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[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 247 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 247

 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 27, 2021

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Booker, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. 
Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. 
    Hassan, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. 
 Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Schatz, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, 
   Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Kelly) 
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;
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 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 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 on April 30, 2021, President Biden issued a proclamation on Asian 
        American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 
        recognizing the history, achievements, and diversity of Asian Americans 
        and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and the systemic barriers to 
        economic justice, health equity, educational attainment, and personal 
        safety experienced by many in the Asian-American and Native Hawaiian/
        Pacific Islander community;
Whereas 2021 marks several important milestones for the Asian-American and 
        Pacific Islander community, including--

    (1) the 45th anniversary of Presidential Proclamation 4417, dated 
February 19, 1976 (41 Fed. Reg. 7741), in which President Gerald Ford 
formally rescinded Executive Order 9066 (7 Fed. Reg. 1407; relating to 
authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe military areas) and condemned 
the incarceration of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents 
of Japanese ancestry during World War II;

    (2) the 65th anniversary of the election to the House of 
Representatives of Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American, first 
Indian American, and first Sikh American elected to Congress;

    (3) the 75th anniversary of the passage of the amendments made by the 
Act of July 2, 1946 (commonly known as the ``Luce-Cellar Act of 1946'') (60 
Stat. 416, chapter 534), which allowed Filipinos and Indians to immigrate 
to the United States and become naturalized United States citizens;

    (4) the 75th anniversary of the passage of 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 stripped military benefits from 
Filipino World War II veterans in the service of the United States Armed 
Forces;

    (5) the 100th anniversary of the first premier in a United States film 
of an Asian-American woman, Anna May Wong, in ``Bits of Life''; and

    (6) the 120th anniversary of the arrival of Peter Ryu, the first Korean 
immigrant in 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 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 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;

    (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;

    (7) Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian-American woman member of a 
Presidential cabinet; and

    (8) Kamala D. Harris, the first woman and the first Asian American to 
hold the Office of the Vice President;

Whereas, in 2021, 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 75 Members, including 18 Members 
        of Asian or Pacific Islander descent;
Whereas, in 2021, 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, Florida, 
Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New 
Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, 
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; and

    (2) the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands;

Whereas, in 2021, 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 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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes 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; and
            (2) recognizes that Asian-American and Pacific Islander 
        communities enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the 
        United States.
                                 <all>
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