nmefdn.org/initiatives/collegeprep/index.htm?i=2)

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ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR INVESTIGATOR AWARDS IN HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH PROGRAM

Deadline: April 1, 2005 (Letters of Intent)

The Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ( http://www.rwjf.org/ ), funds highly qualified individuals ready to undertake broad studies of America's most challenging policy issues in health and healthcare.

Grants of up to $275,000 are awarded to investigators from a variety of disciplines. Up to ten awards will be made in this grant cycle. Successful proposals combine creative and conceptual thinking with innovative approaches to critical health problems and policy issues. Previously funded projects have explored a range of topics, including health risk and disease prevention, the determinants of health and disparities among population groups, adolescent violence, firearms and tobacco policies, the effects of managed care, the patient-provider relationship, medical technology, patient safety, the policy-making process, and public and private financing programs.

Applicants must be affiliated either with educational institutions or with 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in the United States. Applications are welcomed from investigators in fields such as anthropology, business, demography, economics, engineering, ethics, genetics, health and social policy, history, journalism, law, medicine, nursing, political science, public health, psychology, science policy, social work, and sociology. The program seeks a diverse group of applicants, including members of minority groups and individuals in nonacademic settings.

(http://www.rwjf.org/applying/cfpDetail.jsp?cfpCode=IHP&type=open)

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SERVICE GRANTS TO BE AWARDED TO NEW ENGLAND NONPROFIT BY AXON DESIGN AND MARKETING

Deadline: Rolling, until September 15, 2005

Axon Design and Marketing ( http://www.axondm.com/ ), a graphic design and marketing firm based in Portland, Maine, is offering $20,000 in pro bono service grants to New England nonprofits over the next year.

One $5,000 grant per quarter will be awarded to a non-profit organization.

Axon services include marketing and design consulting, Web and print design, and Web development. In 2004, five grants were awarded to the following: Camp Sunshine, Hartford Food System, the New Haven Manufacturers Association, the Maine Math and Science Alliance, and Dress for Success New Hampshire. Projects included an endowment campaign brochure, a database-driven Web site, corporate identity and brand development consulting, and a brochure.

Applications will be accepted from February 1 through September 15. Grants will be awarded on a rolling quarterly basis.

(http://www.axondm.com/npgrant/)

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AWARDS SOCIAL SERVICE COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN FAITH-BASED AND SECULAR ORGANIZATIONS

Faith and Service Technical Education Network: Partners in Transformation Awards Program

The Faith and Service Technical Education Network (FASTEN) offers informational resources and networking opportunities to faith-based practitioners, private philanthropies, and public administrators who seek to collaborate effectively to renew urban communities. FASTEN's Partners in Transformation Awards Program provides awards to faith-based nonprofits and houses of worship operating effective social service programs in collaboration with organizations outside the faith community such as schools, police, government agencies, Chambers of Commerce, secular foundations or nonprofits. Eligible social service programs include, but are not limited to, educational programs, mentoring programs, job training and placement, substance abuse treatment, homeless services, affordable housing, criminal justice programs, and teen pregnancy prevention efforts. Faith-based nonprofit organizations or houses of worship/congregations with annual budgets of less than $5 million throughout Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas are eligible to apply. Round one applications are due April 1, 2005. Five to ten semi-finalists from each of the ten states will each be awarded $100 and each state winner will receive a $5,000 cash award.

(http://www.fastennetwork.org)

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SUPPORT FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION

ING Foundation

The ING Foundation's primary goal is to educate the public on becoming financially independent through increased understanding and comfort with financial services products. Grants are made to assist nonprofit organizations in motivating individuals to assume personal responsibility for their financial well-being. Limited grants are also made in the categories of health and wellness and arts and culture. Contributions are primarily focused on nonprofit organizations in the areas where employees are based and customers live.

For a list of ING affiliates and their locations go to: http://www.ing-usa.com/about/affiliate/index.html.

The next application deadline is April 2, 2005.

(http://www.ing-usa.com/us/about/connect/community/index.html)

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INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS RECOGNIZED

MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnerships Award Program

The Community-Police Partnerships Award program, co-sponsored by the MetLife Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, will recognize the work of innovative partnerships between community groups and police to promote neighborhood safety and revitalization. Through this awards program, partnerships are honored that exhibit tangible accomplishments in their efforts to advance the process, outcome, and/or evaluation of potent community-police collaborations. Six to eight monetary awards totaling ranging from $10,000 to $35,000 each will be made. Visit the website listed above for more information.

(http://www.lisc.org/whatwedo/programs/csi/MetLifeAwards.shtml)

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APRIL 1 DEADLINE FOR GRANTS TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS
Ms. Foundation for Women: Safety Program

The Ms. Foundation for Women supports the efforts of women and girls to govern their own lives and influence the world around them. The Foundation's Safety Program aims to end violence against all women and girls by supporting community-centered strategies that engage survivors and marginalized communities to actively change the conditions that give rise to violence, in order to prevent violence before it starts. Support is provided for community-centered strategies with a violence prevention agenda connected with an analysis of race, class, gender, age, and sexual orientation; and program activities that actively work to transform traditional gender roles for both women and men. Nonprofit organizations working in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territories are eligible to apply. The application deadline is April 1, 2005.

(http://www.ms.foundation.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5)

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EMPOWERING YOUNG ADULTS TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT

The NASD Investor Education Foundation invites eligible organizations to submit grant proposals for research projects and/or educational programs that empower young adults, ages 18-24, who are about to enter the workforce to better prepare for initial investment decisions and for investing goals, including retirement. Grant proposals must be postmarked by April 13, 2005.

 (http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=NASDW_013226&ssSourceNodeId=13)

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LIBRARIES FOR THE FUTURE

Libraries for the Future, with support from MetLife Foundation, is sponsoring a national book and film discussion series for teenagers and families, especially immigrant families, that will take place in public libraries. Public libraries are invited to submit proposals to receive a $5,000 grant. The deadline for proposals is March 4, 2005.

(http://www.lff.org/news/RA05_rfp.html)

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 JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

 OCA SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Important Dates
Applications: Postmarked by March 15
Offers: Announced by 1st week of May
Acceptance Deadline : Received by 2nd week of May

Requirements
* Undergraduate (If graduate students are interested in volunteering or working as fellows if funds are available, please contact the OCA office at 202-223-5500.)
* Demonstrated interest in public affairs
* Oral and written communication skills
* Commitment to work for a minimum of 10 weeks (Internship term start and end dates are flexible and may work around intern's schedule.)

About the Program
OCA's program is largest internship program for APIA college students in Washington, D.C. and it is the oldest program. We have produced many interns who have continued their careers in the public sector or have remained active within the APIA community.

The OCA Summer Internship Program recruits approximately 24 undergraduate or graduate students from an applicant pool of over 200 applications. Decisions are often based on complete, written applications, and interviews are not necessarily given. The position compensates $2000 for 10 weeks of full time work and, based on available funding. In addition, OCA sets aside funds for each intern's travel expenses to the OCA Convention, held in Las Vegas this year. OCA also assists interns in finding affordable and local housing resources for out-of-town interns' transitions into the Washington, DC area.

Each year OCA recruits 20-25 interns to participate in the Summer Internship Program. Some past placements include: Capitol Hill offices of Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL), Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA), Representative Susan Davis (CA) and Representative Diane Watson (CA); the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Department of Commerce; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; National Education Association; and within the OCA National Office.

In addition to the interns' placements, OCA's Summer Internship Program provides unique supplementary experiences, incorporating the Brown Bag Luncheon Series (the Brown Bag Luncheon Series is coordinated by OCA with the help of the various national APA organizations. Weekly sessions address issues commonly focused on), leadership training, Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) events, visits with Hill staffers and federal agency workers, meetings with Senators and Representatives, OCA Convention planning, and staff and other meetings.

Some of the projects that intern classes have completed as a group include the creation and production of the OCA 30th Anniversary video and the summer intern class PowerPoint presentation; White Papers on affirmative action, HR 333 (AAPI Serving Institutions), hate crimes, post 911 civil liberties and the USA Patriot Act, immigration, election reform, and Proposition 54; writing and editing articles for OCA's quarterly publication, Image; and writing letters in response to issues such as hate crimes and HR 333 and media incidents; the annual OCA Convention; and the OCA Building Campaign.

Application
Please see our Internship Program section of our website (www.ocanatl.org ) for an application.

Special thanks to this program's past sponsors including PepsiCo, Ford Motor Company, OCA chapters and individual donors, the FF Fraternity, and special trust funds of Mary Anne & Paul Yu Internship Fund and the Ken & Karen Lee Foundation.

Organization of Chinese Americans, oca@ocanatl.org

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FANNIE MAE FOUNDATION OFFERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING FELLOWSHIPS FOR SUMMER PROGRAM AT KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT

Deadline: April 1, 2005

The Fannie Mae Foundation Fellowship Program supports the professional development of senior public and nonprofit officials committed to affordable housing in the United States.

The Fannie Mae Foundation partners with the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University ( http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ ) to offer the program. Since 1996, the foundation has annually sponsored up to thirty-five fellowships for elected and appointed officials, as well as senior managers in the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government
( http://www.execprog.com/programs.asp?programid=29&displaymode=view ).

The three-week (June 12-July 1, 2005) summer program is intended to enhance the management and decision-making skills of accomplished leaders experienced in managing housing and community development programs. The program curriculum focuses on organizational strategy; political management; policy development; management control and operations; and management of human resources.

The program is taught by Kennedy School faculty. In addition to participation in the Program for Senior Executives, Fannie Mae Foundation Fellows attend special sessions that address housing issues, trends, policies, and successful models of public/private housing partnership.

Fellowship funds cover the cost of the admission deposit, program tuition, and room and board for the session.

(http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/grants/kennedy_school.shtml)

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 TIPS/RESOURCES

 IRS CLARIFIES POSITION ON FOUNDATION FUNDING OF NONPROFITS THAT LOBBY

According to a press release issued by Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest ( http://clpi.org/ ), a D.C.-based nonprofit that works to promote and protect nonprofit advocacy and lobbying, a recent letter of clarification from the Internal Revenue Service to the organization dispels the notion that foundation funding of nonprofits that lobby is illegal or inappropriate.

The IRS letter specifies the circumstances under which private foundations may engage in activities designed to influence public policy and describes the conditions under which a foundation can make a grant to a nonprofit for a specific project that includes lobbying. In addition, the letter makes clear the latitude permitted community foundations both to lobby and to earmark funds for lobbying, giving them greater flexibility than private foundations.

"This letter makes abundantly clear that foundations may fund nonprofits that lobby. It also provides suggested language which foundations may safely use in their grant letters to nonprofits to facilitate that funding," said CLPI chairperson Thomas A. Troyer. "Lobbying is particularly important for small, local, community-based nonprofits because it can greatly expand the impact of their limited resources."

For the complete text of the letter and/or additional information about the issue, visit:
(http://clpi.org/lobby_law_hm.html#LOBBYING%20AND%20FUNDING)

"IRS Letter Clarifying Foundation Funding of Nonprofits That Lobby Provides New Flexibility for Grantmakers."
(http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/437/CLPI)

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 NEWS

January 25, 2005
For Immediate Release

Contact:

Asian Pacific American Program, Smithsonian Institution
Marci Xiong, 202.786.2409
Francey Youngberg, 202.487.8160

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program announces
THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN HISTORY AND HERITAGE PROJECT IN 2006

The first significant movement of Vietnamese peoples to the United States began three decades ago, following the Vietnam-U.S. War. Now Vietnamese Americans are among the largest ethnic groups of Asian descent in the United States, with substantial communities established throughout the nation.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Vietnamese immigration, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (APA Program) embarks on an ambitious project to bring the first Vietnamese American history and culture exhibit to the Smithsonian Institution. Gallery space has been secured at the Smithsonian for the planned opening of the Vietnamese American History and Heritage Project in 2006. If sufficient funds are available, the exhibit will travel to several venues around the country.

Other related events will include public programming at the Smithsonian, a dedicated website for the Vietnamese American commemoration, as well as a middle school curriculum guide.

Last November when the APA Program announced its plans for a Vietnamese American commemoration, local leaders in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area's Vietnamese American community initiated a fundraising campaign to raise $60,000. The response was astonishing, with responses from all over the country, resulting in a total of $107,000 raised by the end of 2004 towards commemoration efforts, almost double the original target.

