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; 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 Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under Executive Order 13125 by President William J. Clinton; Whereas section 102 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 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 That the House of Representatives— (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 Nation’s history; and (2) recognizes that Asian American and Pacific Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of the United States and strengthen the Nation.

Summary: Recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) as an important time to celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our nation's history. Recognizes that Asian American and Pacific Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of the United States.