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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 761 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 761

  Recognizing the month of October 2020 as Filipino American History 
Month and celebrating the history and culture of Filipino Americans and 
           their immense contributions to the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             October 26 (legislative day, October 19), 2020

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Cortez Masto, 
 Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Mr. Kaine, Ms. 
   Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Schatz, Ms. Smith, Ms. Warren, and Mrs. Murray) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Recognizing the month of October 2020 as Filipino American History 
Month and celebrating the history and culture of Filipino Americans and 
           their immense contributions to the United States.

Whereas the earliest documented Filipino presence in the continental United 
        States was October 18, 1587, when the first ``Luzones Indios'' arrived 
        in Morro Bay, California, on board the Nuestra Senora de Esperanza, a 
        Manila-built galleon ship;
Whereas the Filipino American National Historical Society recognizes 1763 as the 
        year in which the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United 
        States was established in St. Malo, Louisiana;
Whereas the recognition of the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United 
        States adds a new perspective to the history of the United States by 
        bringing attention to the economic, cultural, social, and other notable 
        contributions made by Filipino Americans to the development of the 
        United States;
Whereas the Filipino American community is the third largest Asian American and 
        Pacific Islander group in the United States, with a population of 
        approximately 4,100,000;
Whereas, from the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Filipinos and 
        Filipino Americans have a longstanding history of serving in the Armed 
        Forces of the United States;
Whereas more than 250,000 Filipinos fought under the United States flag during 
        World War II to protect and defend the United States in the Pacific 
        theater;
Whereas a guarantee to pay back the service of Filipinos through veterans 
        benefits was reversed by the First Supplemental Surplus Appropriation 
        Rescission Act, 1946 (Public Law 79-301; 60 Stat. 6) and the Second 
        Supplemental Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act, 1946 (Public Law 79-
        391; 60 Stat. 221), which provided that the wartime service of members 
        of the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines and the new Philippine 
        Scouts shall not be deemed to have been active service, and, therefore, 
        those members did not qualify for certain benefits;
Whereas 26,000 Filipino World War II veterans were granted United States 
        citizenship as a result of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-
        649; 104 Stat. 4978), which was signed into law by President George H.W. 
        Bush on November 29, 1990;
Whereas, on February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the 
        American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5; 123 
        Stat. 115), which established the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation 
        Fund to compensate Filipino World War II veterans for their service to 
        the United States;
Whereas, since June 8, 2016, the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program 
        has allowed Filipino World War II veterans and certain family members to 
        be reunited more expeditiously than the immigrant visa process allowed 
        at that time, but, on August 2, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
        Services announced its intention to terminate the program;
Whereas, on December 14, 2016, President Barack Obama signed into law the 
        Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 
        (Public Law 114-265; 130 Stat. 1376) to award Filipino veterans who 
        fought alongside troops of the United States in World War II the highest 
        civilian honor bestowed by Congress;
Whereas, on October 25, 2017, the Congressional Gold Medal was presented to 
        Filipino World War II veterans in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol 
        Building, a recognition for which the veterans had waited for more than 
        70 years;
Whereas Filipino Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the 
        highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that may be 
        bestowed on an individual serving in the Armed Forces, and continue to 
        demonstrate a commendable sense of patriotism and honor in the Armed 
        Forces;
Whereas the late Thelma Garcia Buchholdt, born in Claveria, Cagayan, on the 
        island of Luzon in the Philippines--

    (1) moved with her family to Alaska in 1965;

    (2) was elected to the House of Representatives of Alaska in 1974;

    (3) was the first Filipino woman elected to a State legislature; and

    (4) authored a comprehensive history book entitled ``Filipinos in 
Alaska: 1788-1958'';

Whereas Filipino American farmworkers and labor leaders, such as Philip Vera 
        Cruz and Larry Itliong, played an integral role in the multiethnic 
        United Farm Workers movement, alongside Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, 
        and other Latino workers;
Whereas, on April 25, 2012, President Barack Obama nominated Lorna G. Schofield 
        to be a United States District Judge for the United States District 
        Court for the Southern District of New York, and she was confirmed by 
        the Senate on December 13, 2012, to be the first Filipino American in 
        United States history to serve as an Article III Federal judge;
Whereas Filipino Americans play an integral role on the frontlines of the COVID-
        19 pandemic in the healthcare system of the United States as nurses, 
        doctors, first responders, and other medical professionals;
Whereas Filipino Americans contribute greatly to music, dance, literature, 
        education, business, journalism, sports, fashion, politics, government, 
        science, technology, the fine arts, and other fields that enrich the 
        United States;
Whereas, as mandated in the mission statement of the Filipino American National 
        Historical Society, efforts should continue to promote the study of 
        Filipino American history and culture because the roles of Filipino 
        Americans and other people of color have largely been overlooked in the 
        writing, teaching, and learning of the history of the United States;
Whereas it is imperative for Filipino American youth to have positive role 
        models to instill--

    (1) the significance of education, complemented by the richness of 
Filipino American ethnicity; and

    (2) the value of the Filipino American legacy; and

Whereas it is essential to promote the understanding, education, and 
        appreciation of the history and culture of Filipino Americans in the 
        United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the celebration of Filipino American History 
        Month in October 2020 as--
                    (A) a testament to the advancement of Filipino 
                Americans;
                    (B) a time to reflect on and remember the many 
                notable contributions that Filipino Americans have made 
                to the United States; and
                    (C) a time to renew efforts toward the research and 
                examination of history and culture so as to provide an 
                opportunity for all people of the United States to 
                learn more about Filipino Americans and to appreciate 
                the historic contributions of Filipino Americans to the 
                United States; and
            (2) urges the people of the United States to observe 
        Filipino American History Month with appropriate programs and 
        activities.
                                 <all>
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