[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 218 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 218

 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

                              May 22, 2019

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
   Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez 
   Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Mr. 
   Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. 
 Murray, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Schatz, and Ms. Smith) 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, composed of more than 45 distinct ethnicities and 
        more than 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 22,000,000 residents of the United States who 
        identify themselves as Asian and approximately 1,600,000 residents of 
        the United States who identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or other 
        Pacific Islander, making up nearly 7 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 2019 marks several important milestones for the Asian-American and 
        Pacific Islander community, including--

    (1) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Congressional 
Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bicameral caucus of Members of Congress 
advocating on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which, in 
2019, is composed of 73 Members, including 19 Members of Asian or Pacific 
Islander descent;

    (2) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Asian Pacific 
American Institute for Congressional Studies, which was founded alongside 
the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus by former Secretary of 
Commerce and Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta and former 
Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from Guam Robert 
Underwood;

    (3) the 40th anniversary of the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage 
Week, designated in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter through Presidential 
Proclamation No. 4650;

    (4) the 45th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974), in 
which the Supreme Court of the United States determined that inadequate 
supplemental language instruction for students of Chinese ancestry with 
limited English proficiency violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 
expanding equal educational opportunities and paving the way for bilingual 
programs and additional English language instruction in public schools;

    (5) the 95th anniversary of the enactment of the Immigration Act of 
1924 (commonly known as the ``Johnson-Reed Act'') (43 Stat. 153, chapter 
190), which imposed national origin quotas that limited the number of 
immigrants allowed entry to the United States and prohibited the entry of 
Asian immigrants; and

    (6) the 150th anniversary of the completion of the first 
transcontinental railroad, which--

    G    (A) in 1869, connected the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union 
Pacific Railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah; and

    G    (B) involved more than 12,000 Chinese laborers who faced racial 
and wage discrimination despite being entrusted with the most laborious 
tasks;

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, in 2019, 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, Florida, 
Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New 
Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, 
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; and

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

Whereas, in 2019, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders honorably serve 
        throughout the Federal judiciary;
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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