[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 84 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H6279-H6282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING ASIAN/PACIFIC-AMERICAN HERITAGE
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 435) celebrating Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 435
Whereas this year marks first time the United States is led
by a President with close Asian ties, including President
Obama's childhood in Indonesia and Hawai'i, and the President
has made unprecedented outreach efforts to the Asian-American
and Pacific Islander community;
Whereas the selection of May as the month for Asian/
Pacific-American Heritage Month was significant due to two
historical events that occurred in May: first, May 7, 1843,
when the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United
States, and second, May 10, 1869, when, with substantial
contributions from Chinese immigrants, the first
transcontinental railroad was completed;
Whereas section 102 of title 36, United States Code,
officially designates May as Asian/Pacific-American Heritage
Month, and requests the President to issue each year a
proclamation calling on the people of the United States to
observe Asian/Pacific-American Heritage Month with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities;
Whereas according to the Bureau of the Census, an estimated
14,900,000 United States residents identify themselves as
Asian alone or in combination with one or more other races,
and an estimated 1,000,000 United States residents identify
themselves as Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
alone or in combination with one or more other races;
Whereas even though Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders
faced the injustices of racial prejudice as exemplified by
the Chinese Exclusion Act, the internment of Japanese
Americans and Japanese/Latin-Americans, the Vincent Chin
case, and other events, the community has made considerable
contributions to the vast cultural, economic, educational,
military, and technological advancements of the United
States;
Whereas Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders such as civil
rights activist, Yuri Kochiyama, Medal of Honor recipient,
Herbert Pililaau, the first Asian-American Congressman, Dalip
Singh Saund, the first Asian-American Congresswoman, Patsy
Mink, and others have made significant strides in the
political and military realms;
Whereas the Presidential Cabinet includes a record three
Asian-Americans: Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Commerce
Secretary Gary Locke, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric
Shinseki; and
Whereas celebrating Asian/Pacific-American Heritage
provides the people of the United States with an opportunity
to recognize the achievements, contributions, history, and
influence concerns of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes that the incredible diversity of different
racial and ethnic groups, including Asian-Americans and
Pacific Islanders, is a source of strength for the United
States; and
(2) celebrates the contributions of Asian-Americans and
Pacific Islanders to the United States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
General Leave
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong support of House Resolution
435, which expresses support for the recognition and celebration of
Asian Pacific American heritage. The measure before us was introduced
on May 13, 2009, by Congressman Mike Honda of California, along with
other Members and associate Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific
American Caucus. Currently, the measure is supported by over 55 Members
of Congress and has been appropriately reviewed and approved by the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform as of June 4, 2009.
Madam Speaker, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is
composed of over 15 million people who, on a daily basis, are making
significant contributions to the betterment of our country. For
example, in addition to being one of our country's fastest growing
minority groups, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is
also responsible for generating an estimated $326 billion annually for
our economy as entrepreneurs and business owners of over 1.1 million
businesses.
While Asian Pacific American heritage is certainly worth recognizing
and celebrating year-round, the country and the Asian Pacific American
community have traditionally come together in the month of May to
celebrate and commemorate Asian and Pacific American heritage. That all
began back in 1977 when Representatives Frank Horton and Norman Mineta
and Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced resolutions
asking the President to declare the first 10 days of May as Asian
Pacific Heritage Week.
{time} 1500
The selection of the month of May stems from the fact that May marks
the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the U.S. in 1843. In
1978, President Carter made Asian Pacific Heritage Week an annual
event, and in 1990, President George H. W. Bush proclaimed the entire
month of May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
[[Page H6280]]
Madam Speaker, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have also made
great strides in the area of civil rights and public policy, led by
such notable Americans as Patsy Mink, the first Asian American
Congresswoman, not to mention the current members of the President's
Cabinet, which includes three Asian Americans: Energy Secretary Steven
Chu, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric
Shinseki.
