IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 401 

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 history of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 23, 2019 

Ms. JUDY CHU of California (for herself, Mr. BERA, Mr. CASE, Mr. 

CISNEROS, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. COX of California, Mrs. 

DAVIS of California, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. GOMEZ, Mr. GREEN

of Texas, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. KHANNA, Mrs. LEE of Nevada, Ms. LEE of 

California, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. MATSUI, 

Ms. MENG, Mrs. MURPHY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. PETERS, Ms. PORTER, 

Mr. RASKIN, Mr. ROUDA, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. 

SA ́NCHEZ, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SMITH of 

Washington, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. TAKANO, 

Mr. TRONE, Mr. VARGAS, and Ms. WATERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 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 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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•HRES 401 IH 

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, comprised of over 45 

distinct ethnicities and over 100 language dialects; 

Whereas according to the United States Census Bureau, 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 themselves as Asian and approximately 1,600,000 residents of the United States who 

identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, making up nearly 7 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 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 2019 marks several important milestones for the 

Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, including— 


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•HRES 401 IH 

(1) the 150th anniversary of the completion of the 

first transcontinental railroad, which in 1869, connected 

the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah, and employed over 

12,000 Chinese laborers who faced racial and wage discrimination despite being entrusted with the most laborious tasks; 

(2) the 95th anniversary of the Immigration Act of 

1924, approved May 26, 1924, which enacted national origin quotas that limited the number of immigrants allowed entry to the United States and prohibited the entry 

of Asian immigrants; 

(3) the 45th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 

563 (1974), a Supreme Court case in which the Court— 

(A) unanimously determined that inadequate 

supplemental language instruction for students with 

limited English proficiency violated the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964; 

(B) expanded equal educational opportunities; 

and 

(C) paved the way for bilingual programs and 

additional English language instruction in public 

schools; 

(4) the 40th anniversary of the first Asian/Pacific 

American Heritage Week, designated in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter through Presidential Proclamation 

4650; 

(5) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the 

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bicameral caucus of Members of Congress advocating on 

behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which 

in the year 2019, is composed of 73 Members, including 

19 Members of Asian or Pacific Islander descent; and 


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•HRES 401 IH 

(6) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the 

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, which was founded alongside the Congressional Asian 

Pacific American Caucus by former Secretary Norman Y. 

Mineta and former Delegate Robert Underwood; 

Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made 

significant contributions to the United States at all levels 

of the Federal Government and 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; and 

(7) Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian-American woman 

member of a Presidential Cabinet; 

Whereas in 2019, 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, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, MinVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:22 May 24, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR401.IH HR401

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nesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, 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 2019, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

honorably serve at all levels of the Federal judiciary; 

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 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 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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