III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 460 

Recognizing the significance of May 2014 as 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, 2014 

Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. REID, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. SCHATZ, 

Mr. BROWN, Mr. KAINE, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. HELLER, Mr. KIRK, Ms. 

CANTWELL, and Mr. WARNER) submitted the following resolution; which 

was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of May 2014 as 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 United States joins 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 460 ATS 

Whereas the Asian American and Pacific Islander community 

is an inherently diverse population comprised of more 

than 45 distinct ethnicities and more than 100 language 

dialects; 

Whereas, according to the Bureau of the Census, the Asian 

American population grew faster than any other racial or 

ethnic group in the United States during the last decade, 

surging nearly 46 percent between 2000 and 2010, which 

is a growth rate 4 times faster than that of the total population of the United States; 

Whereas the 2010 decennial census estimated that there are 

approximately 17,300,000 residents of the United States 

who identify as Asian and approximately 1,200,000 residents of the United States who identify themselves as 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, making up approximately 5.5 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively, of 

the total population of the United States; 

Whereas the month of May was selected for Asian/Pacific 

American Heritage Month because the first immigrants 

from Japan arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, 

and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on 

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

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 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, such as 

Daniel K. Inouye, a Medal of Honor and Presidential 


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•SRES 460 ATS 

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, and others have made 

significant contributions in both our government and our 

military, including the first Asian American cabinet member in 2000 and the first female Asian American cabinet 

member in 2001; 

Whereas the year 2014 marks several important milestones 

for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, 

including— 

(1) the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the 

White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific 

Islanders under Executive Order 13125 by President William J. Clinton; 

(2) the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bicameral 

caucus of Members of Congress advocating on behalf of 

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and 

(3) the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Asian 

Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies; 

Whereas in 2014, 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 41 Members, including 13 Members of Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

Whereas in 2014, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are 

serving in State legislatures across the United States in 

record numbers, including in the States of Alaska, AriVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:31 May 23, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR460.ATS SR460

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•SRES 460 ATS 

zona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, 

Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, 

New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington; 

Whereas the number of Federal judges who are Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders doubled between 2001 and 2008 

and more than tripled between 2009 and 2014, 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, and 

history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and to 

appreciate the challenges faced by Asian Americans and 

Pacific Islanders: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the significance of May 2014 as 

3 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month as an im4 portant time to celebrate the significant contribu5 tions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to 

6 the history of the United States; and 


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1 (2) recognizes that the Asian American and Pa2 cific Islander community enhances the rich diversity 

3 of and strengthens the United States. 

Æ 


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