In closing, let us, as a body, take a moment to recognize the valued
contributions of the Asian and Pacific American community and celebrate
such a rich cultural heritage by supporting House Resolution 435.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this important resolution
recognizing Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been an integral part of
the fabric of American life since the first Japanese immigrants arrived
in the United States on May 7, 1843. Asian Americans worked as coal
miners, on farms and orchards, and as laborers. It is estimated that 14
million Americans, if not more, can trace their ethnic heritage to Asia
or the Pacific Islands.
Establishing May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
affords educators throughout the country the opportunity to create
learning experiences that teach the history of Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders during the school year. Observing Asian American and
Pacific Islander contributions highlights their importance in the
building of our country, in our fabric.
For example, Chinese immigrants played a significant role in the
construction of the first transcontinental railroad, which was
completed on May 10, 1869. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have
significantly contributed to this country through the arts, sciences,
math, sports, commerce, and every other aspect of American culture
since they first arrived in the 19th century. Whether it is in the arts
or government or science or the many other fields of endeavor, they
have played a fundamental role in our Nation's technological and
economic expansion as well as every other fabric of life that we can
think of. Their accomplishments are too numerous to count. Their
influence is felt throughout our country.
The month of May once again gives us the opportunity to thank and
honor Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and recognize them for
their many contributions now, in the past, and certainly in the future.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express
strong support for H. Res. 435--Celebrating Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month. I applaud the leadership and continued efforts of
Chairman Mike Honda, as well as my colleagues in the Congressional
Asian Pacific American Caucus for bringing this Resolution before us
today.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was established in 1977 by the
efforts of Representatives Norman Mineta and Frank Horton, and Senators
Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga who introduced resolutions asking for
a Presidential declaration that the first ten days of May honor the
rich history and contributions of our nation's Asian Pacific Americans.
In 1992 Congress expanded the commemoration to a month, in order to
fully recognize the impact that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
(AAPIs) have on our great nation.
From the early 1800s to today, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
have played a critical role in the development of this country. This
year's theme: ``Lighting the Past, Present and Future,'' is fitting as
the world's attention turned to the United States to see the historic
inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama. President Obama's
diversity reflects the richness and strength of our nation.
We must reaffirm our commitment to the promise of a future for all
Americans by eradicating racial and ethnic health disparities, enacting
comprehensive immigration reform, providing educational opportunities
for the underserved and creating jobs. I am proud that we ensured full
equity for the Filipino veterans who proudly served under the American
flag during World War II when we passed H.R. 1, the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act. I also applaud my colleagues for the recent
passage of the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Hate Crimes Prevention
Act, which enables the Department of Justice to assist the efforts of
federal, state, and local law enforcement in investigating and
prosecuting hate crimes based on race, ethnic background, and religion,
and extends protections to more Americans.
From the construction of the transcontinental railroads to the heroic
contributions in World War II and beyond, Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders have made lasting contributions in every facet of American
society. We must continue to acknowledge the great achievements this
vast and diverse community has provided this nation and I urge my
colleagues to support to this resolution.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, in 1992, Congress passed a joint
Congressional Resolution to designate the month of May to give special
recognition of the contributions of our Asian-Pacific American
community to our nation. Originally, Congress in 1978 designated the
first week of May to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese
immigrants and the completion of the transcontinental railroad that was
built by the Chinese laborers. Every year since then, the President
would issue an Executive proclamation from the White House to honor
this month and direct all federal agencies and military installations
throughout the country to conduct special events and ceremonies to
honor our Asian-Pacific American communities throughout our country.
This year's theme is, ``Leadership To Meet The Challenges Of A
Changing World,'' and I will try and elaborate on the achievements and
success of Asian-Pacific Americans in both the public and private
sector but, more importantly, to demonstrate to the world that the
greatness of our nation lies in its diversity and ability of our
country to accept peoples from all over world, as they pledge
themselves to become as fellow citizens of this great nation.
Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, nearly 16 million
strong, are among the fastest growing demographic groups in the United
States today, even though they make up only 5 percent of our nation's
population. In recent years, the Asian-Pacific Americans have more than
doubled and this rapid growth is expected to continue in the years to
come.
Time will not permit me to share with you the names and contributions
of many of our prominent Asian-Pacific American leaders in the fields
of law, business, finance, and too many to mention. One only needs to
read today's newspaper or a magazine to document the fact that Asian-
Pacific American students--both in secondary schools and universities--
are among the brightest minds our nation offers to the world. I fully
expect that these students, now and in the future, will contribute
their talents and expertise to solve major issues and problems now
confronting our nation and the world today.
Many of our prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs are of
Asian-Pacific American descent. In fact, many of the popular brands and
icons that we know today were created by the brilliant minds of people
in our Asian-Pacific American community. For example, the Bose
Corporation specializing in audio equipment, can be found or is used by
historical venues and facilities, such as the Sistine Chapel, the Space
Shuttle, and the Olympic stadiums, is currently headed by its founder,
Amar Bose--an Indian American. Steve Chen, a Chinese American, and
Jawed Karim, a Bangladeshi American, were the co-creators of the
popular video sharing website, ``YouTube.'' Vera Wang, a Chinese
American fashion designer and mogul, established herself as an icon by
dressing celebrities and creating one of the most fashionable clothing
lines for women in the world.
In the world of sports, Asian-Pacific Americans have come to the
forefront. In the recent 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kevin Tan, a Chinese
American, was selected as captain of the U.S. men's gymnastics team and
earned a bronze medal in team competition. Natasha Kai, an American of
Hawaiian, Cambodian, and Chinese descent, won a gold medal with the
U.S. women's soccer team. Natasha happens to be alumni of Kahuku High
School in Hawaii, where I also graduated from many years ago.
Asian-Pacific Americans are more prevalent in American sports now
more than ever before. We have Yao Ming, a Chinese basketball player,
playing for the Houston Rockets; Daisuke Matsuzaka, a Japanese baseball
player, playing for the Boston Red Sox; Yutaka Fukufuji, the first
Japanese to play for the National Hockey League, played for the Los
Angeles Kings. And everyone has heard of the Professional Boxer Manny
Pacquaio from the Philippines, a world champion in numerous boxing
divisions who handily beat Oscar De La Hoya in December and Ricky
Hatton two weeks ago in Las Vegas.
I have to mention the accomplishments our young Asian-Pacific
Americans in the NFL. In the 2009 NFL draft, nine young men, five
Tongans and four Samoans, were selected by six different teams across
the nation. These young men are ambassadors of goodwill and
[[Page H6281]]
represent the Asian-Pacific American members who were once and still
apart of the National Football League. From pioneers such as Al Lolotai
who played for the Washington Redskins in 1945, Charles Ane and Rockne
Freitas of Detroit Lions, to the likes of Junior Seau of the New
England Patriots and Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the field of martial arts, the late Chinese-American kung-fu
martial arts expert Bruce Lee captivated the movie audiences all over
the world by destroying the common stereotype of the passive, quiet
Asian-Pacific American male, and the tradition continues today with
Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Now, another sports and movie icon is moving
his way through the movie industry--believed to be the heir apparent to
Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger--none other than the
former World Wrestling Entertainment champion wrestler, Dwayne Johnson,
or commonly known as the Rock. The Rock was featured in movies such as
the Scorpion King, Rundown, Get Smart, Grid Iron Gang and recently Race
to Witch Mountain.
The thing unique about Dwayne Johnson is that while his father is of
African and Native American descent, his mother is Samoan. Now, just
about every Samoan alive claims to be related to the Rock, including
myself.
Last summer I had the privilege of presenting the Congressional
Horizon Award to Chief Seiuli Dwayne ``The Rock'' Johnson for his
contributions and volunteer work in educating, empowering, and
enriching the lives of children worldwide. Dwayne Johnson has made
numerous contributions not only through The Rock Foundation but also
directly to our Asian-Pacific American youth.
