[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 73 (Friday, May 21, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MAY IS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 2004

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, 
and I would like to commemorate the substantial achievements of Asian 
Pacific Americans to our nation's history. My district, comprised of 
Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties in California owes a 
particularly large debt to the Asian Pacific community. California has 
benefited greatly from the contributions of Asian Pacific immigrants 
throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Chinese immigrants were 
instrumental in building the transcontinental railroad which helped 
open California to settlement and brought rapid economic growth to the 
West and along with immigrants from Japan, helped start Monterey's 
commercial fishing industry.
  The Central Coast of California was and still is, highly dependent on 
agriculture. Starting in the late 1890s, Chinese, Japanese and Filipino 
farm laborers were the engine behind the growth and development of the 
agricultural industry. Farm labor work on strawberry and peach farms 
was often back-breaking work; laborers rose at dawn and worked until 
dusk, and were generally paid very poorly. Additionally, Asian Pacific 
immigrants were often treated horribly and harshly discriminated 
against. Filipino farm workers formed the first organized group in the 
early history of the United Farm Workers Union. Despite these 
conditions and obstacles, over the last hundred years, the Asian 
Pacific American community has grown into a vibrant community that has 
made substantial contributions to California and our nation as a whole. 
I am proud to represent a large Filipino population in my district who 
are active citizens of the community.
  This year's theme of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is 
``Freedom for All--A Nation We Call Our Own,'' and exemplifies one of 
the best aspects of the America; that all citizens can take ownership 
in our society and country and work towards building a better nation. 
Mabuhay.

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