IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 605 

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 Nation’s history. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 29, 2014 

Ms. CHU (for herself, Mr. HONDA, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. LORETTA

SANCHEZ of California, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Ms. 

ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. MENG, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. SWALWELL

of California, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. PETERS of California, Ms. 

LEE of California, Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. 

GABBARD, Mr. BERA of California, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. 

SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. 

ESHOO, Mr. CROWLEY, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN) 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 Nation’s history. 

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 our 

Nation’s history; 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 605 IH 

Whereas the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States is inextricably tied to the story 

of the Nation; 

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 the United States Census Bureau found that 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 U.S. 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 the year 2014 marks several important milestones 

for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, 

including the 20th anniversary of the founding of the 

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the 20th 

anniversary of the creation of the Asian Pacific American 

Institute for Congressional Studies, and the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the White House InitiaVerDate Mar 15 2010 18:33 May 30, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR605.IH HR605

emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 605 IH 

tive on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under Executive Order 13125 by President William J. Clinton; 

Whereas section 102 of title 36, United States Code, officially 

designates May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage 

Month, and requests the President to issue each year a 

proclamation calling on the people of the United States 

to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; 

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 

Singh 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 composed of 41 Members this year, including 13 Members of 

Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

Whereas the 113th Congress welcomed a number of historic 

firsts, including Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii, the first 

Asian American woman and first Buddhist to ever serve 

in the United States Senate, Tammy Duckworth, the 

first Thai American woman, first wounded female combat 

Veteran, and first Asian American from Illinois to serve 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 605 IH 

in Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu American 

and first Pacific Islander woman to serve in Congress, 

Grace Meng, the first Asian American Member of Congress elected to represent the State of New York, and 

Mark Takano, the first openly gay person of color to ever 

serve in Congress; 

Whereas in 2014, 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, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 

Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and 

Washington 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 

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, 

a voice in the United States Government, and continue 

to advance in the Nation’s political landscape; 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 address the challenges faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Now, therefore, be it 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HRES 605 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

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 Nation’s his6 tory; and 

7 (2) recognizes that Asian American and Pacific 

8 Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of 

9 the United States and strengthen the Nation. 

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS