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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 911 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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. Velazquez, 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;
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--

    (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;
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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes 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; and
            (2) recognizes that Asian American and Pacific Islander 
        communities enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the 
        United States.
                                 <all>
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