WASHINGTON, DC – Today Congressman David Wu won the support of Chairman Howard "Buck" McKeon (CA) of the House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness for his efforts to improve and expand higher education services targeting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. Congressman Wu has been working in Congress on legislation to help institutions of higher education better identify and assist low-income and underserved AAPI students.

During a subcommittee hearing, Chairman McKeon agreed to request the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the services institutions of higher education are currently able to offer AAPI students. Congressman Wu believes the report will reveal specific ethic groups within the AAPI student population are underserved and recommend more be done to assist these students. Similar programs currently only serve other minority populations.

Chairman McKeon also stated for the record that he would work with Congressman Wu on legislation to address the needs of the AAPI student population following the GAO report.

"Today's developments are a big win for Asian American and Pacific Islander students," stated Congressman Wu. "This successful step forward will ultimately lead to greater higher educational opportunities and a better future for the entire AAPI population."

Current law allows the U.S. Department of Education to provide similar financial assistance to institutions which serve African American, Hispanic, Native American, Alaskan Native and Hawaiian Native students. Higher education institutions serving large numbers of AAPI students have not had access to this financial aid in part because of socioeconomic assumptions that categorize a complex youth population of over three million as a homogenous, academically successful unit that is not in need of academic support systems.

The current educational support system fails to address the needs of specific ethnic groups within the AAPI population. A Southeast Asia Resource Action Center study of the 2000 Census found great differences in education attainment among the different ethic groups of the AAPI population. For example, only 26% of Laotian and 28% of Cambodian Americans have had some college as compared to 63.6% of Chinese and 51.8% of the national average. The study also found that 26.2% of Cambodian and 45% of Hmong Americans indicated that they have no formal schooling, as compared to 1.4% nationally.

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The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is a bicameral and bipartisan caucus of Members of Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and Members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Founded in 1994 by then Congressman Norman Mineta, and currently chaired by Congressman Michael Honda, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life. For more information on CAPAC, please call (202) 225-2631 or visit http://www.honda.house.gov/capac.