Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Korean American Day

SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF KOREAN AMERICAN DAY -- (House of Representatives - December 13, 2005)

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Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

Mr. Speaker, Korea and the United States entered into their first treaty, the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, in 1882. The signing of the treaty ushered in a sustained period of cooperation between the two Nations. Not long after the treaty was signed, Korean citizens began immigrating to the United States and, since that time, have made rich contributions to the ethnic and cultural fabric of America.

Korean emigration to the United States can be divided into three major waves. The first, from 1903 to 1905, consisted of about 7,500 Koreans, mostly men, who left their homes to work on Hawaii's sugar plantations as contract laborers. The second, beginning in 1950, consisted of women who married American soldiers and children adopted into American families. The third wave began in 1967 with the occupational and family reunification preferences of the 1965 Immigration Act. These waves of immigration followed growing U.S. involvement in Korea during the 20th century.

Immigrants from Korea thrived in the United States despite social, economic and language barriers. Korean-Americans have made contributions in the fields of finance, technology, law, medicine, the military, as well as in other areas. Four thousand Korean-Americans serve proudly in the United States Armed Forces, many of them in Iraq.

The United States has remained firmly committed to its allies in Korea, as shown not only by military support during the Korean conflict, but through the support of the Korean community in the United States. In June 2002, the United States Senate passed a historic resolution that recognized the 100th anniversary of Korean immigration to the United States.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in the commemoration of Korean-American Day. This resolution celebrates the success of the Korean-American community, the contributions Korean immigrants have made and the contributions they continue to make to America.

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