Statement of the California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus on the 2012 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

LOS ANGELES – California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus State Chair Clark Lee released the following statement on the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month:

“On behalf of the California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, we are proud to join all Americans in celebrating the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and cherishing the vast diversity of our unique community that exists only in America.

“As one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in the United States, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has been a crucial partner in weaving the fabric of modern America for more than a century and a half. Even today, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continue to break barriers.

“In the last four years, under the Obama administration, we’ve accomplished historic achievements benefiting the AAPI community, including:

• The most AAPIs serving as Cabinet secretaries in U.S. history, including Energy Secretary Steven Chu, former Commerce Secretary and current Ambassador to China Gary Locke, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki;
• The nomination of more AAPIs to the federal bench than any other administration;
• Tax relief to 7.6 million AAPI workers via the payroll tax cut;
• The passage of several tax cuts to help small businesses grow, including 1.5 AAPI-owned small businesses;
• The creation of 4.1 million private sector jobs in the past 25 months;
• Increasing the accessibility and affordability of health care to AAPI families and expanding preventive care to 3 million AAPIs;
• Making college more affordable, with efforts to prevent student loan increase for nearly 335,000 AAPI students;
• The historic election of Rep. Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman ever elected to Congress, currently Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

“As we move forward during this critical year, we must work hard together to safeguard the progress we’ve made in the last few years. This May, we ask the California AAPI community to join the California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus and stand together behind President Barack Obama.

“Together, we can further strengthen the AAPI community. And together, we can continue to help President Obama in putting America back on track.”