Moreover, as a result of the unprecedented grassroots support in less than two months, the APA Program has set a new goal to raise $1 million to create a permanent legacy at the Smithsonian, under the direction of Program Director Dr. Franklin Odo. Such an endowment would secure a permanent position for a Vietnamese American scholar in the APA Program and ensure that Vietnamese American perspectives are included in the research, public programs, collections and exhibits throughout the Smithsonian. Alternatively, the endowment could also be used to present three or four public programs each year dedicated to Vietnamese American issues. With such an endowment, either of these two options would continue in perpetuity without any need for additional funding.

The 2006 Vietnamese American History and Heritage Project is the latest endeavor in the APA Program’s ongoing mission to create a more expansive and inclusive definition of what it means to be American today.

The APA Program works to better reflect the Asian Pacific American experience throughout Smithsonian exhibitions, programs and research. It therefore improves the public’s appreciation of the crucial roles that Asian Pacific Americans have played in American history and, simultaneously, empowers APA communities in their sense of inclusion within our national culture.

(http://www.ncvaonline.org/archive/prj_VAExhibit.shtml)

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February 2, 2005

WHAT IS TET?

By Nguyen Huy Vu
The Orange County Register

Tet, or the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is one of the most important holidays for Orange County’s 135,000 Vietnamese Americans. Also known as Tet Nguyen Dan, the three-day celebration commemorates the beginning of spring and is a time to reunite with family, exchange gifts and pray for a prosperous year.

Tet is also a time when Vietnamese American families take time to honor their ancestors. They visit graves and decorate family altars with flowers, incense sticks, bowls of fruit and plates of traditional foods.

Celebrating the Lunar New Year began in China and later was adopted by other Asian communities. On the Chinese calendar, time is measured by the moon and each year is named after one of 12 animals. Feb. 12 will mark the year of the Rooster. According to Chinese astrology, humans assume the qualities of the animal representing their birth year.

Tet’s rituals include:
• Children wish their elders good health and a long life. In return they receive, li xi, or lucky money in golden-etched red envelopes. Red symbolizes good fortune and gold represents prosperity.
• Having dragon dancers slithering to the rhythm of a nearby drum to ward away evil spirits.
• Cleaning the home on the eve of the Lunar New Year to throw out last year’s "bad" luck. If you clean your house on new year’s day you’ll sweep all the good luck from your home.
• Eating traditional Tet holiday foods such as banh chung or banh tet cakes made of sticky rice with a mung bean paste and pork filling and wrapped in a banana leaf.
• Giving brightly-colored pastries, trays of candies and dried fruits.
• Lighting firecrackers to drive off ghosts and evil spirits, leaving good luck in their place.
• The first person to enter a home after the new year will dictate the family’s well-being and happiness for the rest of the year.

CONTACT US: (714) 445-6685 or vnguyen@ocregister.com

(http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/02/02/sections/local/local/article_395631.php)

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February 4, 2005

ASIAN-AMERICANS IN VA. SEEK MORE POLITICAL CLOUT
Coalition meets with legislators at Capitol to discuss their concerns

By Kiran Krishnamurthy
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

The evening's buffet reception bespoke the day's purpose: Indian chicken tikka was served with Chinese General Tso's chicken. State legislators filled their plates alongside Virginians of Korean, Mongolian, Indian and Chinese descent.

There was talk of politics, business and travel.

Building political clout doesn't happen overnight. And so Asian- Americans from across Virginia convened at the state Capitol yesterday to meet with General Assembly members, to discuss their concerns and to learn how to effect political change.

"We have numbers. We have economic clout. But Asians, as a group, we don't know the structure, the political process," said Eric Liang Jensen, chairman of the Coalition of Asian and Pacific Americans of Virginia. "If we want input, we must involve ourselves in the process."

Yesterday marked the coalition's first legislative day, which organizers hope to make an annual event.

At noon, coalition members were seated in the House of Delegates' gallery, where Del. H. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, introduced the group as "vital citizens of our commonwealth." After lunch, some group members toured the Capitol.

The group then spent the afternoon hearing from a variety of state officials, legislators and coalition members on topics ranging from education and health care to immigration and fair housing.

A pending bill (HB 1625) that would prohibit non-English-speaking people from getting driver's licenses or renewals drew gasps from the group. Some wondered how the state would measure proficiency in English.

"This will kill my parents," Michael Kwon of McLean said of the bill sponsored by Del. Daniel W. Marshall III, R-Danville.

The day's events built on the recent work of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, created in 2001 during Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore's administration but which was not appointed until 2003 by Gov. Mark R. Warner, a Democrat.

Liu-Jen C. Chu, the board's chairman, said the state's Asian community shares many of the same concerns as other racial groups. But the state's ability to deliver services to the Asian community is made more difficult, she said, because of the wide range of languages and cultures that are considered Asian.

"Every country speaks a different language," she said, "but it is time for us to unite as one voice."

The 17-member advisory board is currently seeking at least $200,000 to fund outreach to Asian communities. Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., D- Chesapeake, and Sens. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax and Patricia S. Ticer, D-Alexandria, have introduced budget amendments seeking to secure the money.

Representatives of the Asian community also are seeking the establishment of an office for Asian-American affairs.

The advisory board cites, in part, the explosive growth of Virginia's Asian population, which nearly doubled -- from about 156,000 to 304,560 -- between 1990 and 2000, according to census figures cited by board.

Jensen said that while many Asian-Americans are prosperous -- he says Asian companies in Fairfax County alone generate $1.6 billion in business annually -- many in the Asian community are at the low end of the economic and educational spectrum.

Del. Robert F. McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach, spoke to the group about the art of lobbying for their causes.

"You have to be visible," he said. "There's nothing like a phone call or a visit to the office to say, 'This is important to me and why.'"

The governor, who plans to travel to Japan and India this year, and several legislators attended last night's reception at Peking restaurant in Shockoe Slip.

"This truly is the new face of Virginia," said Warner, who appointed an Asian-American, Eugene J. Huang, as his Cabinet secretary for technology.

Jensen said he would one day like to see an Asian-American in the General Assembly.

"There is a lot of talent out there," he said. "This is an important first step."

Contact Kiran Krishnamurthy at (540) 371-4792 or kkrishnamurthy@timesdispatch.com

 (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780634307&path=%21news&s=1045855934842)

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February 6, 2005

TRAN IS FIRST AND DOESN’T FORGET IT FOR A SECOND
O.C. assemblyman is mindful of his unique role as a trailblazing Vietnamese legislator.

By Mai Tran, Times Staff Writer

Running late, Van Tran hustled out of his office, quickly turned the corner and passed up a row of office doors before realizing he was headed the wrong way.

