[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7765]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, please join me as we celebrate Asian 
Pacific American Heritage Month this May.
  Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was originally established as 
Asian Pacific American Heritage Week in 1977 by a congressional 
resolution. In 1992, Congress expanded the week into a month to 
recognize the countless contributions that Asian Pacific Islander 
Americans have made to our country.
  The month of May is significant to the Asian and Pacific Islander 
American, APIA, community because it coincides with two important 
milestones in APIA history: the arrival of the first Japanese 
immigrants to the U.S., in May of 1843, and the contributions of 
Chinese workers toward building the transcontinental railroad, which 
was completed in May of 1869.
  The APIA community is one of the fastest growing populations in the 
United States. With nearly 15 million residents and growing, APIAs 
contribute greatly to every aspect of life in America, just as they 
have throughout our history.
  This year's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month theme is 
``Leadership, Diversity, Harmony--Gateway to Success.'' As the Senator 
from California, which has 5 million APIA residents, I am working hard 
to address the many issues of importance to the APIA community, such as 
human rights, immigration reform, education, and health care.
  As the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East 
Asian and Pacific Affairs, I have been working on issues such as peace 
and stability in East Asia and the Pacific, human rights issues, 
environmental protection, and the economy.
  I hope you visit my Asian Pacific American Heritage Month web feature 
to learn more about how the APIA community has shaped our Nation's 
history. I hope that you will find this information useful and that you 
will celebrate the rich diversity that is America's greatest strength.

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