January 2013


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com


Holiday Remittance: Caring for Family Abroad


During the holidays, more and


more Asian immigrants get involved with one of their traditions: sending money to their family abroad. Lisa Gao is among this group. Since immigrating to the U.S. from TianJin, China more than seven years ago, she has worked as a waitress, a cashier and now as a nanny for a 5-year-old boy.


Right after Thanksgiving, she


busied herself on Black Friday with genuine enthusiasm.


“It’s a good day to save through


the entire year. Saving is always a good thing especially when you have a family to take care of in your home country.” Lisa says.


Work hard, save hard, and then


send the hard-won money to family abroad is one of ethics many Asian Americans hold. This strong value seems to have paid off despite the economic downturn that has swept through the country in recent years.


Lisa’s parents, both in their 60s,


live in China. As the first child of a large family, Lisa learned to take responsibility from an early age.


“I want [my family] to be proud of


me and feel taken care of. And I did it. They know I am doing good here just from the money I send to them every year,” Lisa says, her eyes sparkling. “It’s not only about money, it’s a way of showing caring and your sufficiency, and making yourself feel good by taking care of your family. Therefore, your relationship does grow stronger.”


Sending money has never been


easier. Now, more and more financial services accommodate this trend and immigrants’ needs for sending money to their home country, such as Western Union, ATMCASH, MoneyGram and PayPal, owned by eBay.


Exactly how much impact


does the sending of money overseas have? According to the World Bank, 215 million international migrants transferred about $372 billion to developing countries in 2011, up from $332 billion in 2010. By 2014, remittances will reach $399 million in 2012, and $467 billion by 2014, according bank projections. Wall Street Journal this fall published the article, “Migrants cash keeps flowing home,” illustrating how overseas remittance has helped to strengthen the economies of developing countries, particularly in this era of global economic hardship. The reporter asserts: “Remittances


Drywall FROM PAGE 3


Commission two years to promulgate a rule pertaining to sulfur content.


• Require Consumer Product


Safety Commission to update their remediation guidelines to prevent contaminated drywall from being reused or recycled.


Background on contaminated


drywall: • Contaminated


Chinese-


manufactured drywall was imported and used in home construction from approximately 2001-2009. Some of that material was used in Hampton Roads construction.


remain a key source of hard currency for developing countries, often outstripping foreign direct investment and foreign aid.”


James Johnson, 37, is a freelance


writer and former bank employee from Olympia.


“I have seen [remittance payments]


numerous times working in the banking industry,” he says. “My co-workers and I felt it was very caring to work hard to send your money back home. The only thing that concerns me is local payroll money leaving the country rather than benefitting the local community.”


Others believe the benefit to the


immigrant’s home country can circle back to the U.S., as increased buying power in those countries could lead to an increased demand for American-made products.


“With the help of the money, our


living situation gets improved and we therefore are able to purchase some imported goods such as electronics that are beyond our budget before,” said John Gao, Lisa’s husband, who was able to immigrate to the U.S. with the aid of his wife.


And, according to a report from


the Immigration Policy Center supports this- “States like California with large immigration populations likely benefit from remittances abroad because of an increase demand in U.S. exports.”


As this inflow of cash improves


the standard of living in the recipient countries, those benefitting appear to adjust their values accordingly.


Many families including Lisa’s,


would rather gather together and share each other’s company than live apart for any economic reason.


“My parents called me not long


ago, saying that they really hope I can fly back to see them,” Lisa says. “They also said that they are doing better financially now, and really don’t care if I send money to them or not. I know things have been changing. But … I feel touched by my family’s response, and feel they care more about me as a person.”


Lisa’s story and the stories of


others like hers demonstrate that there is more to this trend than the numbers.


In the end, what matters most is


that hard-working, dutiful people have found a way to turn their good fortune in immigrating here into good fortune for their entire families.


• Scientific studies have shown


this drywall to cause a corrosive environment for fire alarm systems, electrical distribution systems, gas piping, and refrigeration coils.


• The Consumer Product Safety


Commission has received reports of contaminated Chinese drywall in more than 3,991 homes in 43 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico.


• The Chinese manufacturers,


some of which are state-owned, have refused to submit to the jurisdiction of U.S. courts.


• Reports from homeowners


indicate that some contaminated drywall may be entering the recycling stream for use in new home construction or renovation.


Your Opinion Matters


Congressman Scott Opposes 'Irresponsible' Fiscal Cliff Deal


WASHINGTON, DC -


Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) issued the following statement on his No vote on H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012:


"The Simpson-Bowles Commission


set a $4 trillion, 10-year deficit reduction goal, which would be enough to get our fiscal house in order. Considering that deficit reduction goal, I voted against this bill because it cut taxes and will add a staggering $3.9 trillion to our deficit with no indication of how it will be paid for.


"Unfortunately, there are now very


few options available to Congress to offset the cost of this tax deal. There simply isn't enough money in defense and non-defense discretionary spending to offset the cost. If spending cuts in defense and non-defense discretionary spending alone was the answer then we wouldn't be delaying sequestration for


two months as this bill does. By virtue of the size of this tax cut, it is an arithmetic certainty that Congress will have to cut Social Security,


Medicare, Medicaid, other vital


programs of the social safety net, as well as investments in our future economic competitiveness, such as education and transportation.


"Responsibly reducing our budget


deficit requires making tough, unpopular choices. We didn't do that today since this bill does nothing to reduce our deficit. In fact, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill will add $3.9 trillion to our deficit. It does, however, make the task of responsibly reducing our deficit all the more difficult and makes it much more likely that seniors, the disabled, students, and our most vulnerable communities will bear the greatest burden when Congress eventually pays for what we did today."


EFFORTS TO INTENTIONALLY SABOTAGE THE PRINTING, DISTRIBUTION OR REPUTATION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A VIOLATION OF THE US CONSTITUTION’S PROTECTION OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF ANTITRUST LAWS. IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE PARTICIPATING IN SUCH ACTIONS, PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.


The Hampton Roads Messenger


5


Statement of Governor Bob McDonnell on 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation


RICHMOND- Governor Bob


McDonnell issued the following statement this morning regarding the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.


"150 years ago today, our nation


awoke to the dawn of freedom. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. In a document that history will forever remember, the President wrote, "I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons." With those words, issued unilaterally by a brave and good man, the evil and shame of slavery upon these shores had met the beginning of its ultimate demise. President Lincoln's historic proclamation was spurred, in large part, by events that took place here in Hampton. It was at Fort Monroe, "Freedom's Fortress", that Frank Baker, Sheppard Mallory and James Townsend, three escaped slaves, had reached Union ground early in the Civil War and were granted freedom by the commanding general. That moment preceded and helped precipitate Lincoln's proclamation. For that reason, and many others, Fort Monroe was declared a national park by President Barack Obama in 2011.


As our nation continues to


commemorate and remember the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War,


Gov. Bob McDonnell


I encourage all Americans to come to Virginia and visit Fort Monroe. Walk the battlefields of Manassas and Petersburg. And see Appomattox, where our nation reunited. America is a great nation. We are also a young nation. 150 years is nothing more than a footstep away in the long walk of human history. Today, we remember the history-changing act of a great President. And we thank God for his grace upon our nation, and for the freedom with which he has blessed every human being at birth. That freedom was tragically and wrongly denied to too many for too long here in the United States. We have come far as a country and a Commonwealth; we know our long journey is still far from over. Today is a day to give thanks for our blessings as Americans, as we remember the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation."


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