[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7464-S7465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 432--RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2021 AS
FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH AND CELEBRATING THE HISTORY AND CULTURE
OF FILIPINO AMERICANS AND THEIR IMMENSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED
STATES
Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Cortez Masto,
Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey,
Mr. Menendez, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Schatz, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Warren) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:
S. Res. 432
Whereas the earliest documented Filipino presence in the
continental United States was October 18, 1587, when the
first ``Luzones Indios'' arrived in Morro Bay, California, on
board the Nuestra Senora de Esperanza, a Manila-built galleon
ship;
Whereas the Filipino American National Historical Society
recognizes 1763 as the year in which the first permanent
Filipino settlement in the United States was established in
St. Malo, Louisiana;
Whereas the recognition of the first permanent Filipino
settlement in the United States adds a new perspective to the
history of the United States by bringing attention to the
economic, cultural, social, and other notable contributions
made by Filipino Americans to the development of the United
States;
Whereas the Filipino American community is the third
largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the
United States, with a population of approximately 4,100,000;
Whereas, from the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan
conflicts, Filipinos and Filipino Americans have a
longstanding history of serving in the Armed Forces of the
United States;
Whereas more than 250,000 Filipinos fought under the United
States flag during World War II to protect and defend the
United States in the Pacific theater;
Whereas a guarantee to pay back the service of Filipinos
through veterans benefits was reversed by the First
Supplemental Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act, 1946
(Public Law 79-301; 60 Stat. 6) and the Second Supplemental
Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act, 1946 (Public Law 79-
391; 60 Stat. 221), which provided that the wartime service
of members of the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines and
the new Philippine Scouts shall not be deemed to have been
active service, and, therefore, those members did not qualify
for certain benefits;
Whereas 26,000 Filipino World War II veterans were granted
United States citizenship as a result of the Immigration Act
of 1990 (Public Law 101-649; 104 Stat. 4978), which was
signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on November 29,
1990;
Whereas, on February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama
signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 115), which established the
Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to compensate
Filipino World War II veterans for their service to the
United States;
Whereas, since June 8, 2016, the Filipino World War II
Veterans Parole Program has allowed Filipino World War II
veterans and certain family members to be reunited more
expeditiously than the immigrant visa process allowed at that
time;
Whereas, on December 14, 2016, President Barack Obama
signed into law the Filipino Veterans of World War II
Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-265; 130
Stat. 1376) to award Filipino veterans who fought alongside
troops of the United States in World War II the highest
civilian honor bestowed by Congress;
Whereas, on October 25, 2017, the Congressional Gold Medal
was presented to Filipino World War II veterans in
Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Building, a recognition for
which the veterans had waited for more than 70 years;
Whereas Filipino Americans have received the Congressional
Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against
an enemy force that may be bestowed on an individual serving
in the Armed Forces, and continue to demonstrate a
commendable sense of patriotism and honor in the Armed
Forces;
Whereas the late Peter Aquino Aduja of Hawaii and the late
Thelma Garcia Buchholdt of Alaska became the first Filipino
American elected to public office and the first Filipina
American elected to a legislature in the United States,
respectively, inspiring their fellow Filipino Americans to
pursue public service in politics and government;
Whereas Filipino American farmworkers and labor leaders,
such as Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong, played an
integral role in the multiethnic United Farm Workers
movement, alongside Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and other
Latino workers;
Whereas, on April 25, 2012, President Barack Obama
nominated Lorna G. Schofield to be a United States District
Judge for the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York, and she was confirmed by the Senate on
December 13, 2012, to be the first Filipina American in
United States history to serve as an Article III Federal
judge;
Whereas Filipino Americans play an integral role on the
frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the healthcare system
of the United States as nurses, doctors, first responders,
and other medical professionals;
Whereas Filipino Americans contribute greatly to music,
dance, literature, education, business, journalism, sports,
fashion, politics, government, science, technology, the fine
arts, and other fields that enrich the United States;
Whereas, as mandated in the mission statement of the
Filipino American National Historical Society, efforts should
continue to promote the study of Filipino American history
and culture because the roles of Filipino Americans and other
people of color have largely been overlooked in the writing,
teaching, and learning of the history of the United States;
Whereas it is imperative for Filipino American youth to
have positive role models to instill--
(1) the significance of education, complemented by the
richness of Filipino American ethnicity; and
(2) the value of the Filipino American legacy; and
Whereas it is essential to promote the understanding,
education, and appreciation of the history and culture of
Filipino Americans in the United States: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the celebration of Filipino American History
Month in October 2021 as--
(A) a testament to the advancement of Filipino Americans;
(B) a time to reflect on and remember the many notable
contributions that Filipino Americans have made to the United
States; and
(C) a time to renew efforts toward the research and
examination of history and culture so as to provide an
opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more
about Filipino Americans and to appreciate the historic
contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States; and
(2) urges the people of the United States to observe
Filipino American History Month with appropriate programs and
activities.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of Filipino
American History Month. Throughout the month of October, people across
the United States come together to pay tribute to the rich culture,
history, and heritage of Filipino Americans.
Since the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States
was established more than 250 years ago, Filipino Americans have played
a notable role in the development of our country. As the third largest
Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the United States,
Filipino Americans add to the fabric of our society through
contributions in healthcare, the arts,
[[Page S7465]]
business, journalism, and in government and military service.
Filipinos and Filipino Americans have a longstanding history of
serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. In 1915, Fireman Second Class
Telesforo Trinidad was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary
heroism in rescuing two shipmates after a boiler explosion on board the
USS San Diego. He survived and continued serving during WWI and WWII
until his retirement in 1945. Today, Telesforo Trinidad holds the
distinction of being the first Filipino American and the first and only
Asian American in the U.S. Navy to receive a Medal of Honor.
Filipino Americans have also contributed as leaders in important
workers' rights and civil rights movements. In 1965, Larry Itliong,
Peter Velasco, and Philip Vera Cruz led Filipino American farm workers
to strike, demanding better pay, benefits, and working conditions. The
Delano Grape Strike was one of the most pivotal civil rights and labor
movements in American history.
Earlier this month, Maria Ressa, a Filipino-American journalist and
author, became the first person born in the Philippines to win a Nobel
Peace Prize. Maria, a ``fearless defender of freedom of expression,''
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for working to expose the abuses of
power and growing authoritarianism in her native country. She also
founded Rappler, a digital media company for investigative journalism
that has documented how social media is spreading fake news and
manipulating public views.
While Filipino American History Month is a time of celebration and
commemoration, we must also recognize the disparate impact that the
COVID-19 pandemic has had on communities of color, including the
Filipino-American community. Approximately one in four Filipino-
American adults serve as frontline healthcare workers. High
representation in essential work and other socioeconomic factors like
living in multigenerational homes, poverty, limited English
proficiency, preexisting health conditions, and a lack of health
insurance, put these communities at higher risk for COVID-19
transmission. As a result, Filipino-Americans comprise an estimated 32
percent of COVID-19 deaths among nurses despite representing only 4
percent of registered nurses nationwide. In spite of the emotional and
physical toll of the pandemic on these frontline workers and their
families, the Filipino-American community has continued to show its
strength and resilience.
During Filipino American History Month, we reflect on the great
sacrifices and contributions of generations of Filipino Americans who
have helped to shape our Nation. This resolution reminds us that as the
United States forges ahead, it is crucial to ensure that future
generations can learn from and appreciate the legacies of Filipino
Americans, as well as other immigrants and people of color.
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