Red floor? Wrong chamber.

The red, he reminded himself, belonged to senators. Tran, the new Assembly member from Garden Grove, made his way around the Capitol until he found the green tiles, which would lead to the Assembly chamber.

But familiarizing himself with his new surroundings is the least of his worries. As a Republican, he is a minority among Asian representatives. And as the first Vietnamese American legislator in the state, he knows he is forging a path.

"I have to work doubly hard," said Tran, who represents a district with the largest Vietnamese population in the United States. "I realize and fully appreciate my unique sense of responsibility that being the first of anything carries extra responsibility and burdens, but it is also an honor."

To help him navigate this unfamiliar territory, he has sought out the veteran politicians, community leaders and mentors he has known since his days on the Garden Grove City Council, where he was a touchstone for the community.

The demand for his time will be extraordinary and Tran will work harder because his district has different needs, some said.

"They call the office constantly because government is a mystery to them and they don't have anyone to turn to," said Assemblywoman Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), who also has a predominately Asian district. "They don't speak English. They're so hungry for people who speak the same language."

Tran has even stepped into his first controversy, albeit a small one. Tran, Assemblywoman Shirley Horton (R-Chula Vista), whose mother is Japanese, and Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi) have asked to become members of the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, a move that the Democratic membership is mulling over.

Since he arrived 10 weeks ago, most of Tran's days have begun at 8 a.m. with coffee and a stack of papers from Orange County, Los Angeles and Sacramento. He looks for stories affecting his district and Vietnamese Americans.

Then the 40-year-old rushes through hallways looking for the green tiles that will lead him to the Assembly session. While others mingle, Tran, seated in the front, is the only member to say "here" during roll call.

On a recent day, he listened to Assemblyman Keith Richman (R-Northridge) criticize the slow, grueling budget process. Tran admits he can't speak with authority quite yet. He has chosen to speak on the floor only twice, adjourning a meeting in memory of his brother, Henry Tran, who died this month from cancer, and in support of a resolution to honor Korean Americans for their contributions in America.

"I have to wait my turn to speak because first impressions are important and I don't want to say anything controversial or out of line," he said.

During back-to-back meetings on a recent afternoon, he introduced himself as a former aide to then-state Sen. Ed Royce "way back when," to reassure them he was not new to this political landscape.

Still, Sacramento has been a crash course. Named to the Committee on Business and Professions, he had to learn what it did. Ditto the Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials (a subject he admitted wasn't his strongest). He was also appointed this week as an alternate to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, which is investigating Secretary of State Kevin Shelley for alleged misuse of election funds.

"I'm not sure how I got selected," he told Assemblyman Ira Ruskin (D-San Mateo), chairman of the toxic materials committee. "But I'm a quick study."

In other meetings, two lobbyists from Orange County wanted to work with Tran to promote a drug education program. A Republican consultant offered to help him analyze bills. And a Vietnamese language newspaper reporter wanted to know his stance on the issues relating to the Vietnamese American community, including a recent flap between Cal-Optima, which administers Medi-Cal payments in Orange County, and Little Saigon pharmacists over releasing patient information.

"We're very interested in him because he reflects his community politically," said Thien-Giao Pham, 34, of Westminster, a reporter for Nguoi Viet Daily News, the largest Vietnamese publication in the United States. "His swearing-in was just the beginning. The real test is to see what he can do and what direction he will take us in."

Aside from learning his way around the building, his first month at the Capitol is all about relationship building, he said.

"My job is to build relationships so our bills survive, so I need the bills ahead of time so I can carry water on it," he said during a recent staff meeting. "We'll use saliva power."

Tran defeated Al Snook, a businessman and perennial candidate, 61% to 39% in November, replacing Ken Maddox, who was termed out.

The 68th district is made up of about 475,000 residents in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Stanton, and Westminster.

Vietnamese American constituents see him as a native son and have high — and at times, unrealistic — expectations of him. Last week, he had his staff call pharmacies and local Vietnamese American constituents to stop flooding his fax machines with letters seeking a resolution to the Cal-Optima controversy.

In hopes of resolving the dispute quickly, he has worked with Orange County Supervisor Lou Correa — a Democrat — and state Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Garden Grove), keeping a campaign promise that he would not allow partisanship to affect his district.

"Constituents, whether they are white, blue or green, have shared issues," Tran said. "Essentially being an Assembly representative, you're also a problem solver."

He has befriended Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto), whom he sees as a mentor, and has sought advice from others.

"I think by virtue of being the first Vietnamese American, coupled with his abilities, it will place him in a position to be great for the Republican caucus," said Maddox, who lives in Dana Point and runs a consulting business. "He's going to be a powerhouse. He's not an empty suit."

His journey to Sacramento began in Saigon, where his father was a professor and his mother a dentist. The second-oldest of five children, he was 10 when the family fled the communist country. They settled in Orange County, where he graduated from UCI with a political science degree.

Tran worked as a staff aide to former Rep. Robert K. Dornan and then state Sen. Ed Royce, who is now a congressman, in the 1980s.

He moved to Minnesota, where he graduated with a master's degree in public administration and a law degree from Hamline University School of Law.

He returned to Orange County, where he opened a law firm in Westminster and became well-respected and well-known for his volunteerism.

Tran founded the Vietnamese American Voters Coalition, which educated voters on issues affecting their community. He helped organize fundraisers and walkathons for flood victims in Vietnam.

His reputation expanded after he worked with police to end 53 days of protests by 15,000 demonstrators in a Little Saigon shopping strip when a merchant displayed a picture of a communist leader and the communist flag.

As a candidate for the Garden Grove City Council in 2000, he received the most votes, and later wrote a resolution prohibiting Vietnam officials from visiting the city.

In November, many Vietnamese American supporters cast their votes for Tran, hoping he'd promote a communist-free Vietnam through government channels. He won the election, making history as the state's highest ranking Vietnamese American.

The new year began with his move to Sacramento and his calendar has been booked since with more than 150 speaking engagements, meetings and receptions.

"There's a lot of wining and dining here," said Tran.

Unlike some of his colleagues' sparsely decorated offices, Tran's oak walls are adorned with plaques — the small steps that paved his path to the Capitol. Among them, OC Weekly's Hottest 25 in 2004, with his name highlighted in red, and appreciation plaques from Rock N Vote, Sunny Hills Senior Center, the Korean American Foundation and Orange County One-Stop Center.

