Obama Restores White House Initiative On Pacific Islanders
Guam - Fulfilling a promise to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, President Barack Obama today signed an Executive Order reestablishing a White House program to improve their quality of life through increased participation in Federal programs.
Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan was among the members of CAPAC, the Congressional Asian Pacific
Americans Caucus, present for the White House ceremony.
“President Obama made a commitment to restore the AAPI initiative. Today he has kept his promise to Asian American and Pacific Islanders and we are all very grateful,” remarked Sablan.
“Especially, because this is a time of great change — in health care and immigration — change that will impact our communities.
“Now with a voice in the White House, representing our interests, we can be assured that these successful reforms will also fulfill their promise of benefit of all Americans, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.”
The Obama Executive Order restores the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders begun by President Bill Clinton in 1999. It aims to increase the participation of the AAPI community in the full range of Federal programs, including health, human services, housing, education, labor, transportation, and economic and community development, areas in which Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans may be underserved.
Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA), chair of CAPAC, speaking on behalf of the Caucus thanked the President for his leadership. “He has restored its broad mission to ensure that all federal agencies are addressing the needs of underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.”
The co-chairs of the Initiative are Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
The first Pacific Islander to be made an Assistant Secretary at the Department of the Interior, Anthony Babauta, was present at the signing. ““I look forward to serving in the Obama administration to help improve the quality of life and create opportunities for all Asian American and Pacific Islander Americans,” Babauta said.
