NCAPA Requests Federal Funding for Programs Impacting Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Communities

“Enactment of the Bipartisan Budget Act was a necessary first step to protect Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities from harmful sequestration cuts in non-defense priorities that would have disproportionately impacted important programs focusing on language access, diversity and equality that already are underfunded,” said National Director Christopher Kang. “Now, Congress will determine how to fund the federal government within this budget framework, and the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans renews its call for Congress to support our communities’ priorities.”

Throughout the budget and appropriations process, NCAPA has made more than 30 funding requests for programs across the federal government that would impact Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Today, we highlight several of these priorities and the real difference they could make in our communities:

• Immigrant Integration and Citizenship program: NCAPA urges $10 million for this program in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This program funds organizations that help immigrants prepare for citizenship. Two-thirds of Asian American and Pacific Islanders are foreign-born, and the current immigration system does not fully meet the comprehensive needs of immigrants. Integration grants provide culturally sensitive services to assist immigrants in overcoming integration barriers. Congress authorized that $10 million in fee revenue could fund this program in FY 2015, and we support at least a continued authorization but preferably direct appropriations at this level.

• Community Relations Service (CRS): NCAPA urges $14.446 million for this office in the Department of Justice. CRS provides resources and tools to address community conflicts that arise from racial and ethnic tensions. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continue to face racial and religious bias in neighborhoods, classrooms, and at work. Anti-immigrant legislation and rhetoric is increasing racial tensions, and National Center for Education statistics show that AAPI teens are bullied more than other ethnic groups. With this climate, there is a strong need for the efforts of CRS. This program was funded at $12.250 million in FY 2015.

• Asian American & Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI): NCAPA urges $30 million to strengthen the AANAPISI grant program in the Department of Education. This program addresses the unique challenges of Asian American and Pacific Islander students in college access and completion. It helps to develop curriculum and academic instruction; enhance tutoring, counseling, and other student support programs; and establish community outreach programs that encourage AAPI elementary and secondary school students to develop academic skills. This program was funded at a mere $3.113 million in FY 2015.

• Racial and Ethnic Approach to Community Health (REACH) program: NCAPA urges $50 million for this program under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). REACH has historically provided direct support to racial and ethnic minority communities with the highest rates of health morbidity and mortality and the greatest burden of disease, to develop sustainable solutions for their health issues. REACH has a decade of documented success in engaging AAPI communities in addressing the underlying conditions of chronic disease. This program was funded at $50.9 million in FY 2015.

• Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) program: NCAPA urges $9 million for this program in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This program funds housing and community developments for low-income Native Hawaiian communities. As the only block grant specifically designed to assist Native Hawaiians, the NHHBG program provides affordable housing services for low-income Native Hawaiians eligible to reside on Hawaiian Home lands; financial assistance; housing counseling; and acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable housing. This program was funded at $9 million in FY 2015, and we support its sustained, level funding.

• Office of Housing Counseling: NCAPA urges $65 million for this Office in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This Office provides housing counseling, including language-capable housing counselors that are especially critical for many at-risk, limited English proficient (LEP) homeowners. One third of AAPI are considered to be LEP, which make us highly susceptible to loan scams and mortgage fraud, and housing counselors can help to protect these customers from these predatory practices by helping them to manage their finances, maintain mortgage payment schedules, and avoid foreclosure. This program was funded at $47 million in FY 2015.

We look forward to working with Congressional leaders to ensure that these programs—and all of our priorities—are integrated into the final appropriations legislation. We also urge Congress not to include any ideological policy riders that would harm our communities and unnecessarily politicize the funding necessary to keep our government running.

Here is our full list of appropriations priorities (alphabetical by agency):

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

U.S. Department of Interior

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor

Other