IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 283 

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 21, 2015 

Ms. JUDY CHU of California (for herself, Mr. BECERRA, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. 

DUCKWORTH, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Ms. LEE, Mr. 

TED LIEU of California, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. MENG, Mr. TAKAI, Mr. 

SABLAN, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. PETERS, Ms. 

LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. BERA, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 

TAKANO, Mr. HONDA, and Mr. CONYERS) 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 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; 


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•HRES 283 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 

46 percent between 2000 and 2010, a growth rate 4 

times faster than the total United States population; 

Whereas the 2010 decennial census estimated that there are 

now 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 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; 


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•HRES 283 IH 

Whereas the year 2015 marks several important milestones 

for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, 

including the— 

(1) 50th anniversary of the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, landmark legislation 

that reversed restrictive immigration policies against immigrants from Asia; 

(2) 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War; 

(3) 40th anniversary of the Southeast Asian 

diasporic communities in the United States; 

(4) 30th anniversary of Ellison Shoji Onizuka’s 

space mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery becoming the first Asian American in space; and 

(5) 25th anniversary of the enactment of legislation 

designating May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage 

Month signed by President George H. W. Bush; 

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 

Sing Saund, the first Asian American Congressman, 

Patsy T. Mink, the first woman of color and Asian American woman to be elected to Congress, Daniel K. Akaka, 

the first Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry, Hiram L. 

Fong, the first Asian American Senator, Norman Y. Mineta, the first Asian American member of a Presidential 

cabinet, and others have made significant contributions 

in both 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 comVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:47 May 21, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR283.IH HR283

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•HRES 283 IH 

posed of 48 Members this year, including 13 Members of 

Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

Whereas in 2015, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are 

serving in State and Territorial legislatures across the 

United States in record numbers, including in the States 

of Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, 

Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, 

Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, 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 

2015, 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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific 

3 American Heritage Month as an important time to 


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•HRES 283 IH 

1 celebrate the significant contributions of Asian 

2 Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the 

3 United States; and 

4 (2) recognizes that Asian American and Pacific 

5 Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of 

6 and strengthen the United States. 

Æ 


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