Alliance's Statement on Passage of House Resolution 415

On July 30, 2008 Honoring Asian and Pacific Islander Civil War Veterans Chinese American Citizens Alliance congratulates and thanks the House of Representatives, Armed Services Committee, and especially author Rep. Michael Honda, for completing this resolution of recognition, House Resolution 415: Recognition for Privates Edward Day Cohota and Joseph Pierce and Other Asian American Civil War Veterans. This is truly an historic moment, July 30, 2008, for recalling nearly forgotten significant historical deeds by Asians in America. In over 4 years of effort, we have been pleased to support the goal embodied in this resolution. House Resolution 415 presents the legacy of commitment, dedication, and loyal service to America by men of Chinese and other Asian ancestries, some as boys who grew up here in America. The measure underscores the beginning of a continuous longevity of 150 years of loyal, honorable service by young men and women of our Asian American community. Sometimes that service required the ultimate sacrifice, such as Corporal John Tomney, who was killed at Gettysburg. Although this resolution is crucially symbolic for our unique diverse community, the experiences of these young men in the Civil War were and are also in common with other communities in the rest of America. Chinese American Citizens Alliance committed to achieving passage of this resolution because national historical recognition was the least our country could do posthumously for an important, special group of unsung heroes, especially when the fate of these men as veterans is considered. Of all those known and the estimated scores of unnamed, few could receive any benefits of citizenship or pensions, and then only with great difficulty. Even though he was a 30-year Army veteran, Cohota was denied citizenship due to the Chinese Exclusion Act. House Resolution 415 brings some closure and comfort to the living American descendants of these long-gone veterans and to all of us. It is in honor and recognition of these loyal and brave Asian American men of the Civil War that the Chinese American Citizens Alliance joins the House of Representatives and Congressman Honda in presenting them a well-earned salute! Chinese American Citizens Alliance Helps Congressman Honda Pass H. Res. 415 to Honor Civil War Veterans of Asian and Pacific Islander Descent Almost five years of grass roots efforts by the Chinese America Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A. or the Alliance) Advocacy Team, national board members, local lodge leaders and members, and friends contributed to the successful passage of H. Res. 415 on Wednesday, July 30, 2008. Introduced by Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15) on May 17, 2007, this resolution honors the heroic service of Chinese veterans Edward Day Cohota and Joseph Pierce and other veterans of the American Civil War of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Passage of the legislation is important to Asian Americans because it helps to clarify and correct actions of United States history. Later history of many of these veterans was bitter because they were denied many veterans benefits, including receiving U.S. citizenship, during the 19th century age of severe discrimination against Asians, particularly Chinese. This bill is a symbolic gesture of appreciation and healing, which is very important to Chinese Americans, even after all this time. Although nearly 40% of all Chinese Americans live in California, large and small communities throughout the nation benefit from the economic, scientific, and cultural contributions of their citizens of Chinese heritage. Pleased with passage of the legislation, Munson A. Kwok, Ph.D., National Grand President, stated, "Chinese American Citizens Alliance congratulates and thanks the House of Representatives, and especially author Rep. Michael Honda, for the passage of this resolution, House Resolution 415: Recognition for Privates Edward Day Cohota and Joseph Pierce and Other Asian American Civil War Veterans. This House action is truly an historic moment to recall nearly forgotten historical deeds." Issue Revealed In the spring of 2003, Executive Vice President Carolyn Chan, then national communications chair of C.A.C.A., read journalist Sam Chu Lin's description in AsianWeek, of a meeting between Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15) and documentary producer Montgomery Hom. Around the same time, Chu Lin filed an important TV news story at KTTV Channel 11 in Los Angeles on the same topic. Mr. Honda was surprised when Hom told him that historian Ruthanne Lum McCunn's research had uncovered military records confirming the service of Chinese and other Asians and Pacific Islanders in the American Civil War. Further, national anti-Chinese feelings and the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act effectively denied that privilege to Asians and Pacific Islanders, even when their service, as in Cohota's case, was a full thirty years. As a practice and later as policy, non-citizen soldiers who served in wars on behalf of America, including the Civil War, were and are given American citizenship. First Actions To correct this injustice based on racial discrimination, Congressman Honda introduced House Joint Resolution 45, which would recognize the Army and Navy service of scores of Chinese and other Asian and Pacific Islanders and grant them honorary, posthumous American citizenship. To complement the legislation, Montgomery Hom planned to produce a documentary, "Men Without A Country," to focus not only on their patriotism, but also on their denial of veterans' rights. Mr. Honda and Mr. Hom hoped their actions would garner public and Congressional support