Michelle Kwan, a Chinese American figure skater, is another example
of a prominent Asian-Pacific American who has transformed her skills in
one area to contribute further to our nation. Kwan has won nine U.S.
championships, five world championships and two Olympic medals, earning
her the title of the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history. Her
accomplishments don't end there. In 2006, Secretary Condoleezza Rice
named Kwan the first U.S. public diplomacy ambassador, where she has
worked at improving America's image abroad. As ambassador, Michelle has
been promoting cross-cultural dialogue with international youth.
As Americans, and especially our youth, become more engaged in
politics and government, I must bring your attention to the growing
role and impact that Asian-Pacific Americans are playing in civic
engagement. Our fellow colleague and good friend, Congressman Anh
``Joseph'' Cao became the first American of Vietnamese descent to be
elected to the House of Representatives. A former Congressman,
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, became the first Indian American ever
elected as governor in U.S. history, and is currently the youngest
amongst all governors in the U.S.
In the recent 2008 national and state elections, the Asian-Pacific
American communities played a vital role. An estimated whopping 62% of
the voting Asian-Pacific Americans cast their ballot for then Senator
Barack Obama, helping him secure his presidential win.
And with the President's appointments in the administration, there
are an unprecedented number of Asian-Pacific Americans in top
government positions, and these leaders were not appointed to their
positions because of their race and heritage but because they bring
vast knowledge, experience and different viewpoints that their Asian-
Pacific American backgrounds have contributed to.
For example, President Obama appointed Steven Chu, a Chinese
American, to be the Secretary of Energy. Secretary Chu's extensive work
in physics and molecular biology has earned him accolades and
achievements throughout the world--most notably he won a Nobel Prize
for his physics works in ``development of methods to cool and trap
atoms with laser light.'' Chu's dedication to physics led him to the
academic side of research, as a teacher of physics and molecular and
cellular biology at Stanford and UC Berkley. Concerning global warming,
Secretary Chu has been a leading advocate for the research of finding
alternative sources of energy, and steering away our dependence on
fossil fuels. Secretary Chu is the first person ever appointed to the
Cabinet after receiving a Nobel Prize.
Our newest Secretary of Veteran Affairs, my good friend General Eric
Shinseki is a Japanese American born in Hawaii and is a decorated
veteran who fought in two combat tours in Vietnam. Secretary Shinseki,
wounded from his last tour in Vietnam, understands from personal
experience the plight of veterans and the support those veterans and
their families need. General Shinseki is also the only Japanese
American and Asian American to be promoted to the Army's top position,
and was the first four-star general of Asian descent in the history of
our U.S. military.
The most recently confirmed cabinet member into Obama's
Administration has exemplified that with hard work the American Dream
can come true. Former Governor of the State of Washington, Gary Locke,
a Chinese American, grew up in public housing and put himself through
Yale University with loans, scholarships and the money he earned
working part-time jobs. After earning his law degree from Boston
University, Secretary Locke broke many glass ceilings afflicting our
Asian-Pacific community. In 1993, Locke became the first Chinese
American to be elected as his county's County Executive, and in 1996,
Locke became the first Chinese American to be governor of a state in
U.S. history, serving the maximum of two terms.
Secretary Locke's family history is an important one to emphasize, as
it is one of many hardships that our Asian-Pacific American communities
have faced. In an interview, Locke mentioned that his grandfather might
have claimed he was born in the U.S. and the documents were destroyed.
Some of you may know this, and others may not, but in 1882 our
government institutionalized racial discrimination against Chinese
immigrants where they were banned from entering the United States. The
Chinese people living in the U.S. at the time were excluded from
becoming American citizens. And because of the restrictions of this
law, it was nearly impossible for Chinese families to reunite. This
Exclusion Act was repealed only 66 years ago. Locke's grandfather could
have been one of the few Chinese immigrants who managed to get into the
United States through ruses of lost documentation, while the
immigration of people from all over Europe were unlimited.
As a Vietnam veteran, it would be absurd of me not to say something
to honor and respect the hundreds of thousands of Asian-Pacific
Americans who served then and now in all branches of the armed services
of our nation.
As a former member of the U.S. Army's Reserve unit, known today as
the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry Combat group, I would be remiss
if I did not share with you the contributions of the tens of thousands
of Japanese-American soldiers who volunteered to fight our nation's
enemies in Europe during World War II.
So you probably know, after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Armed Services of Japan--there was
such an outrage and cry for an all out war against Japan and days
afterwards our President and the Congress formally declared war. Out of
this retaliation against Japan, hundreds of thousands of Americans were
caught in the crossfire. These Americans just happened to be of
Japanese ancestry.
Our national government immediately implemented a policy whereby over
100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forced to live in what were
called relocation camps, but were actually more like prison or
concentration camps. Their lands, homes and properties were confiscated
by the military without due process of law.
My former colleague and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation,
Norman Mineta, and the late Congressman Bob Matsui from Sacramento
spent the early years of their lives in these prison camps. Secretary
Mineta shared one of the interesting features of these prison camps
where there were many machine gun nests posted all around the camps.
Everyone in the camps was told that these machine guns were necessary
to protect them against rioters or others who wanted to harm them.
But then Secretary Mineta observed, ``if these machine guns are
posted to guard and protect us, why is it that they are all directed
and aimed inside the prison camp compound and not outside?''
It was a time in our nation's history when there was so much hatred,
bigotry and racism placed against our Japanese-American community.
Despite all this, the White House, at the time, accepted the request of
tens of thousands of the Japanese Americans to volunteer to join the
Army, thus leaving their wives, parents, brothers and sisters behind
barbed wire fences. As a result of such volunteerism, two combat units
were organized. The 100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry Combat Group
were created and immediately were sent to fight in Europe.
In my humble opinion, history speaks for itself in documenting that
none have shed their blood more valiantly for our nation than the
Japanese American soldiers who served in these two combat units while
fighting enemy forces in Europe during World War II. The military
records of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry are without equal
suffering. These Japanese American units suffered an unprecedented
casualty rate of 314%, and received over 18,000 individual decorations,
many awarded posthumously, for bravery and courage in the field of
battle.
For your information, 53 Distinguished Service Crosses, (the second
highest HELV. medal given for heroism in combat), 560 Silver Stars
(third highest medal), and 9,486 Purple Hearts, and 7 Presidential Unit
Citations, the nation's top award for combat units, were awarded to the
Japanese American soldiers of
[[Page H6282]]
the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry Group. I find it unusual,
however, that only one Medal of Honor was awarded at the time.
Nonetheless, the 442nd Combat Group emerged as the most decorated
combat unit of its size in the history of the United States Army.
President Truman was so moved by their bravery in the field of
battle, as well as that of African American soldiers during World War
II, that he issued an Executive Order to finally desegregate all
branches of the Armed Services.
I am proud to say that we must recognize Senator Daniel K. Inouye and
the late, highly-respected Senator Spark Matsunaga of Hawaii, who
distinguished themselves in battle as soldiers with the 100th Battalion
and 442nd Infantry.
It was while fighting in Europe that Senator Inouye lost his arm
while engaged in his personal battle against two German machine gun
posts. For his heroism, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
As a result of a Congressional mandate that was passed in 1999 to
review the military records of these two combat units, President
Clinton presented 19 Congressional Medals of Honor to the Japanese
Americans who were members of these two combat groups. Senator Inouye
was one those recipients of the Medal of Honor and I was privileged to
witness this historical moment at a White House ceremony.
On May 14, 2009, the House unanimously passed H.R. 347 thus granting
the Congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry
Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in
recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
The wholesale and arbitrary abolishment of the constitutional rights
of these loyal Japanese Americans should forever serve as a reminder
and testament that this must never be allowed to occur again. When this
miscarriage of justice unfolded during World War II, Americans of
German and Italian ancestry were not similarly jailed en masse. Some
declare the incident as an example of outright racism and bigotry in
its ugliest form. I sincerely hope that these forms of legal racial
discrimination never again darken the history of our great nation.
