Political Quotes

“Mr. President, each year during the month of May, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month calls us to celebrate and reflect on the rich history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. These communities draw from an incredibly diverse range of cultures, languages, and religions that all come together to make the United States a more vibrant nation. Whether as natives or as immigrants, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have long played a pivotal role in the history of the United States since even before its founding. Congress first recognized the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with the introduction of a resolution in 1977 by Representatives Frank Horton of New York and Norman Mineta of California and, later, Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga, both of Hawaii. This resolution proclaimed the first 10 days of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. It took Representative Horton's reintroduction of a modified resolution in 1978 for Congress to pass it and for President Jimmy Carter to sign it. Presidents would then go on to issue annual proclamations for Asian Pacific American Heritage Week until 1990, when Congress expanded Asian Pacific American Heritage Week to the entire month, and President George H. W. Bush designated May 1990 as the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. In 1992, congressional passage of a final resolution permanently designated the month of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.…”