Proc. 7300 Title 3--The President elist Amy Tan have delighted readers across our Nation, while architect and sculptor Maya Lin's stirring memorials to the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement have uplifted and inspired all who have experi- enced them. And diver Greg Louganis and football star Junior Seau have thrilled sports fans everywhere with their skill and athleticism. While many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders today are thriving, oth- ers 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 con- sequences 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 Ameri- cans and Pacific Islanders. The Initiative's goal is to improve the quality of life for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by increasing their partici- pation in Federal programs--including health, human services, education, housing, labor, transportation, economic, and community development pro- grams--which may not have served them in the past. My Administration remains dedicated to building an America that cele- brates and draws strength from its diversity. Let us use this month to re- flect on the many gifts Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have brought to our nation and embrace the contributions that Americans of all back- grounds make to our increasingly multicultural society. To honor the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to recognize their many contributions to our 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 thousand, and of the Independ- ence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM 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 our de- 70
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