California Forensic Science Institute's Executive Director Rose Matsui Ochi thanks Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) for her federal support of efforts to develop forensic training courses for DNA, Drug Toxicology and Firearms at the institute located at California State University, Los Angeles. The California Forensic Science Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving public safety through the advancement of forensic science. A constituent of Downtown in the congresswoman's 34th District, Ms. Ochi traveled to our nation's capital from Los Angeles to attend the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation's Fourth Annual Awards Dinner.  The gala event paid special tribute to Japanese American veterans, about which the congresswoman said: "I applaud the foundation for commemorating the heroism and sacrifice of Japanese Americans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service and other units that fought and died for our nation during World War II.  I also commend the foundation for its critical role in keeping alive the stories of the 120,000 courageous Japanese American men, women and children who were unjustly detained and imprisoned at World War II internment camps.  You do a great service to our nation by ensuring that these American stories are never forgotten."  The foundation's prestigious awardees this year were the Honorable Daniel K. Akaka, U.S. Senator from Hawaii, and the Honorable Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator from South Carolina, and Spark Matsunaga, the late U.S. Senator from Hawaii.  Ms. Ochi is a trailblazer in her own right.  As Director of the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1997-2001, Ms. Ochi became the first Asian Pacific American woman to serve at the Assistant Attorney General level.  Earlier in her career, Ms. Ochi was executive director of the City of Los Angeles Criminal Justice Planning Office.  For her dedicated community service, Ms. Ochi is the recipient of many honors, including the U.S. DOJ Distinguished Service Award and the National Asian Legal Consortium American Courage Award.

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