IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 983 

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 28, 2020 

Ms. JUDY CHU of California (for herself, Ms. MENG, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. 

ROUDA, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. BERA, 

Mr. COX of California, Mr. RASKIN, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, and Mr. 

CISNEROS) 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; 

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

of the United States; 


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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 22,600,000 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 over 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 2020 marks several important milestones for the 

Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, including— 

(1) the 30th anniversary of the enactment of Public 

Law 101–283 designating May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month; 


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(2) the 35th anniversary of the mission aboard the 

Space Shuttle Discovery of Ellison Shoji Onizuka, the 

first Asian American in space; 

(3) the 45th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam 

War and the beginning of the Southeast Asian diaspora 

to communities across the United States; 

(4) the 45th anniversary of the completion of the 

double-hulled voyaging canoe, Hokulea, marking the first 

traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe built in Hawaii in 

more than 600 years; 

(5) the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Act 

entitled ‘‘An Act to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, and for other purposes’’, approved October 3, 

1965 (79 Stat. 911), landmark legislation that reversed 

restrictive immigration policies against immigrants from 

Asia; and 

(6) the 110th anniversary of the establishment of 

Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay, 

California, which served as a major port of entry for immigrants coming to the United States from Asia and the 

Pacific; 

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; 


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(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 2020, 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 76 Members, including 20 Members of Asian or Pacific Islander descent; 

Whereas in 2020, 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, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New 

Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, 

Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming; and 

(2) the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 

Whereas in 2020, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

honorably serve at all levels of the Federal judiciary; 

Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been 

disproportionately impacted by the COVID–19 pandemic, 

with Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders facing 


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among the highest infection and mortality rates out of 

any racial group in the States of California, Washington, 

Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, and Arkansas; 

Whereas there are over 2 million Asian-American and Pacific 

Islander first responders, health care providers, and 

frontline workers who are among the unsung heroes in 

the Nation’s fight against COVID–19; 

Whereas since January 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in reports of anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents 

related to the COVID–19 pandemic, with over 2,000 incidents reported in recent months; 

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 


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1 (2) recognizes that Asian-American and Pacific 

2 Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of 

3 and strengthen the United States. 

Æ 


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