Congressman Mike Honda has spent a lot of time to get Asian American veterans the recognition they deserve. Recognizing AAPI Civil War Veterans (H.R. 415) and supporting the Filipino Veterans Equity Act (H.R. 760) are two bills he has worked to pass in Congress. He got the H.R. 415 passed in July 2008 after five years and is still fighting for the Filipino Veterans that served in World War II. Here’s more information about the two bills:

In July 20008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander soldiers who fought in the U.S. Civil War, culminating a five-year long battle by Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) to help correct the historical record. Historians have recently uncovered evidence that hundreds of soldiers of AAPI heritage fought on both the Union and Confederate sides, continuing a long tradition of significant AAPI contributions to the history of the United States since the Colonial Era. H. Res. 415 posthumously honors Edward Day Cohota and Joseph L. Pierce, both of Chinese ancestry, as examples of this overlooked group of men.

“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.”

Mike Honda introduced H.Res. 415 to recognize and honor Edward Day Cohota and Joseph L. Pierce, as well as the numerous other veterans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent who bravely fought in the United States Civil War

In 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt drafted more than 250,000 Filipinos to fight against the Japanese and put them under American military command. They were promised veterans benefits for their sacrifice. They answered the call of duty; they marched along our men during the infamous Bataan Death March; fought a guerrilla war even after Gen. Douglas McArthur and his forces were forced out of the Philippines, and later helped us in the occupation of Japan. No sooner was the war over in 1946, when Congress stripped these men of the benefits promised to them. In this Congress, we came very close to restoring the benefits these men bled for when they fought under the American flag.

Only 22,000 of a quarter million of these brave warriors remain with us today. Now in the twilight of their lives, time and dignity is running out for Congress to fully recognize their service. We should not be just promise makers, but also promise keepers.

Congressman Mike Honda, Chairman of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, speaks in support of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act (H.R. 760)