At day's end, he returns phone calls and e-mails. Then proudly, Tran, a mild-mannered, articulate cigar aficionado, glances out his window where he gets a peek of the governor puffing a cigar in the courtyard tent below.

"That guy shares the same history as I do as a former immigrant who had literally the shirt on his back," Tran said. "And look where he is. It's interesting that we're working in the same building. It speaks volumes about freedom, opportunity and hard work."

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-vantran6feb06,1,5285659.story?coll=la-news-state)

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February 6, 2005

BIG DISPARITIES AMONG ASIAN AMERICANS

By Laura Wides
Associated Press

ALHAMBRA - The patient at the Tzu Chi free clinic urgently needed a biopsy, but while the staff spoke Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese and even Spanish, no one could explain breast cancer to the woman in her native Vietnamese.

''We were running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to find someone,'' head nurse Mimi Lee said.

While the rapidly growing Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities in California often have been viewed as ''model minorities,'' a report released Thursday concluded that many subgroups are linguistically isolated, live in crowded housing and have poor high school graduation rates.

''When it comes to services like health care, police protection or your children's education, you really need to learn English or you need translators who can help,'' said Kimiko Kelly, research analyst and demographer for the nonprofit Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California.

The group compiled the report using figures from the 2000 U.S. Census.

It found that more than a third of Asian Americans in California have limited English proficiency but the numbers differed widely among ethnic groups.

Nearly 80 percent of Japanese Americans spoke English proficiently. Only about half of Chinese Americans -- the state's largest Asian group -- were proficient and fewer than half of Koreans, Cambodians and Vietnamese spoke English well.

The report found that most East Asians and Filipinos owned their homes but many Southeast Asian and Pacific Islanders did not, especially Cambodians, Samoans and Laotians. Those groups also tended to live in much more crowded housing than Chinese-, Thai- and Indonesian-Americans, the report concluded.

Dr. Chao Shuo Huang, medical director for Tzu Chi, said he frequently deals with patients who live in overcrowded conditions, especially those from Vietnam's Hmong ethnic group.

Those living in overcrowded homes often ''suffer from hygiene and lack of nutritional care,'' he said.

The report also concluded that as a whole, Asian Americans were above the state average in terms of high school graduation rates. However, nearly a third of Vietnamese Americans failed to graduate and so did more than half of Hmong and Laotians.

(http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/10832374.htm)

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February 6, 2005

Hallmark holiday
LUNAR NEW YEAR IS POISED FOR A CULTURAL CROSSOVER

By Jon Ortiz -- Bee Staff Writer

Move over, Valentine's Day. Look out, Cinco de Mayo. The Lunar New Year may be the next holiday to break out from its original community and spread into wider U.S. culture.

Americans of all heritages are filling red envelopes with good luck money; buying gift baskets of dried fruit, pumpkin seeds and oranges; and making traditional dishes such as pho, a Vietnamese stew.

Local celebrations began this weekend with the Sacramento Tet Festival at Florin Road and Stockton Boulevard.

"We love to party," says Rodger Roser of the Cincinnati marketing firm Justice & Young. "And marketing people love to zero in on holidays as an excuse to encourage us to do that. It's only a matter of time until you see Chinese New Year promoted like Cinco de Mayo or St. Patrick's Day."

Perhaps no one knows that better than Hallmark Cards Inc., which this year rolled out 18 Chinese New Year greeting card lines after meticulously testing their sales potential across the American demographic spectrum.

Sacramento Hallmark store owner Mary Glum ordered about 250 cards for this year.

"That's twice what I ordered last year, and last year was double the order of the year before," she says. "And you know who is buying them? Everybody. I sold six to one Caucasian guy on Monday. Blacks and Latinos are buying them too."

At Huong Lan Bakery on 65th Street near Stockton Boulevard in south Sacramento, owner Vivian Pham sells traditional Lunar New Year's Day gift baskets, wrapped in red cellophane as a symbol of prosperity, with the greeting "Happy New Year" printed in both Chinese and English.

Organizers at the Sacramento Tet Festival, which ends today, say more non-Asians celebrate every year.

"We've planned on about 12,000 people attending," says festival president Phoung Tran. "About a third of them won't be Asian."

Sacramento County, where 15 percent of residents have Asian heritage, is positioned to benefit from a higher profile for the Chinese New Year and Tet holidays, says Timothy Fong, director of the social science program at California State University, Sacramento.

In California, only the Bay Area claims a higher percentage of Asian ancestry - about 20 percent of the population in the nine-county region.

In communities with diverse populations like Sacramento, economic growth in the local economy comes primarily through small business, Fong says.

"When you're talking about diversity, you're primarily talking about Latinos and Asians because these two groups have historically been very entrepreneurial. The economic strength of those groups has a ripple effect throughout the economy."

Familiarity is key to a holiday breaking ethnic boundaries, experts say.

"Just follow the food," says Steve McKee, president of Albuquerque, N.M.-based consultant McKee Wallwork Henderson. "You have Chinese food, which is an increasingly mature restaurant category. You have more chains and more promotions, which creates more cultural contact points for consumers who aren't Chinese."

While about 5 percent of the U.S. population has Asian American ancestry, there are nearly 36,000 Chinese restaurants in the United States. That's more than the number of McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King restaurants combined, according to Chinese Restaurant News, a trade publication.

Businesses in tune with the growing popularity of things Asian will take advantage of marketing opportunities presented by Lunar New Year, says Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University pop culture professor.

"In a diverse melting pot like the United States, people are always looking for new real estate on the calendar to sell decorations, greeting cards, candy and specialized foods," Thompson says. "In an era where we are announcing our diversity in conspicuous ways, holidays like Chinese New Year are ripe for commercial picking. And not just marketing to the Asian community."

Although that's not a bad place to start. Asian Americans are the second-fastest-growing ethnic group in America. The number of Asian Americans will grow by 27 percent to 15.25 million over the next five years, according to projections from Albany, N.Y.-based MapInfo Corp.

With nearly $254 billion in annual buying power, Asian Americans are a growing force in the U.S. consumer market and culture. Projections from the Selig Center for Economic Growth indicate Asian American spending will reach $528 billion by 2009.

Growth in Asian American population and economic power, along with the Internet and cheap overseas travel, have infused Asian holidays with new energy that is spreading into the general consciousness, says Sanjay Varshney, dean of Sacramento State's School of Business.

