[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16604-16605]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 305--RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2017 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, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Kaine, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Heller, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Cortez Masto, 
Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Booker, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
Harris, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Schatz, and Mr. Franken) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 305

       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 second 
     largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the 
     United States, with a population of approximately 4,000,000;
       Whereas, from the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan 
     conflicts, Filipino Americans have a longstanding history of 
     serving in the Armed Forces;
       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 20,000 Filipino World War II veterans were granted 
     United States citizenship as a result of the Immigration Act 
     of 1990, which was signed into law by President George H.W. 
     Bush on November 29, 1990;
       Whereas, effective June 8, 2016, the Filipino World War II 
     Veterans Parole Program allowed for 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 S. 1555 (114th Congress), the Filipino Veterans of 
     World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015, to award 
     Filipino veterans who fought alongside troops of the United 
     States in World War II the highest civilian honor bestowed by 
     Congress, a recognition for which Filipino World War II 
     veterans have waited more than 70 years;
       Whereas the presentation of Congressional Medals of Honor 
     pursuant to such Act will take place on October 25, 2017, in 
     Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Building;
       Whereas Filipino Americans continue to demonstrate a 
     commendable sense of patriotism and honor;
       Whereas 9 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;
       Whereas the late Thelma Garcia Buchholdt, born in Claveria, 
     Cagayan, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines--
       (1) moved with her family to Alaska in 1965;
       (2) was elected to the House of Representatives of Alaska 
     in 1974;
       (3) was the first Filipino woman elected to a State 
     legislature; and
       (4) authored a comprehensive history book entitled 
     ``Filipinos in Alaska: 1788-1958'';
       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 Filipino Americans play an integral role in the 
     healthcare system of the United States as nurses, doctors, 
     and other medical professionals;
       Whereas Filipino Americans have contributed greatly to 
     music, dance, literature, education, business, journalism, 
     sports, fashion, politics, government, science, technology, 
     the fine arts, and other fields that enrich the landscape of 
     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 2017 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

[[Page 16605]]

     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.

                          ____________________