IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 911 

Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 

May as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions 

of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 24, 2018 

Ms. JUDY CHU of California (for herself, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. LEE, Ms. MATSUI, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. PETERS, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. 

JAYAPAL, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. 

TAKANO, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. NADLER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. 

MENG, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. BERA, Mr. 

SABLAN, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. TED LIEU of 

California, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. SPEIER, and Mr. GOMEZ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May 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; 


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•HRES 911 IH 

Whereas the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States is inextricably tied to the story 

of the United States; 

Whereas the Asian American and Pacific Islander community 

is an inherently diverse population, comprised of over 45 

distinct ethnicities and over 100 language dialects; 

Whereas according to the United States Census Bureau, the 

Asian American 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 21 million residents of the 

United States who identify themselves as Asian and approximately 1.5 million residents of the United States 

who identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, making up nearly 6 percent of the total 

United States population; 

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 the year 2018 marks several important milestones 

for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, 

including the— 


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•HRES 911 IH 

(1) 120th anniversary of the United States v. Wong 

Kim Ark Supreme Court decision that determined the 

14th Amendment to the United States Constitution 

grants birthright citizenship to all persons born in the 

United States regardless of the national origin of their 

parents; 

(2) 75th anniversary of the Magnuson Act of 1943, 

which formally repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 

1882; 

(3) 30th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which granted reparations to Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II; and 

(4) 25th anniversary of the enactment of Public Law 

103–150, which acknowledged the 100th anniversary of 

the January 17, 1893, overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and offered an apology to Native Hawaiians on behalf of the United States; 

Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, such as 

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 United States history, Dalip 

Singh Saund, the first Asian American Congressman, 

Patsy T. Mink, the first woman of color and Asian American woman to be elected to Congress, Hiram L. Fong, 

the first Asian American Senator, Daniel K. Akaka, the 

first Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry, Norman Y. 

Mineta, the first Asian American member of a Presidential cabinet, and many others have made significant 

contributions to the United States at all levels of our government and military; 


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•HRES 911 IH 

Whereas the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a 

bicameral caucus of Members of Congress advocating on 

behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, is composed of 63 Members this year, including 17 Members of 

Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

Whereas in 2018, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are 

serving in State and Territorial legislatures across the 

United States in record numbers, including the States of 

Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, 

Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 

Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, 

Washington, and West Virginia, and in the Territories of 

American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands; 

Whereas the number of Asian American and Pacific Islander 

Article III judges more than tripled between 2009 and 

2017, reflecting a commitment to diversity in the Federal 

judiciary that has resulted in the confirmations of high 

caliber Asian American and Pacific Islander judicial 

nominees; 

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, history, and to understand the challenges faced by Asian 

Americans and Pacific Islanders: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 911 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

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 

7 (2) recognizes that Asian American and Pacific 

8 Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of 

9 and strengthen the United States. 

Æ 


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