III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 218 

Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month as 

an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian 

Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2019 

Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. 

BROWN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. KAINE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 

MERKLEY, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. SCHATZ, and Ms. SMITH) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States. 

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; 


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•SRES 218 IS 

Whereas the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community 

is an inherently diverse population, composed of more 

than 45 distinct ethnicities and more than 100 language 

dialects; 

Whereas, according to the Bureau of the Census, the AsianAmerican population grew faster than any other racial or 

ethnic group over the last decade, surging nearly 72 percent between 2000 and 2015; 

Whereas there are approximately 22,000,000 residents of the 

United States who identify themselves as Asian and approximately 1,600,000 residents of the United States who 

identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 

Islander, making up nearly 7 percent of the total population of the United States; 

Whereas the month of May was selected for Asian/Pacific 

American Heritage Month because the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, 

and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on 

May 10, 1869, with substantial contributions from Chinese immigrants; 

Whereas section 102 of title 36, United States Code, officially 

designates May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage 

Month and requests the President to issue an annual 

proclamation calling on the people of the United States 

to observe the month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; 

Whereas 2019 marks several important milestones for the 

Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, including— 

(1) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the 

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cameral caucus of Members of Congress advocating on 

behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which, 

in 2019, is composed of 73 Members, including 19 Members of Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

(2) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the 

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, which was founded alongside the Congressional Asian 

Pacific American Caucus by former Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta and former Delegate to the United States House of 

Representatives from Guam Robert Underwood; 

(3) the 40th anniversary of the first Asian/Pacific 

American Heritage Week, designated in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter through Presidential Proclamation 

No. 4650; 

(4) the 45th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 

563 (1974), in which the Supreme Court of the United 

States determined that inadequate supplemental language 

instruction for students of Chinese ancestry with limited 

English proficiency violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 

expanding equal educational opportunities and paving the 

way for bilingual programs and additional English language instruction in public schools; 

(5) the 95th anniversary of the enactment of the Immigration Act of 1924 (commonly known as the ‘‘Johnson-Reed Act’’) (43 Stat. 153, chapter 190), which imposed national origin quotas that limited the number of 

immigrants allowed entry to the United States and prohibited the entry of Asian immigrants; and 

(6) the 150th anniversary of the completion of the 

first transcontinental railroad, which— 


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(A) in 1869, connected the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad at Promontory 

Summit, Utah; and 

(B) involved more than 12,000 Chinese laborers 

who faced racial and wage discrimination despite 

being entrusted with the most laborious tasks; 

Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made 

significant contributions to the United States at all levels 

of the Federal Government and the United States Armed 

Forces, including— 

(1) 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 the history of the 

United States; 

(2) Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian-American 

Congressman; 

(3) Patsy T. Mink, the first woman of color and 

Asian-American woman to be elected to Congress; 

(4) Hiram L. Fong, the first Asian-American Senator; 

(5) Daniel K. Akaka, the first Senator of Native 

Hawaiian ancestry; 

(6) Norman Y. Mineta, the first Asian-American 

member of a Presidential cabinet; and 

(7) Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian-American woman 

member of a Presidential cabinet; 

Whereas, in 2019, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are 

serving in State and Territorial legislatures across the 

United States in record numbers, including in— 

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ana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, 

Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; and 

(2) the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 

Whereas, in 2019, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

honorably serve throughout the Federal judiciary; 

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, and to understand the challenges faced by, 

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific 

3 American Heritage Month as an important time to 

4 celebrate the significant contributions of Asian 

5 Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the 

6 United States; and 


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1 (2) recognizes that Asian-American and Pacific 

2 Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of 

3 and strengthen the United States. 

Æ 


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