HON. ED CASE Contract Laborers
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Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020 No. 90 CELEBRATING ASIAN PACIFIC The year 2020 also marks the 120th anniversary of Okinawan immigration to Hawai‘i. AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH On January 8, 1900, twenty-six men from Okinawa arrived in Honolulu as part of the first group of HON. ED CASE contract laborers. Like so many other AANHPI OF HAWAI‘I communities, Okinawan immigrants initially faced discrimination but through their own hard work and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sacrifice, our Okinawan community has Wednesday, May 13, 2020 contributed deeply to the economic achievements Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, our country has and cultural richness of our state. Today, persons officially observed each May since 1992 as Asian of Okinawan descent are deeply integrated into Pacific American Heritage Month, recognizing the Hawaii’s political, economic and social life, and I extraordinary contributions of our Asian American, am proud to serve as their Representative here in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Congress. community to the rich fabric and history of our In Hawai‘i and across America, AANHPI nation. communities are as diverse as they are May is especially important to me as the proud accomplished. But while our country has made Representative of Hawaii’s First Congressional significant progress in increasing visibility and District with the largest population of Asian expanding opportunities for all Asian Americans, Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, there is of any district in our country. For over a century much work still to be done. Disparities in economic and continuing through the present and into opportunity, education, health care and more tomorrow, Hawai‘i has produced repeated between AANHPI and other communities and accomplished AANHPI “firsts” in government who within subgroups of our AANHPI community have left a lasting impact on our state and country, persist. including Territorial Delegate Jonah Kūhiō These disparities have become all the more Kalaniana‘ole, Senator Hiram Fong, Senator apparent amidst this COVID-19 pandemic. Across Daniel Inouye, Senator Daniel Akaka, our country, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Congresswoman Patsy Mink, Governors John communities have been especially hard hit, Waihe‘e, Ben Cayetano and George Ariyoshi, as reporting infection rates up to three times higher well as my current colleagues Senator MAZIE than the rest of the population. At the same time, HIRONO and Congresswoman TULSI GABBARD. I across the country, Americans of Asian, Native am also proud to have served as a young staffer Hawaiian and Pacific Islander descent are working on Capitol Hill for my own mentor, the late Senator on the front lines to care for their fellow Americans Spark Matsunaga. and keep our country going. Their strength and But the accomplishments of Hawaii’s Asian resilience alongside our fellow Americans are truly American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander inspiring. As a member of executive board of our community extend well beyond the realm of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I politics and government into all areas of our will continue to work to protect the health and society including science, law, sports, business, wellbeing of our entire AANHPI community both in music, arts and culture and more. We are so proud Hawai‘i and across the country during this difficult to remember individuals like astronaut Ellison time. Onizuka, Judge Herbert Choy, entrepreneur During this Asian Pacific American Heritage Robert Taira, singer Don Ho, Olympic swimmer Month, while we celebrate the accomplishments of Duke Kahanamoku, golfer Michelle Wie, Native Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Hawaiian navigator Nainoa Thompson, boxer Islander communities in my district, in Hawai‘i and Brian Viloria, actor Jason Momoa, singer and across America, we must also rededicate songwriter Bruno Mars and so many more. ourselves to continuing to empower and uplift all Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and individuals. .