Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of the first naturalized Asian American to become a flag officer in the United States Navy, Rear Admiral Ming Erh Chang. He was born in Shanghai, China, in 1932. Just over a decade later, in 1946, his family immigrated to the United States to escape the Chinese Communist Party. His dream was to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. However, because he was not a citizen, he was not allowed to do so. He was not deterred. Instead, he attended the College of William and Mary. After graduating, he joined the Navy in 1958, becoming one of the first officers to earn the rank of admiral after completing officer candidate school rather than the Naval Academy. Rear Admiral Chang served our Nation honorably for 34 years before retiring in 1992. He dedicated the rest of his life to mentoring and promoting young Asian Americans so they could achieve the American Dream as he had done. Rear Admiral Chang passed away in October 2017. He embodied what it meant to an American, to serve our great Nation, and to carve a path forward for future generations of Asian Americans. It is a privilege to honor his legacy here today. ____________________”