Tag: senate

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Applauds Confirmation of Manish Shah to the Federal Bench

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA APPLAUDS CONFIRMATION OF MANISH SHAH TO FEDERAL BENCH

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Manish Suresh Shah to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by a vote of 95-0. He is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in the state of Illinois and in the Seventh Circuit.

“NAPABA proudly supported the nomination of Manish Shah to the bench, and we congratulate him on his confirmation today,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). President Obama, Senator Kirk, and Senator Durbin should be commended for their support of Judge Shah, and for their steadfast commitment to nominating well-qualified, diverse candidates to the bench.“

Judge Shah is a long-time member of the Chicagoland community, and has devoted his career there to public service. Before joining the bench, Shah worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois since 2001. There he served as the chief of the Criminal Division since July 2012, and previously served as the chief of Criminal Appeals. Judge Shah also attended the University of Chicago Law School and clerked for Judge James B. Zagel of the Northern District of Illinois, the court which he now joins.

NAPABA applauds President Obama for this historic nomination, and thanks Senator Kirk for recommending Judge Shah. His confirmation today increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 23 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 19 federal district court judges. He is the third Asian Pacific American to be nominated and confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 68 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 March 5, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee                                                   (202) 775-9555

NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria
to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

WASHINGTON — On March 5, 2014, the Senate confirmed Vince Chhabria by a 58-41 vote to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in California’s history, and only the third South Asian American federal district court judge nationwide.

“NAPABA congratulates Vince Chhabria on his historic confirmation and is proud to have supported him in the nomination and confirmation process,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama, Senator Boxer, and Senator Feinstein for their continued commitment to diversity on the federal judiciary, and their support of this nomination.”

Since 2005, Judge Chhabria has served as a deputy city attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, where he is the co-chief of appellate litigation. Prior to public service, Judge Chhabria spent several years working in the private sector in San Francisco. After law school, he clerked at all three levels of the federal courts, including clerkships with Judge Charles R. Breyer on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Judge James R. Browning on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and for Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Chhabria has distinguished himself during his career, receiving honors from the California Daily Journal, the International Municipal Lawyers Association, and NAPABA. He is a longstanding member of SABA-NC, an affiliate of NAPABA, which has strongly supported Chhabria’s nomination.

Judge Chhabria’s confirmation increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 22 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 18 federal district court judges.

Three more Asian Pacific American Article III judicial nominees are pending in the U.S. Senate: Manish Shah, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Indira Talwani, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts; and Theodore Chuang, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. NAPABA urges the Senate to move quickly to confirm these well- qualified individuals.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 67 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

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AAF: New York State Senate and Assembly Districts Highlight the Growth and Diversity of Asian New Yorkers

AAF Logo 3
 
PRESS RELEASE

Friday, October 25, 2013
For Immediate Release 
Contact: Jo-Ann Yoo
(212) 344-5878, x217
 
New York State Senate and Assembly Districts Highlight
the Growth and Diversity of Asian New Yorkers
 

New York, NY—Today, the Asian American Federation released briefing papers that detail the Asian population, ethnic breakdowns and the major Asian languages spoken in the State Senate and Assembly districts in New York City based on new lines finalized in May 2012.  The briefing papers examine the 65 Assembly districts and 26 Senate districts in New York City. 
 
According to Asian Americans of the Empire State:  Growing Diversity and Common Needs, published by the Asian American Federation earlier this year, New York State is home to the second largest population of Asian Americans.  “While the fastest population growth and the newest communities are in the upstate region, most Asian American New Yorkers live in the New York City metro area,” said Howard Shih, Census Programs Director at the Federation.  “The Asian American community is culturally and economically diverse. 
 