and educate the public about this little known fact of history. The Chu Lin stories and the research of McCunn and Hom aroused the Asian American community, and in particular, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance. The Citizens, headquartered in San Francisco, is a civil rights, civics education, and community service organization with chapters throughout the United States. Up to thirty percent of its membership is comprised of veterans who have answered the call since World War II. At its 47th Biennial Convention in Los Angeles in August, 2003, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance presided over by National Grand President Saykin Foo, of Los Angeles, unanimously passed a resolution to join Mr. Honda's campaign to acquire more cosponsors for his bill and to become associated with Mr. Hom's educational documentary. To initiate public support for the project, Carolyn Chan, now the Alliance's national civic and public policy vice president, coordinated a kickoff presentation at the annual Thanksgiving dinner of the Tucson chapter in November 2003. Dorothy Lew, past president of the Tucson chapter of C.A.C.A., helped arrange the dinner attended by members of the Tucson, Phoenix and Albuquerque chapters and special guests Sharon O'Connor and her son, Britton Dornquast. Sharon O'Connor, a Tucson psychologist and one of Edward Day Cohota's greatgranddaughters, exhibited copies of Cohota's military records, family photos and memorabilia, and shared personal reminiscences of him. She and her son Britton Dornquast expressed appreciation for C.A.C.A.'s plan to collaborate with Congressman Honda and Mr. Hom in their quest. Legislative Campaign for HJR 45 Sam Chu Lin's coverage of the event in AsianWeek provided momentum to the Alliance's effort to seek posthumous, honorary citizenship at least for Private Edward Day Cohota, who reenlisted after the Civil War. Despite an intensive campaign of letter writing and personal contacts, the Alliance efforts were not enough to help build sufficient support for a bill introduced by Congressman Honda to grant posthumous, honorary citizenship to Asian and Pacific Islander veterans of the Civil War. Much of the difficulty was due to fierce partisan politics on a non-partisan matter of historical correction and the simultaneous and much hotter citizenship issue for illegal immigrants occupying Congress' attention. A Resolution of Recognition - H. Res. 415 Chinese American Citizens Alliance recommended to Rep. Honda to seek first a Houseonly bill of recognition and appreciation of these unsung heroes. This had the effect of making the text even more non-partisan, of not requiring Senate passage and Presidential approval, and most importantly, reassignment to another committee not preoccupied with contemporary immigration. The new bill was introduced as House Resolution 415. Since May, 2006, Grand President Munson Kwok and Executive Vice President Carolyn Chan have led a cadre of passionate, dedicated volunteers to Washington, DC annually to work diligently for H. Res. 415. To meet the requirements for passage by consent through the Armed Services Committee and then the full House, up to forty offices and staffs were visited in just 3 days each year in a real campaign. In addition, some local lodges were requested to contact local Congresspersons. Rep. Honda and his staff completed the effort to qualify for passage, and H. Res. 415 accordingly passed the House of Representative on July 30, 2008. During the formal consideration on the House floor, Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN-08) and Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA-02), Armed Services Committee members, and Mr. Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, spoke on behalf of the bill and the many contributions Chinese and Asian Americans have made to America throughout history. "The history of America would be totally different without the contributions of Asian Americans. From hard labor building the transcontinental railroad linking our coasts, to the academic contributions ranging from philosophy to medicine, Asian Americans have been an integral part of making our country great," said Rep. Mike Honda. "I am pleased that heroes such as Pierce and Cohota will finally take the place they deserve in our nation's memory. I thank all my colleagues in Congress who supported this long overdue resolution and I praise the Chinese American Citizens Alliance for their tenacity in correcting our history books." Ms. Chan, a former teacher, added "Success of this bill celebrates the ability of ordinary, patriotic citizens and purposeful organizations to effect change. Educating our citizens about the contributions of our diverse populations will teach tolerance and strengthen our nation. C.A.C.A. will continue to do both." For further information: Carolyn Chan, Executive Vice President and Civic & Public Policy, alianzchc@aol.com, (505) 298-1727; Munson Kwok, Grand President, editorcaca@aol.com, (310) 645-1369. Montgomery Hom has placed a two-minute trailer (video) of his forthcoming full-length documentary Men Without A Country" on You Tube. to view the video, which describes the Chinese who served in the American Civil War and H. Res. 415.

L. to R. Thomas Lee, president of Washington, DC Lodge, Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15), and David Leong, Grand Executive, of the NationalĘChinese American Citizens Alliance, headquartered in San Francisco. Lee and Leong represented the national civil rights, civics education and service organization at consideration and passage of H. Res. 415. Mr. Honda sponsored the resolution to honor Edward Day Cohota and Joseph Pierce, and other Asian and Pacific Islander veterans of the Civil War.