[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 378 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 378

  Expressing support for the recognition of the week of September 25 
   through October 1, 2023, as ``Asian American and Native American 
             Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 28 (legislative day, September 22), 2023

    Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brown, Mr. Casey, Ms. 
 Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Kaine, Ms. 
   Klobuchar, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Rosen, Mr. 
 Schatz, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, and Mr. 
 Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the recognition of the week of September 25 
   through October 1, 2023, as ``Asian American and Native American 
             Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week''.

Whereas the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving 
        Institutions Program was originally established using funds authorized 
        by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (Public Law 110-84; 121 
        Stat. 784), which was enacted on September 27, 2007;
Whereas 2023 marks the 16th anniversary of the establishment of Federal funding 
        for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving 
        Institutions by Congress;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        are degree-granting postsecondary institutions that have an 
        undergraduate enrollment of not less than 10 percent Asian American, 
        Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students;
Whereas the purpose of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-
        Serving Institutions Program is to improve the availability and quality 
        of postsecondary education programs to serve Asian American, Native 
        Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students;
Whereas, since 2007, more than 260 colleges and universities throughout the 
        United States, including the United States territories in the Pacific, 
        have been eligible for Federal funding as Asian American and Native 
        American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions;
Whereas, as of the date of adoption of this resolution, there are 206 eligible 
        Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        operating in the United States, including the United States territories 
        in the Pacific;
Whereas, as of the 2022-2023 academic year, 58 Asian American and Native 
        American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions were receiving or had 
        received Federal funding in the United States, including the United 
        States territories in the Pacific;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        are of critical importance, as they enroll, support, and graduate large 
        proportions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 
        college students, the overwhelming majority of whom are first-generation 
        and from families with low income;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        comprise only 6.5 percent of all institutions of higher education, yet 
        enroll 46 percent of all Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific 
        Islander undergraduate students in the United States, including the 
        United States territories in the Pacific;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        employ many of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 
        faculty, staff, and administrators in the United States;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        award more than 50 percent of the associate's degrees and more than 40 
        percent of the bachelor's degrees attained by all Asian American, Native 
        Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander college students in the United States, 
        including the United States territories in the Pacific;
Whereas more than \1/2\ of federally funded Asian American and Native American 
        Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions maintain an Asian American, Native 
        Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander enrollment of more than 20 percent;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        play a vital role in preserving the diverse culture, experiences, 
        heritage, and history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific 
        Islanders;
Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
        create culturally relevant academic and co-curricular programs, 
        research, and services, which increase student retention, transfer, and 
        graduation rates, while also enhancing the overall educational 
        experiences of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 
        students;
Whereas celebrating the vast contributions of Asian American and Native American 
        Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions strengthens the culture of the 
        United States; and
Whereas the achievements and goals of Asian American and Native American Pacific 
        Islander-Serving Institutions deserve national recognition: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the achievements and goals of Asian American 
        and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions in 
        their work to provide quality educational opportunities to 
        Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and other 
        students who attend their institutions;
            (2) encourages institutions of higher education that are 
        eligible to receive Federal funding as Asian American and 
        Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions to obtain 
        Federal funding and establish programs to serve the unique 
        needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 
        students, families, and communities;
            (3) recognizes 2023 as the 16th anniversary of the 
        establishment of the Asian American and Native American Pacific 
        Islander-Serving Institutions Program;
            (4) designates the week of September 25 through October 1, 
        2023, as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-
        Serving Institutions Week; and
            (5) calls on the people of the United States, including the 
        United States territories in the Pacific, and interested groups 
        to observe Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-
        Serving Institutions Week with appropriate activities, 
        ceremonies, and programs to demonstrate support for Asian 
        American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving 
        Institutions.
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