[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 40 (Monday, March 15, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A SALUTE TO SUNLL ``SUNNY'' AGHI

 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I want to take just a few moments 
today to salute one of the young leaders of the Indo-American 
community, someone who is providing for all of us an exemplary model of 
what it means to serve our neighborhoods, our communities, and our 
fellow Americans.
  Mr. Sunll ``Sunny'' Aghi is the founder and President of the Indo-
American Political Foundation, an organization based in California, 
dedicated to engaging Indo-Americans in the political process and 
ensuring that Indo-Americans gain a foothold in our government as 
elected officials. Sunll Aghi has brought an impressive energy to this 
mission--actively recruiting Indo-Americans to meet the challenges of 
participatory democracy as voters, supporters, and candidates, whether 
the be new citizens or established leaders in California's diverse 
communities.
  Sunll has also found substantial ways to contribute to life in 
California beyond politics. Mr. Aghi is the founder of Thank You 
America--an organization dedicated to providing food and clothing to 
the homeless of Orange County each year on Thanksgiving Day, an effort 
which has benefits over 500 needy individuals each holiday. Sunll hopes 
to expand Thank You America's operations to eventually include 
providing college scholarships for talented, young Californians 
struggling to afford a college education. These efforts demonstrate to 
all of us the truth that DeTocqueville spoke of 150 years age when he 
said ``America is great because Americans are good.'' Sunll Aghi is 
keeping that tradition of civic responsibility alive and well for a new 
generation of our citizens.
  Mr. President, I am pleased to have the chance to acknowledge Mr. 
Aghi for his contributions to our country and to the democratic 
process. I applaud his efforts and share his hopes that someday soon we 
will bring all Indo-Americans into the mainstream of American politics 
as full participants, and that in the coming years we will build an 
America where Indo-Americans serve in and are fully represented in the 
House, the Senate, and the Administration. His work is an inspiration 
to all of us, and I hope more Americans will follow his tremendous 
example of activism and citizenship raised to a higher level.

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