SMART representatives recently attended meetings to discuss legislative priorities with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). SMART met with Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), the newly-elected chair of CAPAC, and Rob Leonard, Legislative Aide for Congressman Robert Matsui (D-CA). Attendees at both meetings referred to the 2004 National Council of Asian Pacific Americans’ (NCAPA) Call to Action platform. SMART discussed issues such as hate crimes, racial profiling, and workplace religious freedom issues. Others attending the meeting included representatives of the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium, and representatives from Japanese American Citizens League, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO and Hmong National Development. SMART has participated in multiple Congressional hearings and town hall meetings sponsored by CAPAC members last year and looks forward to continuing that relationship in the future.
