[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 8, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E982-E983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING AND WELCOMING THE LEADERS OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 7, 2007

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues in 
honoring the rich heritage and important contributions made to our 
Nation by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
  I thank Congressman Honda and the Congressional Asian Pacific 
American Caucus for organizing this evening's special order.
  Born and raised in the diverse city of Los Angeles, California, I 
have been blessed with friendships and experiences that have given me a 
deep respect and appreciation of the unique cultures and customs of our 
AAPI communities.
  That respect and appreciation has grown even greater as a member of 
Congress honored to represent many of these communities, including 
Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and historic Filipinotown.
  The American dream for Asian American Pacific Islanders is the same 
as for all Americans: Freedom, justice, respect and the opportunity for 
a better life.
  This year's commemoration theme--``Meeting the Challenges for Asian 
Pacific Americans in 2007''--unfortunately highlights the sad reality 
that, while generations of Asian American and Pacific Islanders have a 
long history of fighting to protect our country in time of war, 
contributing to the strength our Nation's economy and enriching our 
lives with the beauty of their culture and customs, like too many other 
communities in our country, they continue to face the obstacles of 
discrimination and racism in pursuit of their American dream.
  Eliminating these barriers and honoring the contributions of the AAPI 
communities is a top priority for me, my colleagues and our new 
Democratic majority.
  We will continue to work to successfully: Pass a comprehensive 
immigration reform bill that is fair and just; eliminate health 
disparities by expanding health care coverage and removing linguistic 
and cultural barriers to quality care; honor our veterans by adequately 
funding veterans programs and restoring the benefits denied to so many 
veterans, including the thousands of Filipinos who bravely fought in 
the U.S. Military during World War II; Provide small business with the 
tools needed to encourage entrepreneurial innovation, which will help 
the AAPI and other vulnerable communities develop new business ventures 
that will create jobs and economic prosperity; and

[[Page E983]]

work to make higher education a reality for all America's students by 
increasing the maximum Pell grant award and cutting the interest rates 
on student loans.

  Mr. Speaker, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is also a 
wonderful opportunity for our country to honor hard-working and 
dedicated organizations that help our AAPI communities meet the many 
challenges of today.
  I particularly want to recognize some of the organizations in my 34th 
Congressional District and thank their staffs and volunteers for the 
many valuable services they provide to the community: The Asian Pacific 
American Legal Center, is one of our Nation's largest public service 
organizations that provides legal services and education to create a 
more equitable society; the Chinatown Service Center's Family Health 
Clinic provides comprehensive, affordable health care to thousands of 
low-income families; the Little Tokyo Service Center's Community 
Economic Development programs have developed more than $100 million in 
community-serving nonprofit real estate; the Filipino American Service 
Group, Inc., provides services to seniors, veterans, and homeless 
adults in and around Historic Filipinotown; and the Japanese American 
National Museum and its affiliate, the National Center for the 
Preservation of Democracy, educates the public about the importance of 
remembering Japanese American history to help guard against prejudice 
in our society.
  These are just a few of the many organizations devoted to improving 
the quality of life in the 34th Congressional district and throughout 
the Los Angeles region, and I salute them for their services.
  In closing, I thank the Asian American and Pacific Islander community 
and especially my constituents for continuing to enrich my life, the 
lives of Angelenos, and our Nation as a whole.

                          ____________________