Some of the key highlights from the briefing papers are:
  1. For the first time, one State Senate district is majority Asian.
  2. Three Assembly Districts are now majority Asian, up from only one in 2002.
  3. Chinese is the most spoken language other than English in 5 Assembly Districts and 3 Senate Districts.  Korean is the most spoken language other than English in one Assembly District (District 26).
  4. The second most commonly spoken Asian language group consists of the languages of the fast-growing South Asian population.
“Asian American communities throughout our city are growing and thriving, adding to the rich cultural diversity that makes New York such a wonderful place,” said State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, whose district includes Manhattan’s Chinatown.  Speaker Silver’s district, historically one of the oldest Asian enclaves in the City, is home to almost 60,000 Asian Americans.  “These profiles are valuable tools that allow elected officials to keep track of the demographics of the constituencies we represent,” added Speaker Silver. 
 
According to the Assembly district briefing paper, District 40 in Flushing has the largest Asian population, followed by District 25 in Northeast Queens.  In District 40, 64% of the population is Asian.  “This briefing paper is a tool for elected leaders because it is so important to know what ethnic groups we are serving in our different Assembly districts, and base our services and communications on the needs of different groups.  As the only Asian American elected to a state office and the prime sponsor of Data Disaggregation bill, data breakdowns like this enable the state leaders to provide better access to the services that our constituents deserve.  I will personally be promoting this tool and sharing it with my colleagues in the New York State Assembly so that we can continue to have stronger connections with our state’s growing Asian American community,” said Assemblymember Ron Kim (D. 40). 
 
“By providing information on the diverse and growing communities across the city and in individual districts, we move one step closer to making state government accessible to everyone it serves. I look forward to working with all the great groups serving the Asian American community to ensure even greater language access to public information,” said Assemblymember Nily Rozic, who represents District 25 which has over 67,000 Asians, or 54% of total population.
 
On the State Senate side, the district with the largest Asian population is District 16 in Flushing Queens, represented by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky.  District 16 has over 176,000 Asians, making the district 55% Asian.  “This paper by the Federation highlights one of the most fascinating parts of my district—our incredible culture of diversity and inclusion.  I am glad that New Yorkers of all backgrounds, from the Chinese population in Flushing to the South Asian population in Jackson Heights and the Korean population in Murray Hill have decided to call Queens home.  I remain committed to ensuring that my constituents have in-language assistance to services, civic participation access, and other opportunities to have a stronger voice in their community.  This insightful research helps me better understand and better serve all of the people of the 16th district,” said Senator Stavisky.
 
District 11 had the second largest Asian population, with over 1 in 3 residents who are Asian.  The third largest Asian population is District 26, which encompasses Lower Manhattan’s Chinatown.  24% of the population in District 26 is Asian.  Upon review of the briefing paper, Senator Daniel Squadron remarked, “As New York’s Asian American population continues to grow, it’s critical that the community has real partners and a real voice in government.  This report only underscores how important that partnership is, on everything from language access in education and government to protecting small businesses.” 
 
“In a few months, the 2014 election cycle for state offices will begin.  We hope these briefing papers are tools for elected leaders to reach out and engage the Asian Americans living in their districts.  Oftentimes, outreach to our community is overlooked, but having tools like these that show the breakdowns of the top languages in New York City’s state assembly and senate districts, as well as the disaggregation by the top 19 Asian languages spoken in each district, will better equip our leaders to engage residents.  In turn, these papers will facilitate community leaders and advocates to show that our civic voice is growing and that we need to better connect with our elected officials to offer our expertise, ask for help and support,” said Cao K. O, executive director of the Federation. 

 

 http://www.aafederation.org/cic/briefs/NYCAssembly2012.pdf

 
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INDIRA TALWANI NOMINATED TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400 
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 24, 2013

Contact: Emily Chatterjee 
(202) 775-9555

INDIRA TALWANI NOMINATED TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama nominated Ms. Indira Talwani to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. If confirmed, Talwani will be the first person of Asian descent to serve as a federal judge in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the first person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in the First Circuit, and only the second female Article III judge of South Asian descent nationwide.

