Press Room

AAI in the News

Sununu: Heritage adds 'personal perspective'

By Kendra Gilbert
Union Leader.com
Posted on Wednesday September 13, 2006

Washington – Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., told an Arab American Institute luncheon yesterday that Arab-Americans can bring a “personal perspective” to congressional debate.

Sununu, a Lebanese-American, is the only senator of Arab descent.

His heritage, he said, “certainly made a difference in my work on the Foreign Relations Committee. I grew up paying attention to events overseas.”

“All perspectives need to be voiced in the policy-making process,” said Joseph Ayoub, a Department of Energy staffer who was among others honored at the luncheon. “The fact that (Arab-Americans) are involved in different agencies, I think that contributes to the overall mission of the government, which is to serve the public interest as a whole.”

Sununu also spoke about the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. He declared his support for the $230 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon that President Bush has pledged, but said “more could have been done.”

Sununu and other Arab-American lawmakers, including Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Charles Boustany, R-La., both of whom also spoke, form a sort of “Arab-American caucus,” said James Zogby, the institute’s president.

Some attendees reflected on the prejudices they faced as a result of the terrorist attacks of five years ago. Zogby recalled threats to his life that have since landed three people in jail. He also spoke of supportive phone calls he got from members of Congress.

“Right after 9/11, in the next three days, I got calls from about a dozen senators saying, ‘I support you. I want to work with you. What can we do to help your community?’” he said.