"The awareness level of these kinds of holidays is definitely going up," Varshney says. "I think that companies will soon see Chinese New Year as a big chance to appeal to consumers' spirit of celebration. Once that happens, commercial interests will capitalize on it. People love an excuse to party."

No government or private entity tracks national spending for Lunar New Year, but more people are paying attention to the holiday, says T.S. Peric, author of "Wacky Days: How to Get Millions of $$$ in Free Publicity by Creating a 'Real' Holiday."

Peric groups holidays into three tiers based on what he assesses as their impact across cultures. Christmas, for example, is a first-tier holiday because it is celebrated nationally, most workers take the day off and the general population spends money on gifts, meals and travel.

"You feel the impact of Christmas, even if you don't celebrate it," Peric says. "Even McDonald's and Burger King close. You can't escape the day."

Peric defines the Lunar New Year as a third-tier holiday, mostly observed within a specific culture with little impact outside it. He says that it could become more widely observed in minor ways by more people - his definition of a second-tier holiday - as the economic power of the Asian community grows.

"We're not closing schools and restaurants for Chinese New Year," he says. "What we do have today are a growing number of ethnic celebrations on our collective radar screen. On Cinco de Mayo, we might go for some Mexican food. Or wear green and drink green beer on St. Patrick's Day. I could see Chinese New Year heading in that direction."

Henry Sinclair is already there. Last week the 32-year-old Sacramento resident shopped at SF Market, an Asian grocery store on 65th Avenue, in search of the ingredients for pho to eat in observance of Tet.

"I have some Vietnamese friends who turned me on to it," Sinclair said. "We're getting together this weekend to cook it up."

When will the Lunar New Year become the new Cinco de Mayo?

"When someone starts tracking sales for that day," says Thompson, the Syracuse professor. "In our society, cash registers make culture. But understand, this phenomenon of evolving holidays is nothing new."

For example, the Catholic Church in the first millennium grafted Christmas onto pagan rituals, but the day drifted back to its more secular roots and didn't regain its holy holiday status until the 19th century. And Halloween started as a Celtic holiday that most historians believe Christianity co-opted to commemorate martyred saints - "All-hallows Eve."

"It's easier for people to embrace holidays with long-standing cultural foundations," Thompson says. "Modern commercial forces do what the church did before - find a vibrating date on the calendar, tweak it and promote it. That's what happened with Valentine's Day. Chinese New Year is gaining that kind of traction now."

Might the Lunar New Year move up to Peric's first tier soon? Maybe, says the holiday expert.

"Keep in mind that holidays come and go," Peric says. "Times change, and holidays definitely reflect the times. We hardly pay any attention to Armistice Day (now called Veterans Day, on Nov. 11). The reason? Virtually every World War I veteran is dead, so no one commemorates the end of that war."

CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR
What: Final day of the Sacramento Tet Festival Where: Florin Road and Stockton Boulevard
When: Today, 10 a.m. -9 p.m.
Cost: Admission is $4
Highlights: Firecrackers and lion dancing, 11:30 a.m.-noon; New Year's songs, performances, traditional dances and skits, noon-1:30 p.m.; traditional long dress (ao dai) fashion show, 1:30 p.m.; Vietnamese music and dancing, 1:45-5 p.m.; concert, 7 p.m.
Source: Sacramento Tet Festival

About the writer:
The Bee's Jon Ortiz can be reached at (916) 321-1043 or jortiz@sacbee.com.

(http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/12257975p-13122058c.html)

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February 7, 2005

VIETNAMESE AWARD RESURRECTS THE PAST
Two `boat people' honoured for work

Gala marks end of Vietnam War in 1975

Sharda Prashad
Staff Reporter

Dat Nguyen remembers fleeing Saigon 30 years ago, towed out into the South China Sea in a motorless boat with nine relatives as the family made good its escape from Vietnam.

Once at sea, the family was picked up by another "boat" — a U.S. navy ship that took Nguyen and his family to a refugee camp on Guam and then, finally, to Canada.

When they arrived in Halifax, Nguyen and his family became part of the Vietnamese-Canadian diaspora that history's come to know as the "boat people."

"It's OK," Nguyen said, referring to the sometimes-contentious phrase that some in the Vietnamese community here think has become outdated. "It keeps the history and reminds us what we went through."

Arguments over semantics took a back seat yesterday as Nguyen and Etobicoke cardiologist Dr. Toan Bao To were honoured with outstanding achievement awards at a gala celebrating the lunar New Year and the 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

In an interview, Nguyen recalled the difficult years after his family arrived here in 1975 with an ounce of gold and the clothing on their backs.

Despite their poverty, all of Nguyen's seven siblings finished their education. Nguyen obtained a chemical engineering degree at Dalhousie University.

Nguyen's award recognized his contributions to the Canadian community.

In 1987, he started a monthly newspaper called Thoi Bao. He now employs 25 staff and helped found the Thoi Bao Community Fund that makes donations to the Hospital for Sick Children and sponsors children in Vietnam.

To, who trained as a cardiologist in Vietnam before coming to Canada, is now director of planning of the coronary care unit at the William Osler Health Centre in Etobicoke.

An active member of the board of directors of the Parkdale Community Health Centre, To said he still considers himself a "boat person," adding the suffering and hardship of those days should not be forgotten.

The bravery of the Vietnamese who took on the sea to escape Vietnam's communist system can't be forgotten, he said.

Van Thua Terry Ho, president of the Vietnamese Association of Toronto, thinks it's time Canadians forgot about "boat people" and thought about the contributions Vietnamese-Canadians have made since arriving here.

"We've been in this country for more than 25 years," he said. "We should no longer be seen as work people who have nothing. We make a contribution to this country," Ho said.

 (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1107558613043&call_pageid=970599119419)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2005

Contact:  Anne Johnson, Communications Director
(202)523-3240, ext. 27

RICE REQUIRED TO ACT ON SAUDI ARABIA, VIETNAM AND ERITREA BY MARCH 15

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has written to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with specific recommendations for the policy actions she is required by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) to take by March 15 in response to the designation by the United States, for the first time, of Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea as "countries of particular concern" (CPCs) for their egregious and systematic religious freedom violations.

