‘Great patriots, upstanding citizens and good friends’: Indian-Americans hailed on Congress floor
On political front, the Indian American ‘Samosa Caucus’ became bigger with the addition of Shri Thanedar...
INDIAN-AMERICANS who constitute about one percent of the US population pay about six percent of the taxes, a Congressman told his Congressional colleagues on Thursday (12), noting that this ethnic community follows the laws and does not cause problems.
In his maiden speech on the House floor, Rich McCormick, 54, said that one of the five doctors in his community is from India and described Indian-Americans as great patriots, upstanding citizens and good friends.
‘Although they make up about one per cent of American society, they pay about six per cent of the taxes. They’re amongst the top producers, and they do not cause problems. They follow the laws,’ McCormick said in a short speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives.
A physician by profession, Republican McCormick represents the 6th Congressional District of Georgia, which mainly constitutes the northern suburbs of Atlanta.
He defeated Bob Christian of the Democratic Party in the November 8, 2022 midterm elections.
‘They (Indian-Americans) don’t have the problems that we see other people have when they come to the emergency room for overdoses and depression anxiety because they’re the most productive or family oriented and the best of what represents American citizens,’ McCormick said.
Georgia has a significant number of Indian-Americans.
‘I rise to this occasion to appreciate my constituents, especially those who have immigrated from India. We have a very large portion of my community that’s made up of almost 100,000 people who have immigrated directly from India,’ he said.
‘One out of every five doctors in my community are from India.
‘They represent some of the best citizens we have in America, we should make sure that we streamline the immigration process for those who come here to obey the law and pay their taxes and be the most creative and productive in society,’ McCormick said.
‘God bless my Indian constituents and I look forward to meeting with the (Indian) Ambassador,’ McCormick said in his brief remarks.
According to the American Community Survey in 2019, Indians are highest-earning ethnic group in the US. Asian Americans, with a population of around 18 million, are the
highest-earning ethnic group in the US. The median household income for Asian-Americans stands at $87,243.
However, Indians are the leading ethnic group among Asian-Americans. With a population of around 4.2 million, Indians have a median household income of $126,705 - much higher than the overall numbers of Asian-Americans. The Filipino community, with a population of around 2.9 million, has a median household income of $100,273. The Taiwanese community is not far behind with a median income of $100,205. The lowest-earning ethnic group among Asian-Americans is the Burmese community ($45,903).
‘Samosa Caucus’ welcomes Thanedar to group
The Indian-American lawmakers of the ‘Samosa Caucus’ have welcomed Shri Thanedar’s addition to the exclusive group of Democratic leaders representing the community in the US House of Representatives.
Entrepreneur-turned-politician and Democrat Thanedar became the fifth Indian-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives in November last year. His victory had come after all four Indian-American Democratic lawmakers — Dr. Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi — were re-elected to the US House of Representatives.
The ‘Samosa Caucus’ is an informal grouping of Indian-American lawmakers who are either part of the House of Representatives or the Senate. The term was coined by Congressman Krishnamoorthi to give credence to the growing number of ‘desi’ lawmakers in the US Congress.
‘When I first took office in 2013, I was the only Indian American Member of Congress and the third ever in history. Since that day, I have been committed to ensuring we grow our representation in Congress,’ said Congressman Bera.
‘In the past decade, I am proud to be joined by incredible Indian-American colleagues from around the country - Representatives Jayapal, Khanna, and Krishnamoorthi. With the swearing-in of the 118th Congress, our coalition has grown to a record number with the election of Representative Thanedar,’ he said.
The Indian-American community has emerged as a force to reckon with in the US presidential elections. In the last election, both the Democrat and the Republican campaigns initiated several measures to woo the approximately 1.8 million members of the community who have emerged as a critical voting bloc in the battleground states of Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
‘It’s important that we reflect on the historic progress our country is making. I look forward to welcoming even more Indian American Members of Congress in the future!’ Bera said.
Jayapal said, ‘As we enter the most diverse Congress ever, I am reminded how much representation matters, for every community and culture across our country. I am a proud naturalised citizen, the first South Asian American woman elected to the House, and an immigrant woman of colour.’
She said serving in Congress was a ‘distinct honour’, not only because she was able to deliver for her constituents, but also to show other South Asians that if she can make it into the halls of Congress, so can they.
‘I am so grateful to serve with such an inspiring cohort of fellow Indian Americans and I look forward to seeing our numbers continue to grow!’ she said.
Ro Khanna said, ‘I’m so proud to serve in this diverse Congress alongside a record number of Indian Americans. Representation is crucial to serving Indian American communities and working to strengthen America’s defence and strategic partnership with India. I look forward to continuing our work together in the 118th Congress.’
Indian Americans have made countless contributions to American society, including in tech, science, medicine, and the military.
Indian Americans currently serve as the CEOs of major companies including Microsoft (Satya Nadella), Google (Sundar Pichai), IMB (Arvind Krishna), and MasterCard (Ajay Banga).
According to the 2010 census, 70 percent of Indian Americans over the age of 25 had college degrees, 2.5 times higher than the national average.
‘As the Indian-American community remains one of our nation’s fastest-growing, with a population of more than four million, I am excited to see our representation expanding in Congress as well,’ said Krishnamoorthi.
‘I look forward to working with Reps. Bera, Jayapal, Khanna, and now Thanedar to continue to address the key issues facing our community, including high-skilled immigration reform and strengthening the partnership between the US and India,’ he said.
Thanedar said, ‘As a new member of Congress and the latest addition to an incredible group of Indian-American lawmakers, I look forward to getting to work for the American people.’
The American dream is alive when an immigrant from India can come to this country, earn a degree, become a citizen, start a business, and be elected by the people to represent them in the Michigan State House and the United States House of Representatives, he said.
‘I hope to join Representatives Bera, Jayapal, Khanna, and Krishnamoorthi in growing our historic representation in Congress by inspiring future generations,’ Thanedar said.
The first Asian-American and Indian-American Member of Congress was Dalip Singh Saund, who served in the US House of Representatives from 1957 to 1963.
In the 66 years between Representative Saund’s election and the 2012 election of Bera, Piyush ‘Bobby’ Jindal was the only other member of Indian American descent elected to the legislative branch of the federal government.
Following the 2016 election, Kamala Harris made history as the first Indian-American to be sworn into the United States Senate.
Harris continued to make history in 2020 when she was elected as the first woman and first person of color in history to serve as Vice President of the US.