I wanted to make you all aware of a letter I am circulating to all of my colleagues regarding the MPAA's "R" rating for the new documentary film "Bully". You can find it below and as a PDF here .

I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family, friends, and staff of Representative Donald Payne.
 
His loss is keenly felt. He was a passionate and unyielding champion for education reform and the underserved across our world. His compassion and tireless work on the Africa subcommittee was obvious to all those who worked with him. He spoke out on behalf of those who had no voice, helped empower those who had had no power, and brought attention to the most worthy of humanitarian causes. 

 
I will miss his invaluable advice and support as part of the Ethiopia Caucus, a relationship which gave me the opportunity to see his remarkable work firsthand. His dedication to the country and the region is a terrible loss. He was an unwavering advocate for social justice, one who  never shifted nor looked back. It is also important to note his deep involvement in Afro-Colombian issues, intervening on behalf of countless activists to ensure that justice was served. 

 
Congress has lost a trusted friend and America has lost a respected statesman.

I will greatly miss my friend Norm Dicks when he retires from the House at the end of this Congress.  For over 30 years, he has been a dedicated public servant, committed to preserving our environment and our national defense.  I am grateful for the opportunity to have served with him and learned from him, and I thank him for working with me to provide funding to preserve the historic World War II Japanese American internment sites so that our nation never forgets what can happen when we set aside our ideals.  I thank Norm for having the faith in me to lead Democrats on the Legislative Branch Appropriations subcommittee, and I thank him for his strong leadership in the Appropriations Committee.  I wish him and his family well in the future.

The U.S. military failed Lance Corporal Harry Lew and his grieving family, my constituents.  On April 3, 2011, LCpl Lew took his own life shortly after enduring over three hours of alleged hazing and aggressive treatment from his fellow Marines.  Last Friday, the final court-martial concluded for the third Marine charged in the Lew case.  The military jury acquitted Lance Corporal Carlos Orozco of all charges; a similar verdict for Sergeant Benjamin Johns during an earlier court-martial.  In fact, only LCpl Jacob Jacoby received any type of punishment after pleading guilty for assault on Lew.  The sentence was little more than a slap on the hand – 30 days confinement and reduction in pay grade.

 
The tragic hazing-related incidents and deaths of LCpl Harry Lew, Private Danny Chen, and many others are an urgent call to action.  The crucial issue of hazing in the military must be addressed immediately and the culture of hazing tolerance must be reversed. I stand by my dear friend and colleague, Representative Judy Chu, in calling for congressional hearings to address military hazing and the need for a mandate of zero tolerance for all forms of harassment in our armed services. The brave men and women of our U.S. military must be able to serve within a system that guarantees their protection and their families’ trust in their superiors.

I applaud the Komen Foundation’s decision to reverse the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Politics should never enter into the fight against breast cancer. We all must stand together – shoulder to shoulder to vanquish this dreaded disease. We must also realize that the crucial work that both Planned Parenthood and Komen does saves lives and no partisan political agenda can drown out that most powerful truth. Today, a majority of the American people have spoken and their voices have prevailed.

I am organizing my fellow colleagues in the House to write a joint letter encouraging the Komen Foundation to reconsider its decision. I left a voicemail for the Founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen yesterday; it is my sincere hope that the years of life-saving work that this organization has encouraged is not undone by this one ill-advised action. We must ask – in the strongest possible terms – that Susan G. Komen reconsider its decision, as the bravery of millions of survivors everywhere demands the same kind of bravery exhibited by the Komen Foundation. You can find a draft copy of my Dear Colleague and the actual letter below:

Today, January 30, marks Fred Korematsu Day, named after the ordinary hero who refused to accept the government’s order to intern Japanese-Americans during World War II. After being arrested, Korematsu challenged his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in Korematsu v. United States, citing that his conviction went against freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. In 2010, California approved the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, the first day in the history of the United States named after an Asian American.

In his State of the Union address tonight, President Obama underscored that the fight for the great American majority – the 99 percent – is the defining issue of our time. 
As a result, this year in Congress cannot lead to grandstanding and gridlock.  The work ahead of us is far too important.  This year must be defined by courageous acts of bipartisanship that deliver results for the American people.

 
 
I applaud President Obama’s initiatives to “insource” jobs and expand American manufacturing.   Any serious proposal from any corner of Congress to achieve these goals should be given serious consideration at this critical time for the economy.   My pending proposal in Congress will guarantee that entrepreneurs build, hire and thrive right here at home.  I have already introduced legislation to energize American manufacturing.  This legislation ensures that the next generation of world-changing technologies – the iPad’s and LCD screens of the near future – are stamped MADE IN THE USA.

Sunday, January 22, 2012, marked the 39th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973); a landmark decision protecting reproductive rights of women all across the country. Despite decades of jurisprudence cementing the decision, the House Republican Majority that took office last January has consistently threatened to strip these fundamental rights protected by the Ninth Amendment. Last year alone, rather than focus on the economy, the Republican controlled-House of Representatives passed 69-anti-choice bills attempting to undermine essential reproductive health services offered to women. Over that same time period, Republicans failed to pass even one jobs bill that would ease our unemployment situation. I expect the Republicans to continue their attacks, meaning that that now more than ever, it is essential that we defend a woman’s reproductive freedom.

Today I join the nation in celebrating Lunar New Year, a time when we come together to honor our heritage, reunite with family, and give thanks for our many blessings. I am proud to represent one of the most diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander districts in the country, as today emphasizes the importance of people of all backgrounds being able to celebrate their cultures, religions, and identities freely.