[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 70 (Wednesday, May 16, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN COMMEMORATION OF ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2012

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in commemoration of Asian/Pacific 
American Heritage Month.
  This month recognizes that our country's strength comes from the 
diverse talents, cultures, and ideas of its people. In Hawaii, it is 
this very diversity that helps drive our State forward and is the basis 
of our rich local culture.
  We honor the indigenous people of Hawaii and the Pacific islands and 
the Asian immigrants who have come to America seeking opportunity and 
freedom. Key anniversaries in the history of Asian Americans and 
Pacific Islanders occur in May, including the arrival to the U.S. of 
the first Japanese immigrants in 1843.
  As an immigrant myself, I know firsthand the challenges--and the 
opportunities--that so many faced when they came to America.
  My mother, brothers, and I arrived with little more than the clothes 
on our back and my mother's determination to build a better life for 
her children.
  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have found success in all walks 
of life. In government alone, we recognize Senator Inouye, president 
pro tempore, who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations; 
Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color in Congress, whose Title 
IX legislation ensured education equity for women and girls; and Prince 
Jonah Kuhio Kalaniane`ole, whose leadership led to the creation of the 
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands with the passage of the Hawaiian 
Homes Commission Act, 1920.
  These distinguished leaders aren't just a source of pride for the 
AAPI community, they also inspire a Nation. I am proud to celebrate the 
accomplishments of all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and look 
forward to seeing the trailblazers of the future.

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