[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 3, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 27655-27656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09522]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 27655]]

                Proclamation 10559 of April 28, 2023

                
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific 
                Islander Heritage Month, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                During Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific 
                Islander Heritage Month, our Nation celebrates the 
                diversity of cultures, breadth of achievement, and 
                remarkable contributions of these communities; of brave 
                immigrants who, motivated by the promise of 
                possibilities, picked up their lives and found new 
                homes here; of native peoples who have stewarded these 
                lands since time immemorial; and of community leaders 
                shaping a brighter future for us all. Throughout our 
                history, they have represented the bigger story of who 
                we are as Americans and embodied the truth that our 
                diversity is our strength as a Nation.

                Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific 
                Islanders (AA and NHPIs) represent us at every level of 
                government, including Vice President Kamala Harris, the 
                first Vice President of South Asian descent; Ambassador 
                Katherine Tai, the first Asian American United States 
                Trade Representative; and Dr. Arati Prabhakar, who is 
                the first South Asian American to lead the White House 
                Office of Science and Technology Policy. Earlier this 
                year, I was also proud to nominate Julie Su to serve as 
                the Secretary of Labor. From historic Oscar-winning 
                performances in film to achievements across business, 
                culture, sports, and civil rights, AA and NHPIs shape 
                and strengthen the fabric of this Nation. We see their 
                contributions as business owners and caregivers as well 
                as their service in the military and on the frontlines 
                during the COVID-19 pandemic.

                Despite the immeasurable ways AA and NHPIs enrich this 
                country, we continue to see persistent racism, 
                harassment, and hate crimes against these communities. 
                Attacks on Asian American women and elders, have left 
                too many families afraid to leave their homes and too 
                many loved ones traumatized. The devastating murder of 
                eight victims in Atlanta, six of whom were women of 
                Asian descent, pierced the soul of this Nation. This 
                year, after the shootings in Monterey Park and Half 
                Moon Bay, both the Vice President and I visited 
                California to honor the victims; grieve with the 
                community; and witness their resilience, heroism, and 
                courage. Hate must have no safe harbor in America, and 
                every person deserves to be treated with dignity and 
                respect. To address the rising tide of anti-Asian 
                violence, I signed the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes 
                Act into law--which included the Jabara-Heyer No HATE 
                Act, making it easier for Americans to report hate 
                crimes and to help State, local, and Tribal law 
                enforcement agencies better track these hateful acts.

                This year I was proud to launch the first-ever National 
                Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity 
                for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific 
                Islander Communities. This plan reflects my 
                Administration's commitment to improving the lives of 
                AA and NHPIs--ensuring that the census collects 
                accurate data so they are properly reflected when new 
                policy is made; advancing safety, inclusion, and 
                belonging for AA and NHPI communities; promoting 
                language access and preservation; advancing AA and NHPI 
                representation in the Federal workforce; and striving 
                toward an equitable COVID-19 recovery. The White House 
                was proud to host celebrations such

[[Page 27656]]

                as Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, Lunar New Year, Nowruz, and 
                Vesak so we could celebrate with diverse AA and NHPI 
                communities from across the Nation.

                We are also creating economic opportunities for AA and 
                NHPI workers and business owners. The Small Business 
                Administration has distributed nearly $16 billion in 
                loans to AA and NHPI entrepreneurs since I took office. 
                I was proud to sign Executive Orders to ensure the 
                Federal workforce reflects the diversity of the 
                American people. Our efforts are paying off. In the 
                Asian American community, unemployment has fallen by 
                more than half since I took office, and as of 2021, 
                entrepreneurship had risen at the fastest rate in over 
                a decade.

                As we make progress to advance equity and opportunity, 
                we know our work is far from done. To help more AA and 
                NHPIs see themselves in the story of America, I signed 
                historic legislation bringing us closer to creating the 
                National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and 
                Culture. To honor the traditional practices and 
                ancestral pathways of Pacific Island voyagers, I 
                expanded protections for the Pacific Remote Islands. To 
                help Americans reckon with and learn from more shameful 
                chapters of our history, I signed into law the Amache 
                National Historic Site Act, which establishes a 
                memorial to the 10,000 Japanese Americans who were 
                unjustly incarcerated at Amache during World War II. 
                Facing past wrongs helps us build a more just and 
                equitable future.

                This country's fundamental promise holds that every 
                person is created equal and deserves to be treated 
                equally throughout their lives. We have never fully 
                lived up to that ideal, but we have never walked away 
                from it either. This month, we renew our work to put 
                the American Dream within reach of all people, and we 
                celebrate the vibrancy, contributions, and future of AA 
                and NHPI communities across America.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2023 as 
                Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 
                Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to learn more 
                about the history of AA and NHPIs and to observe this 
                month with appropriate programs and activities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                seventh.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2023-09522
Filed 5-2-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P