Page 8 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
U.S.A.
January 19, 2015
More women, minorities in new congress
By Matthew Daly
The Associated Press
ASHINGTON — The 114th Congress that
convened this month counts more minorities
and women than ever, although lawmakers
remain overwhelmingly white and male in the
Republican-controlled House of Representatives and
Senate.
A record 104 women are serving in congress, and for the
first time, African-American members of both genders
and representing both parties are among the ranks on
Capitol Hill.
The number of female lawmakers is up slightly from
100 at the close of the last congress, but represents about
20 percent of the total in congress. It’s far less than the
nearly 51 percent of the U.S. population.
A total of 96 racial minorities serve in congress, about
18 percent.
There are 100 senators and 435 seats in the house.
The house has 246 Republicans and 188 Democrats.
One seat is vacant following the recent resignation of
representative Michael Grimm (R-New York), who plead-
q
W
U.S. brewery apologizes to those
offended by its Gandhi beer
By Stephen Singer
The Associated Press
ARTFORD, Connecticut — A Connecticut
brewery has apologized to Indians offended that
the company is using Mohandas Gandhi’s name
and likeness on one of its beers.
New England Brewing Co. sells an India pale ale it calls
Gandhi-Bot. The label features a cartoon image depicting
a robot version of the
late Indian leader, who
favored prohibition.
“We apologize to any
Indian people that find
our Gandhi-Bot label
offensive. Our intent is
not to offend anyone, but
rather pay homage and
celebrate a man who we
respect greatly,” the
company wrote on its
Facebook page.
The brewery’s website
promotes
the
Gandhi-Bot beer, which
has been distributed for
about five years, as
“fully vegetarian” and
QUESTIONABLE CHOICE.
“an
ideal
aid
for
A Connecticut brewery has apologized
self-purification and the to Indians offended that the company
seeking of truth and is using Mohandas Gandhi’s name
love.”
and likeness on one of its beers. New
Critics in the U.S. and England Brewing Co. sells an India
India have complained pale ale it calls Gandhi-Bot. The label
about the commercial features a cartoon image depicting a
use of Gandhi, who is robot version of the late Indian leader,
revered for leading who favored prohibition.
India to independence through nonviolence.
Proloy K. Das, a Hartford lawyer, tweeted that
Connecticut “should be ashamed to be home” to New
England Brewing.
He told The Associated Press that the issue is not just
the use of Gandhi’s name, but also his depiction as
something comparable to a robot. “There’s really no spin
you can put on this,” he said.
New England Brewing referred questions to its posting
on Facebook, where it also urged users not to use its page
to argue with those upset by the label.
“We want to do our best to be culturally sensitive and
respectful,” the brewery said.
New England Brewing posted its apology at about the
time criticism began mounting. Newspapers in India
reported that a lawyer brought a case against the beer
company in Hyderabad, saying the use of Gandhi’s image
violates Indian law as an insult to the nation’s honor.
State representative Prasad Srinivasan, a Republican
who is from India, said he was “beyond appalled” at the
use of Gandhi’s image.
“How this celebrates the apostle of peace by putting his
image on a beer can boggles one’s mind,” he said.
Tushar Gandhi, the Indian leader’s great-grandson,
said Gandhi “abhorred alcohol drinking” and spoke
against it, The Telegraph newspaper reported.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Gandhi’s grandson, was quoted as
calling the use of his image “crass and silly.”
H
ed guilty to a felony tax evasion charge.
The senate has 54 Republicans and 44 Democrats, plus
two independents — Maine’s Angus King and Vermont’s
Bernie Sanders. Both caucus with Democrats.
House of Representatives
A total of 84 women serve in the house, compared with
80 in the last congress. The new lawmakers include Elise
Stefanik, a 30-year-old New York Republican who is the
youngest woman ever elected to the house. Also making
history is Mia Love, 38, whose election to a suburban Salt
Lake City district made her the first black female
Republican to win a seat in congress.
Forty-four African Americans serve in the house,
including Love and another black Republican freshman,
Will Hurd of Texas. Hurd made news in December when
he was named chairman of an Information Technology
subcommittee on the House Oversight and Government
Reform Committee, an unusual distinction for a
freshman.
SLOW CHANGE. The 114th Congress that convened this month
counts more minorities and women than ever — including a record 104
women — although lawmakers remain overwhelmingly white and male in
the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Senate. Pictured
is Democrat Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who is the only Asian-American sen-
ator. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
There are 34 Hispanic lawmakers, including 10
Republicans, as well as 10 Asian Americans and two
Native Americans, both Oklahoma Republicans.
Senate
The number of women in the senate remains at 20,
following the election of Republicans Joni Ernst of Iowa
and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, and the
defeats of Democrats Kay Hagan of North Carolina and
Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. (Re-elected were Republican
Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of
New Hampshire.)
Two African Americans serve as senators — Republican
Tim Scott of South Carolina and Democrat Cory Booker of
New Jersey. There are three Hispanic senators:
Republicans Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of
Texas and Democrat Robert Menendez of New Jersey.
Democrat Mazie Hirono of Hawaii is the only Asian
American in the senate.
Freshmen
Fifty-eight house freshmen were sworn in this month
— 43 Republicans and 15 Democrats. Three other
members are new to congress but are considered veterans
of a few weeks. Representatives Dave Brat (R-Virginia),
Donald Norcross (D-New Jersey.), and Alma Adams (D-
North Carolina), took the oath shortly after November’s
elections to fill the seats of lawmakers who had left
congress.
The senate welcomes 13 new members — 12 Republi-
cans and one Democrat, Gary Peters of Michigan.
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