Secretary Kempthorne Hosts Island Day at the Department of Interior
During Asian-Pacific Islander American Heritage Month
 Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, May 10, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne hosted a lunch at the Department of the Interior to recognize the Pacific insular areas served by DOI’s Office of Insular Affairs. Invited as guests were the President of the Marshall Islands Kessai Note, the President of Palau Tommy Remengesau, Jr., the Governor of Guam Felix Camacho, the Lt. Governor of American Samoa Aitofele Sunia, and the CNMI Resident Representative Pete A. Tenorio, who all recently concluded a Pacific Island Conference of Leaders here in Washington.
During the lunch, the Secretary announced to DOI employees his intention to travel to the U.S.-affiliated insular areas in June and his goal to develop a firsthand understanding of the economic and other challenges they are facing. He also stressed his desire to talk to people, get a feel for their daily lives, and get an in-depth understanding of their needs and their aspirations.
The Secretary will be traveling to Midway, Saipan, Guam, Palau, Pohnpei, Kwajalein, Majuro, and American Samoa during the first two weeks of June 2007.
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