Three U.S. senators issued a bipartisan bill on Tuesday, calling for the recognition of the long-neglected contributions of the more than 13,000 Chinese American veterans who served the U.S. during World War II.
Chinese American veterans hold a party in San Francisco, Northern California of the United States, in 1944. [File Photo: 163.com]
The bill, jointly issued by senators Tammy Duckworth, Thad Cochran, and Mazie Hirono, aims to authorize the award of the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow – a Congressional Gold Medal – to the dedicated Chinese American veterans of World War II, according to a news release posted on Cochran's official website.
"Despite facing outright discrimination, more than 13,000 brave Chinese Americans volunteered to risk their lives to protect their fellow Americans from our enemies during World War II. Their unwavering commitment to their country even after being initially turned away should be recognized," said Duckworth, an Illinois Senator of Chinese and Thai descent, according to the news release.
In spite of their service and sacrifices during WWII, Chinese American veterans are usually ignored by mainstream American society. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, over 13,000 Chinese Americans served during WWII. Census data estimates that there were only about 107,000 Chinese living in the U.S. at the time.
Echoing Duckworth, Cochran hoped the Congress would act favorably on the proposal to commemorate the service of the Chinese American veterans, saying that the group should be honored with a Congressional Gold Medal.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the nation's highest civil award and is for persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement." Congressional Gold Medal legislation must be cosponsored by at least two-thirds of the Members of the House or two-thirds of the Members of the Senate to move forward.
