[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 219 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 219

Honoring the life and legacy of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of 
                      color to serve in Congress.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                 May 23 (legislative day, May 22), 2019

   Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Booker, Ms. 
    Cantwell, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. 
  Gillibrand, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Murray, Ms. 
   Rosen, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. 
Warren, Ms. Sinema, and Mr. Kaine) submitted the following resolution; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the life and legacy of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of 
                      color to serve in Congress.

Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink was born in Paia, Hawaii, to Japanese-American 
        parents, Suematsu and Mitama Tateyama Takemoto;
Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink overcame gender discrimination to become the first 
        Japanese-American woman to practice law in Hawaii;
Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink devoted her life to public service;
Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink served in--

    (1) the Hawaii territorial House from 1956 to 1958;

    (2) the Hawaii territorial Senate from 1958 to 1959;

    (3) the Hawaii State Senate from 1962 to 1964; and

    (4) the Honolulu City Council from 1983 to 1987;

Whereas Representative Mink became the first Asian-American woman and the first 
        woman of color to be elected to Congress in 1964;
Whereas Representative Mink served 12 terms as a Member of Congress;
Whereas Representative Mink fought throughout her life for fundamental rights 
        and equity for women, children, Asian Americans, and other minority and 
        disenfranchised groups;
Whereas Representative Mink--

    (1) introduced the first childcare bill; and

    (2) co-authored and championed the landmark title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) to promote equal access and 
equal treatment for women and girls in educational settings;

Whereas Representative Mink maintained a national focus on issues affecting 
        Asian Pacific Americans, notably educating people of the United States 
        about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II;
Whereas Representative Mink was a committed advocate for many progressive 
        causes, including--

    (1) ending gender and racial discrimination;

    (2) promoting social and economic justice;

    (3) improving access to high-quality education and affordable child 
care;

    (4) protecting civil liberties; and

    (5) ensuring government accountability;

Whereas Representative Mink was the first Democratic woman to deliver a State of 
        the Union response in 1970;
Whereas Representative Mink was a co-founder and chair of the Congressional 
        Asian Pacific American Caucus;
Whereas Representative Mink served as the Secretary of the House Democratic 
        Caucus;
Whereas Representative Mink served as the co-chair of the Democratic Women's 
        Caucus;
Whereas, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Patsy Takemoto Mink to serve 
        as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International 
        Environmental and Scientific Affairs;
Whereas, in 2003, Patsy Takemoto Mink was inducted into the National Women's 
        Hall of Fame;
Whereas, on November 24, 2014, Patsy Takemoto Mink was posthumously awarded the 
        Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United 
        States;
Whereas November 3, 2019, marks the 55th anniversary of the election of 
        Representative Mink to the House of Representatives; and
Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink was a trailblazer who not only pioneered the way for 
        women and minorities, but also embodied the true definition of 
        leadership as a ``national legislator'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) acknowledges the 55th anniversary of the election to 
        the House of Representatives of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first 
        woman of color in Congress;
            (2) pays tribute to the service and dedicated work of 
        Representative Mink--
                    (A) to improve the lives of women and minorities;
                    (B) to advance justice and equality; and
                    (C) to promote the rights of all individuals in the 
                United States, particularly in education, the 
                workforce, and democratic processes; and
            (3) recognizes the extraordinary work and legacy of 
        Representative Mink, which has inspired and empowered many to 
        devote their lives to public service.
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