[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3246-S3247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 185--RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MAY 2015 AS 
   ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND AS AN IMPORTANT TIME TO 
CELEBRATE THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC 
             ISLANDERS TO THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES

  Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Reid of Nevada, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Kaine, 
Mr. Kirk, Mr. Heller, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
Gardner, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Brown, Mr. Franken, Mr. Wyden, 
Mr. Casey, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Markey, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 185

       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 more than 
     45 distinct ethnicities and more than 100 language dialects;
       Whereas, according to the Bureau of the Census, the Asian 
     American population grew at a faster rate than any other 
     racial or ethnic group in the United States during the last 
     decade, surging nearly 46 percent between 2000 and 2010, a 
     growth rate that is 4 times the rate of the total population 
     of the United States;
       Whereas, according to the 2010 decennial census, there are 
     approximately 17,300,000 residents of the United States who 
     identify themselves as Asian and approximately 1,200,000 
     residents of the United States who identify themselves as 
     Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, making up 
     approximately 5.5 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively, of 
     the total population of the United States;
       Whereas the month of May was selected for Asian/Pacific 
     American Heritage Month because the first immigrants from 
     Japan arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, and the 
     first transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 
     1869, with substantial contributions from immigrants from 
     China;
       Whereas section 102 of title 36, United States Code, 
     officially designates May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage 
     Month and requests that the President issue an annual 
     proclamation calling on the people of the United States to 
     observe Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month with 
     appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities;
       Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, such as 
     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 
     United States history, Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian 
     American Congressman, Patsy T. Mink, the first woman of color 
     and the first Asian American woman to be elected to Congress, 
     Hiram L. Fong, the first Asian American Senator, Daniel K. 
     Akaka, the first Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry, Norman 
     Y. Mineta, the first Asian American member of a presidential 
     cabinet, Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian American woman 
     member of a presidential cabinet, and others have made 
     significant contributions in both the Government and military 
     of the United States;
       Whereas the year 2015 marks several important milestones 
     for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, 
     including the--
       (1) 50th anniversary of the passage of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-236), landmark 
     legislation that reversed restrictive immigration policies 
     against immigrants from Asia;
       (2) 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War;
       (3) 40th anniversary of the Southeast Asian diasporic 
     communities in the United States;
       (4) 30th anniversary of the mission aboard the Space 
     Shuttle Discovery of Ellison Shoji Onizuka, the first Asian 
     American in space; and
       (5) 25th anniversary of the date of enactment of Public Law 
     105-225, signed by President George H. W. Bush, designating 
     May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month;

       Whereas the actions of the Hmong in Laos in support of the 
     United States during the Vietnam War saved the lives of 
     countless people of the United States;
       Whereas as a result of Hmong support of the United States, 
     the Hmong were forced to leave Laos when the new communist 
     regime seized control of Laos;
       Whereas May 14, 2015, marks the 40th anniversary of the 
     forced exit from Laos of Hmong people, many of whom later 
     resettled in the United States, following the withdrawal of 
     United States troops from Vietnam;
       Whereas, in 2015, 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 48 Members, including 13 Members of Asian or 
     Pacific Islander descent;
       Whereas in 2015, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are 
     serving in State and territorial legislatures across the 
     United States in record numbers, including the States of 
     Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, 
     Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New 
     Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, 
     Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, 
     West Virginia, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, 
     and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
       Whereas the number of Federal judges who are Asian 
     Americans or Pacific Islanders doubled between 2001 and 2008 
     and more than tripled between 2009 and 2015, reflecting a 
     commitment to diversity in the Federal judiciary that has 
     resulted in the confirmations of high-caliber Asian American 
     and Pacific Islander judicial nominees;
       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 
     Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and to appreciate the 
     challenges faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the significance of May 2015 as Asian/
     Pacific American Heritage Month and as an important time to 
     celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans 
     and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States; 
     and

[[Page S3247]]

       (2) recognizes that the Asian American and Pacific Islander 
     community enhances the rich diversity of and strengthens the 
     United States.

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