PROCLAMATION 7190—APR. 30, 1999 113 STAT. 2077 Guam, American Samoa, and Hawaii, have enriched every aspect of our society with their talents, intellect, and determination. While our Nation has made enormous strides on the path to hill equality and inclusion, our work is far from finished. My Administration has strived to empower the Asian and Pacific American community by working to strengthen our economy, enforce otir civil rights laws, invest in health and education, and promote racial reconciliation. Thanks in part to our economic initiatives, the median household income for Asian and Pacific Americans has significantly increased since 1993, while the poverty rate has declined by more than 8 percent. We have launched a new initiative to end racial and ethnic health disparities, and we established the first-ever Office of Minority Health Research and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. Working to renew our commitment to excellence in education, my Administration also has secured a 35 percent increase in funding for bilingual and immigrant education. To honor the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Americans 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 1999 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 thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety- nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-third. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7190 of April 30, 1999 Older Americans Month, 1999 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As we look forward to the 21st centiuy, we honor the millions of older Americans whose contributions have strengthened and sustained oui Nation throughout the 20th century. These special citizens have led us through times of conflict, depression, peace, and prosperity and have witnessed firsthand the milestones that have defined this era as the "American Century." This month, as we salute their achievements, let us also renew our commitment to preserve for older Americans a quality of life that will help them look ahead to the future with peace of mind. In recent decades, extraordinary advances in science, technology, and medicine, as well as our increased awareness of the importance of good nutrition and physical fitness, have enabled Americans to live longer, healthier lives. Over the course of the past 100 years, the aver-
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