III 

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; 


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•SRES 247 IS 

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 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 on April 30, 2021, President Biden issued a proclamation on Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific 


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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 


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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 AsianAmerican 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 adVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:51 May 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR247.IS SR247

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vocating 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 antiAsian 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 


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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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