Washington, D.C. (May 12, 2010) – U.S. Senate and House Democrats and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus hosted the 2010 Asian American and Pacific Islander Summit last week in Washington.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee Debbie Stabenow (MI), CAPAC Chairman Michael Honda (CA-15), and Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus John Larson (CT-1) were joined by their colleagues in both chambers to meet with approximately 200 members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
The theme of the summit was “Strengthening Our Economy: Job Creation in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community.”
“The AAPI community faces the same challenges as all Americans: finding a steady job, gaining a strong education for our children, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to realize their American dream,” Speaker Pelosi said. “In this Congress, our number one priority remains creating good-paying jobs for every American – and for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, that means continuing to invest in our middle class, empower entrepreneurs, and strengthen small businesses. We will keep our focus on ensuring every American – regardless of background – gets a shot at a good job and a decent wage.”
“The Asian-American and Pacific Islander community in my home state of Nevada is growing and thriving. The contributions of Filipino Americans, Chinese Americans and the many diverse groups who make up Nevada’s AAPI community have shaped our state for decades,” said Majority Leader Reid. “I remain committed to working with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities in Nevada to promote job creation and make sure all Nevadans can pursue the American Dream.”
“The continued growth of the Asian American and Pacific Islander is evident by the success of our fifth annual summit. On behalf of CAPAC, I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senator Stabenow, and the rest of Democratic Leadership for their continued commitment to the AAPI community,” said Rep. Honda. He continued, “At the summit, Democratic Leadership and members of CAPAC stood together in their resolve to ensure that the voices of AAPI communities are heard in policy debates in Washington including those on job creation, supporting small businesses, education and comprehensive immigration reform.”
“As the Chair of the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, I am pleased we could co-host this fifth annual summit and recognize the importance of Asian American Pacific-Islander Heritage Month. Through this Summit, we were able to discuss how Congress can work together with community stakeholders to strengthen our economy and create jobs,” said Stabenow. “I appreciate the leadership of Congressman Mike Honda and I will continue working with him and the rest of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.”
Democratic Caucus Chair John B. Larson said, “Today, Democratic Leadership, in both the House and Senate, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus expressed our unwavering dedication to the AAPI community. Like all Americans, the Asian Pacific American community saw the American Dream and the foundation of our economy erode over the past decade. This Democratic Congress is working tirelessly to restore that dream and the promise of health care, a home and a job for all Americans. None of this would be possible without your continuous efforts and participation. I look forward to working with all of you to help us all reach the American Dream.”
Today’s summit was another in a series of events hosted by Democratic Congressional leadership to highlight the importance of the Asian American & Pacific Islander community.
