[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 546 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 546

 Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 
  as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of 
  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 13, 2018

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
   Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. 
   Duckworth, Ms. Harris, Mr. Heller, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
  Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
     Schatz, Mr. Schumer, and Ms. Warren) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 
  as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of 
  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United 
                                States.

Whereas the people of the United States join together each May to pay tribute to 
        the contributions of generations of Asian Americans and Pacific 
        Islanders who have enriched the history of the United States;
Whereas the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United 
        States is inextricably tied to the story of the United States;
Whereas the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is an inherently 
        diverse population, comprised of over 45 distinct ethnicities and over 
        100 language dialects;
Whereas, according to the Bureau of the Census, the Asian American population 
        grew faster than any other racial or ethnic group over the last decade, 
        surging nearly 72 percent between 2000 and 2015;
Whereas there are approximately 21,000,000 residents of the United States who 
        identify themselves as Asian and approximately 1,500,000 residents of 
        the United States who identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or other 
        Pacific Islander, making up nearly 6 percent of the total population of 
        the United States;
Whereas the month of May was selected for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 
        because the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States on 
        May 7, 1843, and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on 
        May 10, 1869, with substantial contributions from Chinese immigrants;
Whereas section 102 of title 36, United States Code, officially designates May 
        as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and requests the President to 
        issue an annual proclamation calling on the people of the United States 
        to observe the month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and 
        activities;
Whereas 2018 marks several important milestones for the Asian American and 
        Pacific Islander community, including--

    (1) the 120th anniversary of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 
649 (1898), a Supreme Court decision that determined that the 14th 
Amendment grants birthright citizenship to all persons born in the United 
States, regardless of the national origin of their parents;

    (2) the 75th anniversary of the Act entitled ``An Act to repeal the 
Chinese Exclusion Acts, to establish quotas, and for other purposes'', 
approved December 17, 1943 (commonly known as the ``Magnuson Act of 1943'') 
(57 Stat. 600, chapter 344), which formally repealed the Act entitled ``An 
Act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese'', approved 
May 6, 1882 (commonly known as the ``Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882'') (22 
Stat. 58, chapter 126);

    (3) the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 
1988 (50 U.S.C. 4211 et seq.), which granted reparations to Japanese 
Americans incarcerated during World War II; and

    (4) the 25th anniversary of the enactment of Public Law 103-150 (107 
Stat. 1510), which acknowledged the 100th anniversary of the January 17, 
1893, overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and offered an apology to Native 
Hawaiians on behalf of the United States;

Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made significant 
        contributions to the United States at all levels of the Federal 
        Government and the United States Armed Forces, including--

    (1) Daniel K. Inouye, a Medal of Honor and Presidential Medal of 
Freedom recipient who, as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, was the 
highest-ranking Asian American government official in the history of the 
United States;

    (2) Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American Congressman;

    (3) Patsy T. Mink, the first woman of color and Asian American woman to 
be elected to Congress;

    (4) Hiram L. Fong, the first Asian American Senator;

    (5) Daniel K. Akaka, the first Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry;

    (6) Norman Y. Mineta, the first Asian American member of a Presidential 
cabinet; and

    (7) Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian American woman member of a 
presidential cabinet;

Whereas the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bicameral caucus of 
        Members of Congress advocating on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific 
        Islanders, is composed of 63 Members this year, including 17 Members of 
        Asian or Pacific Islander descent;
Whereas, in 2018, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are serving in State and 
        Territorial legislatures across the United States in record numbers, 
        including in--

    (1) the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, 
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New 
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, 
Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia; and

    (2) the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands;

Whereas the commitment of the United States to diversity in the judiciary has 
        been demonstrated by the nominations of high-caliber Asian American and 
        Pacific Islander jurists at all levels of the Federal bench;
Whereas there remains much to be done to ensure that Asian Americans and Pacific 
        Islanders have access to resources and a voice in the Government of the 
        United States and continue to advance in the political landscape of the 
        United States; and
Whereas celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month provides the people of 
        the United States with an opportunity to recognize the achievements, 
        contributions, and history of, and to understand the challenges faced 
        by, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific American 
        Heritage Month as an important time to celebrate the 
        significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific 
        Islanders to the history of the United States; and
            (2) recognizes that Asian American and Pacific Islander 
        communities enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the 
        United States.
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