Committee of 100 Newsletter

C-100 Issues Update: C-100 Hails Unanimous Passage of U.S. Senate Resolution of Regret for Chinese Exclusion Laws; Needed Now: Grassroots Support for House Resolution

With a unanimous floor vote on October 6, Senate Resolution 201—“Expression of Regret for passage of discriminatory laws against the Chinese in America, including the Chinese Exclusion Act”—was approved in a bi-partisan move led Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The Committee of 100 is part of the 1882 Project Steering Committee, which spearheaded this Resolution and its companion in the House of Representatives.

1882 Project Steering Committee and organization team members with Sen.
Scott Brown (7th from right) and Rep. Judy Chu (6th from right). C-100
members Charles P. Wang and Michael Lin (3rd and 4th from left). [Photo
by Gino Wang]

The purpose of the Senate and House Resolutions is to acknowledge and express regret for legally sanctioned discrimination against Chinese during the Exclusion era, when the U.S. Congress passed a series of laws that singled out Chinese immigrants for exclusion and violated their civil rights.

The Committee of 100 applauds the U.S. Senate unanimous confirmation of Gary F. Locke as the U.S. Ambassador to China

The Committee of 100 released the following statement on the Senate confirmation of Gary Locke today as US Ambassador to China:

As a former member of the Committee of 100, Ambassador Locke represents the ideal realization of our dual mission. He is the right man at the right time to represent the United States in our nation's most critical bilateral relationship. We commend the Senate for recognizing Ambassador Locke's expertise and commitment to strengthening ties between the U.S. and China.

Ambassador Locke is the first Chinese American to serve as the chief diplomat to China. The Senate's confirmation marks another milestone in Chinese American history and highlights our country's embrace of diversity, opportunity, and the American Dream.

Committee of 100 Applauds the Nomination of Goodwin Liu for the California Supreme Court

The Committee of 100 applauds Governor Brown's commitment to diversity and his recognition that talented people of all backgrounds are integral to our justice system. Governor Brown has made the right choice in nominating Professor Goodwin Liu for the California Supreme Court.

Professor Goodwin Liu is eminently qualified to serve on the California Supreme Court. He is well respected for his intellect, as graduate of Stanford University, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and Yale Law School and for his commitment to public service, having clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court and worked as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. Professor Liu is an Associate Dean and Professor of Law at UC Berkeley School of Law and a renowned expert on education and constitution law.

His confirmation as a California Supreme Court Justice underscores the importance of diversity, opportunity, and the American Dream.

C-100 Issues Update: House and Senate Members Introduce Resolutions of Regret for Historic Chinese Exclusion Laws

A bi-partisan group of U.S. Senators and Representatives are sponsoring two resolutions introduced on May 26 to acknowledge and express the regret of the U.S. Congress for the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Laws. The laws singled out Chinese immigrants for discrimination on the basis of race and were in effect from 1870 until repealed in 1943 when China’s support was needed in World War II. According to Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), lead sponsor:

C-100 Issues Update: Edward Chen Confirmed as U.S. District Court Judge by Senate in May while Goodwin Liu’s Appeals Court Judgeship Nomination Ends in Filibuster

Two Chinese American federal judicial nominees finally came to a vote in May, with very different outcomes. The nominations of both Edward Chen and Goodwin Liu in 2009 had received Committee of 100 support. On May 10, U.S. Magistrate Judge Chen was confirmed by the U.S. Senate (56-42) to become U.S. District Court Judge (Northern District of California), ending a nearly two-year wait since he was first nominated by President Obama. Liu, Associate Dean and Professor at University of California’s Bolt Law School, withdrew his name on May 25 for consideration as U.S. Appeals Court 9^th Circuit Judge after a filibuster in the Senate (52-43) the week before.

C100 Issues Update: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT HU JINTAO AT OFFICIAL ARRIVAL CEREMONY

South Lawn

9:20 A.M. EST

    PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Good morning, everyone.  President Hu, members of the Chinese delegation, on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.  And on behalf of the American people, welcome to the United States.

