Bob Matsui

Washington, D.C.— Representative Bob Matsui has passed on, and it is with great sadness that we extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Rep. Matsui was a thoughtful, intelligent and effective member of Congress. But more than that, he was an inspiration to Asian Americans across the country. While he carried out his work as one of the leaders in Congress, he never forgot to mention when appropriate that no matter how much we succeed, we must always speak out for justice and equality for all people. He himself was forced to go with his family and 110,000 other Japanese Americans to live in barbed wire-enclosed concentration camps during World War II, but he never let that stop him from participating in Congress and life as a fully-empowered American.

The Asian American Action Fund, a Democratic PAC established to help Asian Americans get involved in the political process, was honored that Rep. Matsui encouraged us to get started five years ago. He served on our Honorary Board, and did his part to encourage younger Asian Americans to get informed and get involved. In fact, as Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he showed that a strong Asian American leader is also a strong national party leader, as he led the effort to raise funds and support Democratic candidates of all backgrounds in every state in the Union.

Bob Matsui truly embodied everything that the AAA Fund seeks to do, and we will miss him dearly. We encourage all AAA Fund members and friends to make a contribution in his memory to The Matsui Foundation for Public Service P.O. Box 1347 Sacramento, CA 95812 and send a condolence note to his wife Doris and family at ca05.condolences@mail.house.gov. To read more about Rep. Matsui's life, see http://www.house.gov/matsui/RTMbio010205.pdf or http://www.house.gov/matsui/.