Mazie Hirono: “I rise today, in recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Every year throughout the month of May, the…”

“I rise today, in recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Every year throughout the month of May, the people of the United States come together to celebrate the contributions of generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, AA NH/PI, who have enriched our society and whose legacies are deeply intertwined in our Nation's history. The AA NH/PI communities are among the fastest growing and most diverse demographic groups in our country. Today, approximately 23 million people of AA NH/PI descent live in the United States, representing more than 45 ethnicities and speaking more than 100 languages. As AA NH/PI communities increase their social and political presence in our country, we must work to raise the visibility of issues important to AA NH/PIs. One way to do this is to uplift the diverse voices of our communities through representation. This year, there are a record 21 AA NH/PI Members serving in Congress, and we celebrate the historic election of Kamala Harris to be the first woman and the first Asian American to hold the Office of the Vice President. However, even with today's progress, our AA NH/PI communities continue to face issues of disparity and prejudice. This year, we once again commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month amid a global pandemic.…”