Washington, D.C. (November 17, 2010) – Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine is honoring Michael Honda for a decade of service representing “Silicon Valley” and the rest of the 15th Congressional District of California in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kaine noted Honda not just for his tenure but for his work on education, civil rights, national service, immigration, transportation, the environment, and high-tech issues. Honda is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, He is co-chair of the Democratic Caucus’ New Media Working Group, House Democratic Senior Whip and the original author of the Equity and Excellence Commission now housed in the US Department of Education.
“I am proud to congratulate DNC Vice Chair and Congressman Michael Honda on a decade of exemplary service to the United States Congress, the American people, and the Democratic National Committee as the five-term United States Representative from the 15th Congressional District of California,” said Kaine.
“As an influential leader representing our national Party and the White House, Congressman Honda has traveled around the country campaigning for countless Democratic candidates and elected officials,” he added. “He is also a tireless advocate for the 11 million Americans living and working oversees; and continues to work with Democrats Abroad to ensure that these civilian and military voters are able to participate in our political process.
“In the Congressman’s work as a DNC Vice Chair, every constituency caucus and council of the DNC has come to depend on Congressman Honda’s advice and friendship,” said Kaine. “In particular, Congressman Honda has been instrumental in developing the DNC’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus and our Asian American outreach program, and he has gone out of his way to provide support to Democratic Asian American candidates and leaders across the country.
“In addition to Rep. Honda’s stewardship in Congress and his work as a DNC Vice Chair, I would like to recognize and demonstrate my appreciation for his lifetime of service, which includes thirty years as an educator and administrator, four years as a California Assemblyman, and a life-long commitment to social and civil justice for the economically disadvantaged, ethnic minorities, the LGBT community, and young people.”
Honda previously served as a California State Assemblymember, Santa Clara County Board Supervisor, San Jose Planning Commissioner, San Jose Unified School Board Member, Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador, and with has over 30 years in education as a teacher, principal and school board member.
Even though Honda’s father served in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service during World War Two, he as a child with the rest of the family were interned with other Japanese Americans at camp Amache in Colorado. His family returned to California in 1953, becoming strawberry sharecroppers in San José’s Blossom Valley.
Honda earned Bachelor’s degrees in Biological Sciences and Spanish and a Master’s degree in Education from San José State University.
Honda’s wife, Jeanne, was a teacher at Baldwin Elementary School in San José before her passing in 2004. His son, Mark, is an aerospace engineer and Michelle, his daughter, is a public health educator in San Jose with three young boys.
