114 STAT. 3296 PROCLAMATION 7300—APR. 29, 2000 to the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement have uplifted and inspired all who have experienced them. And diver Greg Louganis and football star Junior Seau have thrilled sports fans ever3rwhere with their skill and athleticism. While many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders today are thriving, others are still struggling to overcome obstacles. Because of oppression in their countries of origin, some new immigrants have arrived without having completed their education; once here, some have encountered language and cultural barriers and discrimination. Pacific Islanders, too, must overcome barriers to opportunity caused by their geographic isolation and the consequences of Western influences on their unique culture. For these and other reasons, too many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face low-paying jobs, inadequate health care, and lack of educational opportunity. To assist this community in meeting these challenges, last June I signed an Executive order establishing the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Initiative's goal is to improve the quality of life for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by increasing their participation in Federal programs—^including health, human services, education, housing, labor, transportation, economic, and community development programs—which may not have served them in the past. My Administration remains dedicated to building an America that celebrates and draws strength from its diversity. Let us use this month to reflect on the many gifts Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have brought to our nation and embrace the contributions that Americans of all backgroimds make to our increasingly multicultural society. To honor the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to recognize their many contributions to om- Nation, the Congress, by Public Law 102—450, has designated the month of May as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month." NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 2000 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this occasion with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty- ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two liiousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WnjJAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7300 of April 29, 2000 Loyalty Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution, our Nation's founders first articulated the enduring ideals that have sustained
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