“We applaud Indira Talwani’s historic nomination to the federal bench,” said Wendy C. Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Ms. Talwani has the right experience, intellect, integrity, and temperament to serve with distinction on the federal judiciary in Massachusetts. We hope that the Senate votes to confirm her swiftly.”

Since 2003, Talwani has served as a partner with the Massachusetts law firm of Segal Roitman. Previously, Talwani was a partner with the San Francisco law firm of Altshuler Berzon LLP. After graduating from Harvard/Radcliffe College and University of California Berkeley School of Law, she began her legal career by serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Stanley A. Weigel on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Talwani has received numerous awards for her professional accomplishments, including: Best Lawyers in America (2013); Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2012); Top 10 Lawyers of the Year, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2010); and Chinese Progressive Association’s Workers Justice Award (2012).

NAPABA commends President Obama for nominating Indira Talwani to the bench and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for her support of the nomination. Talwani along with fellow Asian Pacific American nominees Vince Chhabria and Manish Shah await Senate confirmation votes. If all three are confirmed to the bench, President Obama will have tripled the number of Asian Pacific American Article III judges on the federal judiciary from eight to twenty-four.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 66 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

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Online Petition: We Must Have Real Immigration Reform

Online Petition: We Must Have Real Immigration Reform

Please see this post from change.org:

Please write to the Gang of Eight Senators drafting Immigration Reform. Tell them that we need real immigration reform that unites immigrant families, provides a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented, protects workers, restores due process for immigrants, and recognizes LGBT families. A bill will be ready by the end of March and we need  to influence those drafting it now.

Read more here.

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NAPABA APPLAUDS U.S. SENATE BIPARTISAN PASSAGE OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400 
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
February 13, 2013

Contact: Emily Chatterjee 
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA APPLAUDS U.S. SENATE BIPARTISAN PASSAGE 
OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, in a vote of 78-22, the U.S. Senate voted in favor of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the expansions made in the Senate legislation, reintroduced by Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) in the new Congress. Some of these expansions include ensuring better access to services for victims of sexual and domestic violence in communities of color, and for the first time extending protections to victims in Native American and LGBT communities.

“NAPABA commends the bipartisan group of senators who voted in support of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act,” said Wendy Shiba, president of NAPABA. “In the United States, three women die each day because of domestic violence. We can wait no longer for reauthorization of this critical legislation. NAPABA urges the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Senate version of VAWA without any further delay.”

The Senate version of the reauthorization bill no longer includes a NAPABA-supported provision that would have increased the number of U-Visas for immigrant victims of sexual and domestic violence. Last year, members of the U.S. House of Representatives pointed to this provision as a cause for rejecting the bill. Senator Leahy plans to include a similar provision in forthcoming comprehensive immigration reform legislation and NAPABA applauds his continued efforts and commitment to protect immigrant victims of sexual and domestic violence.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 62 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

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Call for Senate Hearing on Hate Crimes

NAPABA Policy Director Emily Chatterjee passes along this request from Rajdeep Singh of the Sikh Coalition calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the proliferation of hate crimes and hate groups in this country:

Dear Colleagues:

Please find attached our group letter here, urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings next month on hate crimes.  A grand total of 154 organizations endorsed the letter.  Thank you for your tireless efforts to spread the word about this letter through your networks!

During the next few days, as the Judiciary Committee reviews our letter, please consider taking the additional steps:

1. Contact the Senate Judiciary Committee directly and urge them to prioritize hearings.
2. Ask your members to contact the offices of Judiciary Committee members by phone and email.
3. Create awareness about this issue through community advisories, blog posts, Facebook, and Twitter.
4. Issue press releases to your media contacts to generate public awareness about this issue.
5. Write op/eds about the need for increased focus by policymakers on hate crimes in America

Let’s hope for the best.  Again, we are grateful for your support and look forward to working with you again soon.

Best regards,
Raj

– 
Rajdeep Singh
Director of Law and Policy
The Sikh Coalition
Phone: (202) 747-4944
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sikhcoalition.org
Donate: www.sikhdonate.org