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 res-
olution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the significance of Asian/Pacific American Herit-
age Month in May as an important time to celebrate 
the significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pa-
cific 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 Island-
ers 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 ap-
proximately 1,600,000 residents of the United States who 
identify themselves as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Is-
lander, 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 im-
migrants arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, 
and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on 
May 10, 1869, with substantial contributions from Chi-
nese 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, cere-
monies, and activities; 
Whereas 2019 marks several important milestones for the 
Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, includ-
ing— 
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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 Rail-
road at Promontory Summit, Utah, and employed over 
12,000 Chinese laborers who faced racial and wage dis-
crimination despite being entrusted with the most labo-
rious tasks; 
(2) the 95th anniversary of the Immigration Act of 
1924, approved May 26, 1924, which enacted national or-
igin quotas that limited the number of immigrants al-
lowed 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 Presi-
dent Jimmy Carter through Presidential Proclamation 
4650; 
(5) the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bi-
cameral 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 Stud-
ies, 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 Presi-
dential 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 Sen-
ator; 
(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, Con-
necticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indi-
ana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Min-
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