117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5006 

AN ACT 

To designate the month of September as African Diaspora 

Heritage Month. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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†S 5006 ES

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘African Diaspora Her3 itage Month Act of 2022’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds that— 

6 (1) the African diaspora population in the 

7 United States has grown significantly in recent 

8 years, with the number of African immigrants grow9 ing at a rate of almost 246 percent from 2000 to 

10 2019; 

11 (2) the African diaspora community is one of 

12 the most diverse communities in the United States, 

13 inclusive of people who speak multiple languages, 

14 whose rich heritage comes from all across the Afri15 can continent, and whose members practice various 

16 faiths; 

17 (3) during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, 

18 a significant number of enslaved people from Africa 

19 were brought to the United States; 

20 (4) immigrants of African origin boast some of 

21 the highest educational achievements of any immi22 grant group; 

23 (5) African diaspora households contribute bil24 lions of dollars to the economy of the United States, 

25 with an estimated $10,100,000,000 in Federal taxes, 

26 $4,700,000,000 in State and local taxes, and a 
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1 spending power of more than $40,300,000,000 in 

2 2015; 

3 (6) Sub-Saharan African immigrants living in 

4 the United States, Europe, and elsewhere sent back 

5 $46,000,000,000 in remittances to the continent of 

6 Africa in 2021; 

7 (7) Government agencies, including the Inter8 national Development Finance Corporation, the De9 partment of Commerce, the Department of the 

10 Treasury, and the United States Trade Representa11 tive are critical to investments and enduring mutual 

12 partnerships between the United States and African 

13 nations; 

14 (8) in 2019, through the African Growth and 

15 Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), the 

16 United States imported $8,400,000,000 in goods, up 

17 2.4 percent as compared to 2001; 

18 (9) Prosper Africa and other similar Govern19 ment initiatives are critical to building and strength20 ening ties between the United States and African 

21 businesses; 

22 (10) the total two-way goods trade with Sub23 Saharan Africa totaled $44,900,000,000 in 2021, a 

24 22 percent increase from $36,800,000,000 in 2019; 
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1 (11) the African diaspora plays an invaluable 

2 role in shaping Government policy; 

3 (12) members of the African diaspora have an 

4 invaluable understanding of cross-cultural engage5 ment between the United States and Africa, existing 

6 relations and networks on the African continent, and 

7 can support efforts to facilitate stronger ties between 

8 the United States and Africa; 

9 (13) the United States is committed to 

10 strengthening the government-to-government rela11 tionships between the United States and countries 

12 throughout the African continent; 

13 (14) Congress strongly supports the United 

14 States hosting a second United States-Africa Lead15 ers Summit in December 2022, and urges collabora16 tion between the Government and the African dias17 pora community in the United States in advance, 

18 during, and after the Summit as an opportunity to 

19 strengthen ties between the United States and Afri20 can nations; 

21 (15) the African diaspora harbors a deep com22 mitment to family and community, an enduring 

23 work ethic, and a perseverance to succeed and con24 tribute to the society of the United States; and 
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1 (16) all members of the African diaspora in the 

2 United States deserve access to Federal resources 

3 and a voice in the Government of the United States. 

4 SEC. 3. AFRICAN DIASPORA HERITAGE MONTH. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 36, United 

6 States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) by redesignating the second section 146 as 

8 section 147; and 

9 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘§ 148. African Diaspora Heritage Month 

11 ‘‘(a) DESIGNATION.—September is African Diaspora 

12 Heritage Month. 

13 ‘‘(b) PROCLAMATIONS.—The President is requested 

14 to issue each year a proclamation calling on the people 

15 of the United States, and the chief executive officers of 

16 each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 

17 and each territory and possession of the United States are 

18 requested to issue each year proclamations calling on the 

19 people of their respective jurisdictions, to observe African 

20 Diaspora Heritage Month with appropriate programs, 

21 ceremonies, and activities.’’. 

22 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 

23 The table of sections for chapter 1 of title 36, United 

24 States Code, is amended— 
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1 (1) by striking the item relating to the second 

2 section 146 and inserting the following: 

‘‘147. Choose Respect Day. 

‘‘148. African Diaspora Heritage Month.’’. 

Passed the Senate December 13, 2022. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5006 

AN ACT 

To designate the month of September as African 

Diaspora Heritage Month.