Statement for the Record
Commemorating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard
Tuesday, May 8, 2007



"Madam 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

" 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.

Madam 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."
 

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