WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 02, 2005
The US House of Representatives
has unanimously passed a bill to honour Dalip Singh
Saund, the first Indian-American member of the US
Congress.
The House yesterday voted 410-0
in favour of the 'Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building
Designation' bill, which now heads to the Senate for
consideration.
The bill, which was tabled to name a post office
in Temecula, California after Saund was sponsored
by Indian American Republican Congressman Bobby Jindal
and California lawmaker Darrell Issa.
"Dalip Saund's story is one of determination
and true accomplishment," Jindal, the second
Indian American to be elected to the House of Representatives,
said.
"Saund's election to Congress brought pride
and joy not only to Indian-Americans, but to all Americans,"
he said adding "each of us owes a debt of gratitude
to his trailblazing efforts, so that America could
continue to be a land of opportunity."
Born in Amritsar, Saund immigrated to the US to study
at the University of California, Berkley. After settling
down in California, he began working towards the amendment
of immigration laws so that Asian-Americans can become
US citizens.
Following an amendment to the law, Saund became a
US citizen in 1949, and was thereafter elected to
a judgeship. In 1956, he made history by becoming
the first Asian to be elected to the US Congress,
where he served for three terms.
Lauding the achievements of Saund, another Congressman
Joe Wilson said he had become a great American success
story. "An admirer of Lincoln, Gandhi and Churchill,
Saund devoted his life to serving the people in his
community and furthering a cause greater than his
own. At every stage of his remarkable story, Saund
embodied Churchill's words to 'never, never, never,
never give up'", Wilson said.
"Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to speak
about Congressman Saund's rich legacy today and I
would like to thank my good friend Congressman Darrell
Issa for sponsoring this legislation," said Wilson.
"Additionally, I've introduced H.Res 31 calling
for a portrait of Congressman Saund to be displayed
on Capitol Hill and will work for its passage",
he said. (Agencies)