Caucus celebrated its one-year anniversary on Capitol Hill.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: The American Sikh Congressional Caucus has added two new members, one from each side of the political aisle, to its ranks: Democrat John Garamendi and Republican Patrick Meehan.
Garamendi is the Representative for California’s 3rd Congressional District, while Meehan is the Representative for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. The two were announced this week as the latest additions to the Caucus, which just celebrated its one-year anniversary on Capitol Hill.
The American Sikh Congressional Caucus was formed last year, in an effort to expand the US government’s awareness of and outreach with Sikh Americans and their related efforts throughout the country. The Caucus helps to fight against discriminatory behavior that has afflicted the community in recent years, and acts as a mouthpiece for Sikh causes on Capitol Hill.
Garamnedi, whose District in California is located near San Francisco and has a population that’s roughly 12% Asian, is no stranger to Sikhs and Indian Americans. He was one of the key Congressional leaders behind the campaign for the FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims across the US, which came into effect in 2013.
Meehan’s District is located around Philadelphia, including Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. The District is about 4% Asian, and there is a rather substantial base of Indian Americans in and around Philadelphia (as there are with just about every major US city).
The addition of Garamendi and Meehan raises the membership of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus to 42. Although bipartisan, the overwhelming majority of the Caucus is Democratic, with only eight members belonging to the Republican Party. The Caucus is chaired by Judy Chu (Democrat) and David Valadao, both of whom are from California.
The American Sikh Congressional Caucus also includes California Rep. Ami Bera, who is of Indian origin.