To those that say, well, that occurred decades ago, I say we must
continue to be vigilant in guarding against such evil today. President
Obama's recent election is a consequence of such vigilance in electing
him as the first ever President of color. I know that history speaks
that he is the first black President, but personally, he represents all
races, genders, and ethnicities in becoming the Commander-in-Chief and
leader of this great country. Now and more than ever, am I so proud to
be called an American. We have elected a person who is literally an
African-American, in the sense, where his father is a Kenyan and mother
is a girl from Kansas. I jokingly say that this is the first President
to know where the Pacific Ocean is on the map. President Obama was born
in Hawaii so he's a ``local boy'' and for your information, he can
still throw a good ``shaka'' sign. We in the Congress look forward to
the next four years, and maybe 8, in working together with President
Obama in restoring American leadership in the world. As Americans,
we emphasize the importance of our ideals and values that guarantee and
protect ones freedoms and is reinforced and supported by the greatest
volunteer military force in the world.
We should never become complacent with the hand that is dealt to you,
with the discrimination that you may see or experience. When I envision
America, I don't see a melting pot designed to reduce and remove racial
differences. The America I see is a brilliant rainbow, a rainbow of
ethnicities, cultures, religions and languages with each person proudly
contributing in their own distinctive and unique way for a better
America.
Asian-Pacific Americans wish to find a just and equitable place in
our society that will allow them--like all Americans--to grow, to
succeed, to achieve and to contribute to the advancement of this great
nation.
I would like to close my remarks by asking my colleagues--what is
America all about? I can say that through our leadership and sense of
volunteerism we can meet the challenges of a fast changing world.
Either through personal service, education, civics, or charity, we have
a responsibility to each other and must continue to exploit the
freedoms that we proudly have today. Everyday the world is shrinking
and it is important, as our forefathers have done so, to continue our
leadership and become an example of how we admit to our faults and
correct them immediately.
I think it could not have been said better than on the steps of the
Lincoln Memorial in the summer of 1963 when an African American
minister by the name of Martin Luther King, Jr., poured out his heart
and soul to every American who could hear his voice, when he uttered
these words:
``I have a dream. My dream is that one day my children will be judged
not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their
character.''
We have reaped what he has sewed by celebrating the contributions of
Asian-Pacific Americans this month and having the first ever President
of color in our great history.
That is what I believe America is all about.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in
support of H. Res. 435 to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month and pay tribute to the many achievements of Asian Pacific
Americans across our Nation.
The month of May marks several historical events in Asian Pacific
American history. On May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived
in the United States, paving the way for a great movement of Asian and
Pacific peoples to immigrate to the United States. Only 26 years later,
on May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad was finished, the
completion of which is largely credited to Asian Pacific Americans. Due
to these events, it is appropriate to celebrate the month of May as
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and honor the sacrifices and
contributions of this great community.
Through the years, the Asian Pacific American Communities have made
significant contributions to Texas's diverse culture. In Dallas, I am
privileged to represent the largest Asian American Chamber in the
United States with more than 1,200 members. I believe that we all learn
from those who come from different backgrounds, and I can truly say
that I have learned a great deal from my Asian Pacific friends and
constituents.
I would also like to recognize the one-year anniversary of the
devastating earthquake that shook Sichuan Province in China in May of
2008 and send my condolences to the friends and families of the
victims.
Today, there are over 14 million Asian Pacific Americans living in
the United States, representing 5 percent of the population. The rich
history associated with the Asian Pacific American community has left a
lasting and important imprint on our country. Madam Speaker, I am proud
to support this resolution and the Asian Pacific American communities
in North Texas and across the United States.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 435, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A resolution celebrating
Asian/Pacific-American Heritage.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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