House Approves Velazquez Bill Honoring Chinatown Luminary

Washington, DC –The U.S. House of Representatives this week approved legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) that would rename a Chinatown post office in memory of a local trailblazer, Mabel Lee. Velázquez's bill, H.R. 4463 would designate a Post Office at 6 Doyers Street in Manhattan's Chinatown, as the "Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office."

"I'm proud my colleagues have approved my bill that would honor Mabel Lee's legacy," Velázquez noted. "Mabel Lee was a steadfast advocate for women's rights and for the greater Asian American community. Her hard work and activism empowered many, bringing more Chinese-American women into the electoral process and helping them to secure voting rights."

Mable Lee was the first Chinese woman to receive a PhD from Columbia University. She is known for
organizing classes for Chinatown's residents to build skills in areas like carpentry, radio and typewriting. At just age 22, Lee led Chinese and Chinese-American women in a May 1917 pro-suffrage parade in New York City.

"Mabel Lee's life is the story of breaking down countless barriers at a time when women had few opportunities," said Velázquez. "All New Yorkers and especially women in public service owe her a debt of gratitude. Renaming this post office in her honor is a fitting tribute to such an inspiring figure."

Velázquez's bill passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support through a "voice vote." The bill must now be considered in the U.S. Senate.