“There’s still a great deal of work to be done, and CAPAC’s upcoming meeting with White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley will be a major step forward in these efforts,” Rep. Chu said. “I look forward to working together with the President and his staff on issues that will improve the lives of the AAPI community.”
Of the three minority groups that make up the Tri-Caucus, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are the least-represented in Congress.
There are 13 Members of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in Congress this year, including the Delegates and two Senators — a figure that ties the 111th Congress for the most ever, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The group has no shortage of power amid its ranks, with Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), who also serves as President Pro Tem.
CAPAC is also the smallest of the three Congressional minority caucuses, with 15 members, including two Senators and some Members with no Asian ancestry. The group also counts 16 associate members, none of whom are of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage.
The CBC, on the other hand, includes 43 members, while the CHC has 21 members.
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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