"As world events of the past several years have confirmed, ensuring that governments respect freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief both advances our strategic interests and is a vital component of securing broader freedoms.  Toward that end, IRFA provides us with a flexible policy tool," said USCIRF Chair Preeta D. Bansal.  "IRFA calls upon the U.S. government to take specific policy actions in response to designation of countries as CPCs.  The designation of Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea provides the United States with an opportunity to act decisively.  We call upon Secretary Rice to take bold steps in response to the designation of these three countries and chart a new foreign policy course that promotes freedom through both positive actions and, at the same time, demonstrates serious U.S. concern to those governments that fail to uphold their international commitments to human rights and fundamental freedoms."

The full text of the letter and recommendations for specific policy recommendations follow.  An expanded text and explanation for each of these recommendations may be found attached to the press release of the letter on the USCIRF Web site at www.uscirf.gov.

Dear Secretary Rice:

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom congratulates you on your recent confirmation as Secretary of State. As in the past, the Commission looks forward to working together with you on our mutual goal of making the promotion of religious freedom and other human rights an integral part of our country's foreign policy.  Perhaps now more than ever, the promotion of religious freedom and related human rights is vital to our strategic, as well as humanitarian, interests.  In a world in which religious identity has become a profound determinant for certain actors within our international system, it is essential that the United States seek to foster conditions for freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief as a critical component of securing freedom and counteracting the roots of terrorism worldwide.

Madame Secretary, we write to you at this critical juncture at which the U.S. government is required to take responsive actions for countries designated as "countries of particular concern," or CPCs, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA).  In particular, we offer several specific recommendations with respect to Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea, each of which was designated a CPC for the first time in 2004.

As you know, IRFA provides for many positive tools for advancing the internationally guaranteed right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief.  At the same time, IRFA also contains a number of very specific provisions aimed at demonstrating serious U.S. concern to those governments that persistently perpetrate severe violations of religious freedom.

The Commission welcomed Secretary Powell's redesignation last year of Burma, China, Iran, North Korea, and Sudan as CPCs, and applauded the new designation of Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea.  The Commission believes that the process of CPC designation?and the implementation of meaningful policies in response to such designations?are among the most serious actions taken by the U.S. government in its human rights policy.  The Department of State should use the full range of available policy tools to take action as outlined in IRFA with respect to all the countries the Secretary names as CPCs.

Regrettably, the only official action taken by our government with respect to countries that to date have been designated CPCs has been to invoke already existing sanctions, rather than to take additional measures pursuant to IRFA.  Reliance on pre-existing sanctions provides little incentive for CPC governments to reduce or end egregious violations of religious freedom.  The failure to take additional action under IRFA suggests that nothing further can, or will, be done by the U.S. government with respect to those countries that commit severe violations of freedom of religion or belief.  The Commission has regularly drawn attention to, and expressed strong concern about, this failure in U.S. foreign policy.

The recent designation of Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea as CPCs, none of which is subject to pre-existing sanctions, provides our government with an opportunity decisively to respond to severe religious freedom violators.  According to the statutory requirements of IRFA, for these three countries the U.S. government must: (1) request consultations with the government on the violations that gave rise to the designation, and consult with humanitarian and other U.S. organizations on the potential impact of actions that could be taken; (2) either (a) conclude a binding agreement to cease the particularly severe violations, or (b) take an action from one of several options specified in the statute (or a "commensurate" action); and (3) report to Congress on the action taken.

We understand that the consultation process is currently underway and that the deadline for taking action with respect to the three countries is March 15, 2005.  The Commission respectfully, and in accordance with its statutory obligations, recommends the following actions by the U.S. government in response to the designations of Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea as CPCs.  In doing so, we emphasize that these actions are initial steps that should be taken,  in concert with diplomatic efforts at all levels, to urge the governments of these countries to abide by their international human rights commitments and cease severe violations of freedom of religion or belief.  We also recognize that IRFA authorizes more stringent actions that could be taken should severe violations continue.

With regard to the three new CPC designations, the Commission recommends that the U.S. government should:

Saudi Arabia

1) identify those Saudi agencies and officials thereof who are responsible for particularly severe violations of religious freedom and vigorously enforce section 604 of IRFA with respect to Saudi Arabia, rendering inadmissible for entry into the United States any Saudi government official who was responsible for or directly carried out such violations;

2) issue a proclamation, under the President's authority pursuant to section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 USC 1182(f)), to bar those Saudi government officials from entering the United States who have been responsible for propagating globally an ideology that explicitly promotes hate, intolerance, and human rights violations;

3) issue a demarche urging the government of Saudi Arabia to cease funding or other support for written materials or other activities that explicitly promote hate, intolerance, and human rights violations, including the distribution of such materials in the United States and elsewhere outside of Saudi Arabia; and

4) order the heads of appropriate U.S. agencies, pursuant to section 405(a)(13) of IRFA, not to issue any specific licenses and not to grant any other specific authority for the export of any item on the U.S. Commerce Control List of dual-use items [Export Administration Regulations under part 774 of title 15] to any agency or instrumentality of the government of Saudi Arabia that is responsible for committing particularly severe violations of religious freedom. In FY 2004, the Commerce Department approved approximately $67 million worth of articles for Saudi Arabia, including, for example, such items as thumbcuffs, leg irons, shackles, and other items that could be used to perpetrate human rights violations.

Vietnam

1) identify those Vietnamese agencies and officials who are responsible for particularly severe violations of religious freedom and vigorously enforce section 604 of IRFA with respect to Vietnam, rendering inadmissible for entry into the United States any Vietnamese government official who was responsible for or directly carried out such violations; and

2) dedicate no less than $1 million for FY 2005 and FY 2006, if discretionary funds are allocated to Vietnam above its annual earmark, to programs that will directly promote freedom of religion and belief and related human rights in Vietnam.

Eritrea

1) engage in vigorous advocacy on religious freedom and other universal human rights at all levels of involvement with the government of Eritrea and draw international attention to religious freedom abuses in Eritrea, including in multilateral for a such as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights; and

2) conduct a review of U.S. development assistance to Eritrea with the aim of redirecting such assistance to programs that contribute directly to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.  Increases in other forms of development assistance should depend on measurable improvements in religious freedom.

With regard to Eritrea, the Commission notes its disappointment that the government of Eritrea has not yet registered any of the religious groups whose places of worship were closed and public religious activities prohibited in 2002 pending compliance with registration requirements.  The Commission also notes with concern continued reports of the arrest and detention without charge of clergy and others engaged in the practice of their faith.

Please find attached to this letter an expanded description of and explanation for each of these recommendations.

