[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 78 (Friday, May 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2003

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to stand 
before my colleagues and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage 
Month. Asian and Pacific Americans have been a part of this country for 
over 200 years, with one of the first Asian American communities, the 
Filipino community, being established in the Louisiana Bayou in 1763. 
Since that date, the Asian Pacific American community has come a long 
way.
  According to Census projections, Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) 
will account for 6.5 percent of the nation's population by the year 
2025, and by 2050 they will account for 9.3 percent. Consequently, by 
2050 about one out of every 11 Americans will trace their heritage to 
API roots. As this community continues to grow, it is important for all 
of us to continue to learn from each other.
  In the 9th Congressional District, I am very fortunate to represent a 
vibrant and productive Asian Pacific American community that totals 
over 70,000 people. The community is very diverse, including Chinese, 
Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Vietnamese, Koreans, Filipinos, and 
Samoans. Ranging from doctors to teachers to small business owners, 
each member of the API community enhances our district and makes it a 
better place to live and work for all of my constituents. Whether I am 
marching in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Sikh parades on Devon 
Street or celebrating the Lunar New Year on Argyle Street, I cannot 
help but feel a sense of pride when I see so many different cultures 
all tied to the single bond of being American.
  Congress recognizes the importance of the Asian Pacific American 
community and displays this through the numerous Caucuses representing 
many nations, ranging from India to Cambodia. Congressional staffers 
have also done their part to educate themselves about the Asian Pacific 
American community through staff organizations such as CAPASA, the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association, and SAACSA, the 
South Asian American Congressional Staff Association, of which I am 
proud to be a sponsor. As a Member of Congress, I will continue to 
utilize these resources to work with community leaders on key issues 
such as education and immigration, as well as encourage more Asian 
Americans to enter the public sector at the local, state and federal 
levels.
  The rich cultural history and traditions of Asian pacific communities 
enrich all of our lives and contribute to the American culture. Now 
more than ever, we need to work side by side with community leaders to 
help educate those outside the community that Asian Pacific Americans 
are, first and foremost, Americans who share the same core values and 
beliefs as all communities in this country. The Asian Pacific American 
community has come so far in such a short period of time, and I am 
confident that it will only continue to grow and thrive while 
maintaining its many cultures and values.

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