III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 219 

Honoring the life and legacy of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman 

of color to serve in Congress. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 23 (legislative day, MAY 22), 2019 

Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. SCHATZ, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. 

CANTWELL, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. HASSAN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. 

MURRAY, Ms. ROSEN, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SMITH, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. 

VAN HOLLEN, Ms. WARREN, Ms. SINEMA, and Mr. KAINE) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and legacy of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the 

first woman of color to serve in Congress. 

Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink was born in Paia, Hawaii, to 

Japanese-American parents, Suematsu and Mitama 

Tateyama Takemoto; 

Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink overcame gender discrimination to become the first Japanese-American woman to 

practice law in Hawaii; 

Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink devoted her life to public 

service; 

Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink served in— 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 219 IS 

(1) the Hawaii territorial House from 1956 to 1958; 

(2) the Hawaii territorial Senate from 1958 to 1959; 

(3) the Hawaii State Senate from 1962 to 1964; 

and 

(4) the Honolulu City Council from 1983 to 1987; 

Whereas Representative Mink became the first Asian-American woman and the first woman of color to be elected 

to Congress in 1964; 

Whereas Representative Mink served 12 terms as a Member 

of Congress; 

Whereas Representative Mink fought throughout her life for 

fundamental rights and equity for women, children, Asian 

Americans, and other minority and disenfranchised 

groups; 

Whereas Representative Mink— 

(1) introduced the first childcare bill; and 

(2) co-authored and championed the landmark title 

IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 

1681 et seq.) to promote equal access and equal treatment for women and girls in educational settings; 

Whereas Representative Mink maintained a national focus on 

issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans, notably educating people of the United States about the internment 

of Japanese Americans during World War II; 

Whereas Representative Mink was a committed advocate for 

many progressive causes, including— 

(1) ending gender and racial discrimination; 

(2) promoting social and economic justice; 

(3) improving access to high-quality education and 

affordable child care; 

(4) protecting civil liberties; and 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 219 IS 

(5) ensuring government accountability; 

Whereas Representative Mink was the first Democratic 

woman to deliver a State of the Union response in 1970; 

Whereas Representative Mink was a co-founder and chair of 

the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus; 

Whereas Representative Mink served as the Secretary of the 

House Democratic Caucus; 

Whereas Representative Mink served as the co-chair of the 

Democratic Women’s Caucus; 

Whereas, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Patsy 

Takemoto Mink to serve as Assistant Secretary of State 

for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; 

Whereas, in 2003, Patsy Takemoto Mink was inducted into 

the National Women’s Hall of Fame; 

Whereas, on November 24, 2014, Patsy Takemoto Mink was 

posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States; 

Whereas November 3, 2019, marks the 55th anniversary of 

the election of Representative Mink to the House of Representatives; and 

Whereas Patsy Takemoto Mink was a trailblazer who not 

only pioneered the way for women and minorities, but 

also embodied the true definition of leadership as a ‘‘national legislator’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) acknowledges the 55th anniversary of the 

3 election to the House of Representatives of Patsy 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 219 IS 

1 Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color in Con2 gress; 

3 (2) pays tribute to the service and dedicated 

4 work of Representative Mink— 

5 (A) to improve the lives of women and mi6 norities; 

7 (B) to advance justice and equality; and 

8 (C) to promote the rights of all individuals 

9 in the United States, particularly in education, 

10 the workforce, and democratic processes; and 

11 (3) recognizes the extraordinary work and leg12 acy of Representative Mink, which has inspired and 

13 empowered many to devote their lives to public serv14 ice. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS