III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 546 

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 

JUNE 13, 2018 

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

BROWN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, 

Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. HELLER, Mr. KAINE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. SCHUMER, and Ms. WARREN) 

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 546 IS 

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 Bureau of the Census, 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 21,000,000 residents of the 

United States who identify themselves as Asian and approximately 1,500,000 residents of the United States who 

identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 

Islander, making up nearly 6 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 2018 marks several important milestones for the 

Asian American and Pacific Islander community, including— 

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

Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898), a Supreme Court decision that determined that the 14th Amendment grants 


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•SRES 546 IS 

birthright citizenship to all persons born in the United 

States, regardless of the national origin of their parents; 

(2) the 75th anniversary of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act 

to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Acts, to establish quotas, 

and for other purposes’’, approved December 17, 1943 

(commonly known as the ‘‘Magnuson Act of 1943’’) (57 

Stat. 600, chapter 344), which formally repealed the Act 

entitled ‘‘An Act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese’’, approved May 6, 1882 (commonly 

known as the ‘‘Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882’’) (22 

Stat. 58, chapter 126); 

(3) the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Civil 

Liberties Act of 1988 (50 U.S.C. 4211 et seq.), which 

granted reparations to Japanese Americans incarcerated 

during World War II; and 

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

Law 103–150 (107 Stat. 1510), 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 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; 


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•SRES 546 IS 

(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 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 in— 

(1) 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 

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

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 

Whereas the commitment of the United States to diversity in 

the judiciary has been demonstrated by the nominations 

of high-caliber Asian American and Pacific Islander jurists at all levels of the Federal bench; 

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 


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•SRES 546 IS 

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 

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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