Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Democratic Leader Jeffries, We write to strongly oppose any legislation that seeks to reinstate the
Yesterday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli issued a statement voicing the agency’s support of the Asian American scholar community and recognizing its exceptional contributions to scientific advancement. The statement also highlighted NIH’s new Decision Matrix for Assessing Potential Foreign Interference for Covered Individuals or Senior/Key Personnel and an accompanying memorandum, which provided the agency’s policies and procedures for risk assessment and mitigation with regard to foreign interference in NIH-funded research.
In a significant victory this week, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed the conviction of Dr. Feng “Franklin” Tao for making a materially false statement regarding his relationship with a university in China. AASF celebrates Dr. Tao’s relief and views this court decision as a crucial step toward rectifying the unjust treatment of Chinese American and immigrant scientists under the now-defunct “China Initiative”—a program that sparked concerns about racial profiling and targeting of Asian Americans and immigrants, particularly of Chinese descent.
45 organizations led by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) and a coalition of Asian American and allied partners who worked to end the Department of Justice’s “China Initiative” sent a letter to Congress today to oppose legislative language that would reinstate the “China Initiative” in the House version of the FY 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill (H.R. 5893) and any future iterations of the Initiative. The proposal would reverse the decision to end the “China Initiative”—a devastating program ended last year that raised serious concerns of racial profiling and targeting of Asian Americans and immigrants, particularly of Chinese descent.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2023 Media Contact: Melissa Stek, media@aasforum.org Washington, DC—Yesterday, Congress introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Government Surveillance Reform Act, or GSRA—a bill
The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) has spoken out time and time again to condemn words and acts of hate against the Asian American community, and continues to do so as these devastating and racially-motivated attacks continue.
On Saturday, a gunman who was found to have posted racist writings shot and killed three Black Americans in Jacksonville, Florida near Edward Waters University, a historically Black college. In stark contrast, the day also marked an important anniversary for racial justice—60 years since the first March on Washington where approximately 250,000 Americans led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched against segregation, anti-Blackness, and white supremacy.
The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) joined The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC (Advancing Justice-AAJC), and several other Asian American-led organizations in attending the 60th Anniversary March on Washington to honor the ways in which the Black-led Civil Rights Movement paved the way for civil rights victories for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. As AASF joined in the recommitments of the March, they also join in expressing the collective grief experienced by Jacksonville and Black Americans across the country.
The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) expresses their deep condolences about the ongoing wildfires that are ravaging the island of Maui. As of this morning, the four fires engulfing the island are considered to be widespread across the island, with the town of Lahaina being particularly devastated, with a death toll of 55 individuals and rising. AASF mourns the significant losses resulting from these fires, both in terms of human life, homes, businesses, and community heritage. AASF recognizes the urgency of addressing these fires, safeguarding the environment from future disasters, and the necessity of rebuilding the community once the fires are contained.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 21, 2023 Media Contact: media@aasforum.org Washington, DC—The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) is pleased to announce that it has become a
Late last week, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed the Davidson-Jacobs amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a “must-pass” piece of legislation that determines the annual budget for the US Department of Defense. The amendment closes the Department’s data broker loophole, which would put an end to the government practice of buying Americans’ information.
