Chairman Royce Stands Up for Eliminating the Term "Orientals" from Federal Law

Statement

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation first authored by U.S. Representatives Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.) to strike the term "Oriental" from preexisting federal law and replace it with "Asian American." H.R. 4238 also removes the terms "Negroes," "Indians," and "Eskimos" from the same law.

Rep. Royce, who is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, entered the statement of support below into the official Congressional record:

"Racism and discrimination have no place in America today. We are a nation of immigrants that is proud of its diversity. Despite our society's progression and growth over the last 100 years, the Federal Code still contains language on ethnicity that is antiquated, and, quite frankly, inappropriate.

"For example, the term 'Orientals' is offensive, especially so when referring to the vibrant Asian American community. Using this term in federal law lends it a legitimacy it doesn't deserve. I strongly believe that when we get the chance, we should correct the mistakes of the past. This bill goes a long way towards correcting our mistakes.

"H.R. 4238 eliminates outdated, disrespectful terms from federal law and replaces them with terms, such as 'Asian American,' 'Alaska Natives,' and 'Hispanic,' that are more appropriate for our times and in keeping with our values."

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