Doris Matsui: “we commemorate Asian and Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month to acknowledge the tremendous achievements of Asian and…”

“we commemorate Asian and Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month to acknowledge the tremendous achievements of Asian and Pacific Americans and honor their contributions to our families, communities and our nation. The Asian and Pacific American community has played a vital role in the development of the United States since the first immigrants came to the United States in the 1700's. Today, over 11 million Asian and Pacific Americans live in the U.S., making extraordinary contributions to every aspect of American life. From David Ho, who has performed breakthrough work on AIDS research, to Maya Lin, the architect who designed the Vietnam Memorial; from the lyrical musings of novelist Amy Tan, to the sublime skills of Tiger Woods, the gifts of the APA community have changed the fabric of American society. The APA community has also changed America's political landscape and I commend all of the APA organizations across America for enhancing the voice of APAs in the political and social arena. Their tireless efforts inspire others to achieve their dreams. All Americans, regardless of their ethnic background and heritage, benefit from their work. Not only is the APA community working today to improve their families and communities, but they also understand the role of history in teaching future generations.”