[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8780]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 2005

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate May 2005 as 
National Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
  I am proud to represent the 29th District of California, home to one 
of the largest Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in 
Southern California; almost one-fourth of my constituents are of Asian 
Pacific heritage. Earlier this year I had the honor of naming Temple 
City, City Councilmember Judy S. Wong and Alice Lan-Hua Hwang 29th 
Congressional District Women of the Year for 2005 in recognition of 
their contributions to our community.
  Countless lives in Southern California benefit from the leadership 
provided by these women and other prominent Asian Pacific Americans 
such as Board of Equalization Member John Chiang, Assembly Members Judy 
Chu and Carol Liu, Alhambra City Council Member Gary Yamauchi, Alhambra 
School Board Members Robert Gin and Chester Chau, Altadena Town Council 
Member Lucille Hino, Glendale Community College Trustee Victor King, 
Monterey Park Mayor Mike Eng, Monterey Park City Council Members Betty 
Tom Chu and David Lau and Monterey Park City Treasurer Mitchell lng, 
Garvey School Board Members Henry Lo and John Yuen, Temple City School 
Board Member Edward Chen, South Pasadena Council Member Mike Ten, South 
Pasadena School Board Member Joseph Loo, San Gabriel City Council 
Member Chi Mui and San Gabriel School Board Member Ken Tcheng.
  This week the House considered a resolution honoring the 
contributions of Vietnamese Americans to American society over the past 
thirty years. The consideration of this bill is timely as this year 
marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of South Vietnan to Communist 
rule. Over the course of three decades, through perseverance and hard 
work, the 1.5 million Vietnamese who resettled in the United States 
have been able to build new lives and form a vibrant community which 
has strengthened our nation immeasurably. Yet this community has not 
forgotten its heritage and has worked tirelessly to promote democracy 
and freedom in Vietnam; to extend the same rights they enjoy to the 
people of the land they were forced to leave.
  From every tragedy springs a new hope. The fall of Saigon resulted in 
a world refugee crisis of historic proportions, creating over three 
million refugees. But were it not for this event, America would not be 
the same. As with millions of other Asian and Pacific Islanders, 
Vietnamese Americans have enriched our society and woven their own 
traditions into the beautiful tapestry that is America. I would like to 
thank the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for their contribution 
to our district and society, our community would be incomplete without 
them.

                          ____________________