Madame Secretary, although it is the case that the IRFA legislation allows the President to waive the taking of any action in response to the CPC designations, the Commission firmly believes that to do so would effectively render meaningless the IRFA process and undermine our nation's commitment to the promotion of freedom of religion or belief throughout the world.  To maintain the integrity of the process and the principle, a stronger response, as outlined in IRFA, is essential.

The Commission looks forward to being of assistance to you and your staff in formulating actions by the U.S. government to advance freedom of religion or belief in Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam, as well as the other countries designated as CPCs.

Respectfully,
Preeta D. Bansal
Chair

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
Visit our Web site at www.uscirf.gov

Preeta D. Bansal, Chair  Felice D. Gaer, Vice Chair, Nina Shea, Vice Chair, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Michael Cromartie, Khaled Abou El Fadl, Elizabeth H. Prodromou, Bishop Ricardo Ramirez, Michael K. Young, Ambassador John V. Hanford III, Ex-Officio, Joseph R. Crapa, Executive Director

800 NORTH CAPITOL STREET, NW SUITE 790  WASHINGTON, DC  20002
202-523-3240 * 202-523-5020 (FAX)

(http://www.uscirf.gov/prPages/pr0263.php3)

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HEFLIN CONCEDES ELECTION TO VO
Recount upholds Democrat's victory by at least 16 votes

By Kristen Mack
Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - Former Republican state Rep. Talmadge Heflin withdrew his election challenge Monday after a fellow Republican who investigated the matter concluded that Heflin narrowly lost to Democrat Hubert Vo.

Vo joined Heflin after an afternoon news conference at which Heflin announced his decision. The two shook hands, and Vo said he would seek the veteran lawmaker's counsel on issues in the southwest Houston district.

Heflin's challenge is still scheduled to go to a special House committee today, but the proceedings will be a formality with the outcome certain.

Heflin conceded hours after state Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, issued a report to the committee saying Vo won the election by at least 16 votes. Hartnett served as "master of discovery" to investigate the election contest.

Hartnett concluded Heflin produced "no evidence of any intentional voter fraud" that would have affected his Nov. 2 loss to Vo in Dist. 149. Vo won then by 52 votes, a margin that narrowed to 33 with an official recount including mail-in ballots.

"It became obvious that we didn't have the data to meet the hurdle," Heflin said of his effort to convince Hartnett and the House that the participation of ineligible voters put the result of the election in doubt. "When you see that you can't meet a criteria that is thrust upon you, it makes no sense to move ahead."

Had Heflin pursued his challenge, the House could have upheld Vo's election, seated Heflin or required Gov. Rick Perry to call another election.

Heflin, who served 11 terms in the House and was chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, said it was "highly likely" that he would run again to regain the House seat or another public office.

Vo said he looks forward to serving, and that the residents of the district will "have a say again in two years."

During the campaign, Vo said Heflin had lost touch with the increasingly diverse district.

Heflin wouldn't address that Monday, saying he was not going to dwell on the past and that in the election challenge, he only wanted to seek the truth.

"It's not something I was in because I couldn't let go of (the seat)," he said. Heflin alleged that illegal votes were counted and legal votes were discarded, costing him the election.

To overturn an election, Heflin would have had to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that voting irregularities affected the election results. Hartnett said Heflin failed to meet that burden of proof.

He produced no evidence of intentional voter fraud "which affected the final vote tally to his detriment. (Heflin's) challenge to the vast bulk of the votes in question is based on technical, and apparently unintentional, violations of election law," said Hartnett, who examined 259 questionable votes.

Hartnett said illegal votes were cast in the election, as they are in most elections. They included ballots by voters who did not live in the district or were not registered. In some cases election judges gave them incorrect information about their eligibility. He had said, however, that he would discount ballots only from voters who were ineligible, voted in the Heflin-Vo race and would say how they voted. That process reduced Vo's margin of victory, but didn't change the outcome.

Hartnett was praised by partisans on both sides of the aisle for being even-handed.

After reviewing Hartnett's report, Heflin decided it was time to move on, said his lawyer, Andy Taylor.

"We made a political decision not to ask for the select committee to overrule Rep. Hartnett," Taylor said. "I didn't think that would be in the best interest of the parties or the House."

Heflin and Taylor said they still believe that the race was decided by ineligible voters, and said they wish they had had more time to collect evidence.

"Even under the most critical review of our evidence, a new election should have been ordered," Taylor said.

Heflin said he respected Hartnett's report and doesn't regret his challenge.

"Any time you seek the truth it's worth it," Heflin said. "The integrity of the election process is what's at risk."

House Speaker Tom Craddick said Heflin's challenge "brought to light a number of issues with regard to the election process, and we will be exploring these concerns during this Legislature."

kristen.mack@chron.com

(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/special/05/legislature/3029168)

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REPRESENTATIVE HONDA FIRST APIA CANDIDATE FOR DNC VICE-CHAIR

By Ashley Mui

Representative Mike Honda is running for one of the vice-chairman positions of the Democratic National Committee. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Congressman Honda served as a deputy chairman of the DNC and put together the Asian Pacific Islander American outreach program. The program raised over $5 million dollars for the DNC from the Asian Pacific Islander American community. He says his interest in serving as vice chair is based on the work he began in the previous cycle.

In the DNC, in addition to the chair, there are five vice-chairmen. DNC rules state that these six positions must be filled by an equal number of men and women. Congressman Honda is the first APIA to run for a DNC vice chairman position. The late Congressman Robert Matsui had served as DNC Treasurer from 1991 - 1995. Congressman Honda is currently running against former Puerto Rico Secretary of the Governorship and DNC Hispanic Caucus Chairman Alvaro Cifuentes, Former DNC Hispanic Caucus Chairman Nelson Diaz, and DNC Deputy Chairman Ben Johnson. New York Congressman Gregory Meeks had previously been in the running, but Congressman Honda and Congressman Meeks decided to form a 'Unity Ticket' when Congressman Meeks pulled out of the race and endorsed Congressman Honda. The two will work together to ensure that the leadership of the DNC looks like America and reflects its values and ideals. Congressman Honda has also gained the support of the majority of the Hispanic Members of Congress, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and the AFL-CIO, which has chosen not to endorse a candidate running for chairman, but will be supporting Congressman Honda.

The DNC will hold elections at its annual winter meeting on February 10 – 12 in Washington, DC.

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 835
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202/296-9200
Fax: 202/296-9236
Website: www.apaics.org

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