III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 589 

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 

MAY 20, 2020 

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

CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Ms. 

CORTEZ MASTO, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. 

KAINE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, 

Ms. ROSEN, Mr. SCHATZ, Ms. SMITH, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 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 589 IS 

Whereas the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community 

is an inherently diverse population, composed of more 

than 45 distinct ethnicities and more than 100 language 

dialects; 

Whereas, according to the Bureau of the Census, the AsianAmerican 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 22,000,000 residents of the 

United States who identify as Asian and approximately 

1,600,000 residents of the United States who identify as 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, making up 

nearly 7 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 2020 marks several important milestones for the 

Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, including— 


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•SRES 589 IS 

(1) the 35th anniversary of the mission aboard the 

Space Shuttle Discovery of Ellison Shoji Onizuka, the 

first Asian American in space; 

(2) the 45th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam 

War and the beginning of the Southeast Asian diaspora 

to communities across the United States; 

(3) the 45th anniversary of the completion of the 

double-hulled voyaging canoe, Hokulea, marking the first 

traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe built in Hawaii in 

more than 600 years; 

(4) the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Act 

entitled ‘‘An Act to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, and for other purposes’’, approved October 3, 

1965 (79 Stat. 911), landmark legislation that reversed 

restrictive immigration policies against immigrants from 

Asia; and 

(5) the 110th anniversary of the establishment of 

Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay, 

California, which served as a major port of entry for immigrants coming to the United States from Asia and the 

Pacific; 

Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made 

significant contributions to the United States at all levels 

of the Federal Government and in 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 AsianAmerican government official in the history of the United 

States; 

(2) Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian-American 

Congressman; 


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•SRES 589 IS 

(3) Patsy T. Mink, the first woman of color and 

Asian-American woman to be elected to Congress; 

(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, in 2020, 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 76 Members, including 19 Members of Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

Whereas, in 2020, 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, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New 

Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, 

Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming; and 

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

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 

Whereas, in 2020, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

honorably serve throughout the Federal judiciary; 

Whereas, since January 2020, the increased use of anti-Asian 

terminology and rhetoric related to the 2019 novel 

coronavirus (COVID–19) has perpetuated an anti-Asian 


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•SRES 589 IS 

stigma and has resulted in a dramatic increase in reports 

of hate crimes and incidents against individuals of Asian 

descent; 

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, 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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