    Three decades ago, on a January day like this, another American President stood here and welcomed another Chinese leader for the historic normalization of relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.  On that day,

Deng Xiaoping spoke of the great possibilities of cooperation between our two nations.

    Looking back on that winter day in 1979, it is now clear.  The previous 30 years had been a time of estrangement for our two countries.  The 30 years since have been a time of growing exchanges and understanding.  And with this visit we can lay the foundation for the next 30 years.

C100 Issues Update: White House Fact Sheet, U.S.–China Commercial Relations

China is a key market for U.S. exports.  Those exports are generating jobs in every corner of the United States and across every major sector.  These involve some of our country's largest companies, but also an increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises.

FACT SHEET: U.S.-China Commercial Relations

In preparation for this visit, several large purchases have been approved including for 200 Boeing airplanes valued at $19 billion. In addition, the Chinese government has indicated that its companies signed 70 contracts for $25 billion in U.S. exports from 12 states.  These included sectors ranging from auto parts to agriculture, machinery to chemicals.  In addition, 11 investment contracts were signed worth $3.24 billion.  Additional, transactions were announced or showcased, exceeding $13.1 billion in total value with approximately $987.8 million in U.S. export content. These deals worth over $45 billion in increased exports will help support an estimated 235,000 jobs in the United States.   These cross-border collaborations, both public and private, underpin the expanding U.S.-China commercial partnership, contributing to economic growth and development in both countries.  A number of these transactions highlight the increased collaboration in such areas as clean energy and green technologies.   Examples of some of the deals associated with this visit include:

C100 Issues Update: First Lady Michelle Obama Urges American Youth to Strengthen U.S. – China Ties

The White House, Office of the First Lady:

President Obama’s “100,000 Strong Initiative” will increase the number and diversity of American student studying in China.

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/19/first-lady-michelle-obama-urges-american-youth-strengthen-us-china-ties

 Washington, DC – Citing the need to prepare young people to succeed in the modern global economy, First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged students to study in China, work together and make America and the world stronger. In support of the President’s “100,000 Strong Initiative, Mrs. Obama spoke to more than a thousand young people from Washington, DC, area public, private and parochial schools, colleges and universities about the importance of building relationships with their peers in China and creating a mutual understanding around the world. The First Lady has made youth engagement her international focus by both reaching out to young people around the world on behalf of the U.S. and also encouraging American youth to become more involved in world affairs, as she highlighted in her 2010 George Washington University commencement speech.

C100 Issues Update: White House Fact Sheet, U.S.-China Economic Issues

The United States and China share one of the most important trade and economic relationships in the world.  The U.S. exports $100 billion of goods and services to China, making China our largest trading partner after Canada and Mexico.  Those exports support more than half a million U.S. jobs.  China’s GDP growth is expected to have reached 10 percent in 2010, and U.S. goods and services exports to China are growing almost two times as fast as overall U.S. goods and services exports.  We seek to base our relationship on mutual prosperity, respect for the rules-based trading system, and a deep commitment to resolve outstanding economic issues.  President Obama and President Hu took note of the following commitments to strengthen the U.S.-China trade and economic relationship. 

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/19/fact-sheet-us-china-economic-issues

Confirmation Progress of Federal Judge Nominees Edward Chen and Goodwin Liu

Last year, the Committee of 100 issued strong statements in support of two Chinese American judicial nominees for federal judgeships, Edward Chen (U.S. District Court) and Goodwin Liu (U.S. Appeals Court, 9^th Circuit). C-100 Chairman John Chen said, “Consistent with its mission of advancing the participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of public life in the U.S., C-100 supports federal judicial nominations of Chinese Americans when the American Bar Association (ABA) gives the nominee its highest rating.” First nominated by President Obama in 2009, the two nominees were considered among the most controversial of the more than 40 judicial candidates whose nominations cleared the Judiciary Committee but were denied confirmation votes by the full Senate.