Title: Recognizing the 80th birthday of Bruce Jun Fan Lee and the immense and positive impact that his legacy continues to have in creating a bridge between cultures, championing values of self-respect, self-discipline, and tolerance in our Nation, and pioneering and cultivating new and innovative genres of martial arts, representation in media, and guiding philosophies in the United States and around the world.
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion

Summary:
This resolution honors the life and impact of Bruce Jun Fan Lee, a martial arts master and actor and an American success story whose legacy of persistence and honor resonates and inspires millions of citizens and recognizes the importance of his teachings as a catalyst for popular culture and Chinese-American history in the United States.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1236 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1236

Recognizing the 80th birthday of Bruce Jun Fan Lee and the immense and 
positive impact that his legacy continues to have in creating a bridge 
between cultures, championing values of self-respect, self-discipline, 
  and tolerance in our Nation, and pioneering and cultivating new and 
innovative genres of martial arts, representation in media, and guiding 
        philosophies in the United States and around the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 24, 2020

Ms. Judy Chu of California (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Cox 
of California, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Haaland, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Ruppersberger, 
and Mr. Takano) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the 80th birthday of Bruce Jun Fan Lee and the immense and 
positive impact that his legacy continues to have in creating a bridge 
between cultures, championing values of self-respect, self-discipline, 
  and tolerance in our Nation, and pioneering and cultivating new and 
innovative genres of martial arts, representation in media, and guiding 
        philosophies in the United States and around the world.

Whereas Bruce Jun Fan Lee was born in the hour of the Dragon, between 6 a.m. and 
        8 a.m., in the year of the Dragon on November 27, 1940, at the Jackson 
        Street Hospital in San Francisco, California's Chinatown;
Whereas Bruce returned to his family's homeland at a young age and experienced 
        firsthand the occupation of Hong Kong by the Japanese during World War 
        II and the subsequent hostility and war that shook the continent;
Whereas Bruce was motivated to learn and master the martial art style of Wing 
        Chun Gung Fu in order to gain self-confidence and overcome repeated 
        instances of taunting, racism, and gang activity during his youth;
Whereas Bruce's athletic prowess, and his traits of self-discipline and 
        determination, yielded him success in youthful competitions, including 
        the 1958 Crown Colony Cha Cha Championship in Hong Kong and the 1958 
        Hong Kong Inter-School Boxing Championship;
Whereas, in April of 1959, with only $100 to his name, Bruce boarded an American 
        President Lines steamship and began his voyage back to San Francisco in 
        the lower decks of the ship, demonstrating unbelievable courage and 
        belief in America's ability to prosper through hard work;
Whereas Bruce understood the value of education and returned to the United 
        States to fulfill the requirements for the equivalent of high school 
        graduation at Edison Technical School in Seattle, Washington, in 1960, 
        while bussing tables and washing dishes to support himself, subsequently 
        enrolling at the University of Washington;
Whereas Bruce continued his education at the University of Washington where he 
        majored in philosophy having been inspired by his passion for Gung Fu to 
        delve into the philosophical underpinnings of the arts;
Whereas Bruce subsequently lectured on Eastern philosophy at local high schools 
        and wrote many essays during those years that relate philosophical 
        principles to martial arts techniques;
Whereas Bruce taught the art of Gung Fu to support and pay for his education, 
        establishing the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute in a friend's basement before 
        expanding to a bigger location in 1963;
Whereas one of the many ways Bruce lived out his belief in inclusivity was 
        through his interracial marriage to Seattle local, Linda Emery, in 1964, 
        and by later fathering two biracial children in a family he supported 
        and cared for until his death;
Whereas, in late 1964, Bruce's willingness to teach martial arts to non-Chinese 
        individuals to bridge the cultures angered many in the field, and he was 
        forced to defend himself and his freedom to teach;
Whereas Bruce ultimately prevailed in his teachings and paved the way for a 
        spectacular and revolutionary discovery of blending physical fitness, 
        Gung Fu, and street combat into what is now called Jeet Kune Do;
Whereas the artistry and beauty of Jeet Kune Do led Bruce to Hollywood, where he 
        became an authentic face for Chinese Americans and an inspiration to 
        youth across the world;
Whereas despite rampant racism, Bruce's strong, intelligent, and powerful 
        persona was a means for optimism and hope for immigrants, people of 
        color, and fans alike;
Whereas during the years of 1967-1971, Bruce read and wrote extensively on his 
        thoughts about physical combat, the psychology of fighting, the 
        philosophical roots of martial arts, and the motivation, self-
        actualization and liberation of the individual--teachings that are the 
        foundation of Jeet Kune Do and of his legacy that continue to be studied 
        internationally to this day;
Whereas after suffering a back injury in 1970 and being told he would never do 
        martial arts again, Bruce established his own program of self-motivation 
        and physical therapy to work himself back into peak physical and mental 
        condition;
Whereas, in the summer of 1971, due to hardships in overcoming stereotypes 
        against racial minorities in Hollywood, Bruce decided to continue to 
        pursue his dream of being an actor and supporting his family by going 
        back to Hong Kong, where he had gained immense fame from his previous 
        work on shows like ``The Green Hornet'';
Whereas Bruce became a hero in Hong Kong and represented the success the Chinese 
        community in America could achieve while honoring both Chinese and 
        American culture;
Whereas, in 1972, Bruce created his own production company, Concord Productions, 
        which applied the Hollywood studio model for film production for the 
        first time in Hong Kong;
Whereas through Concord Productions, he began writing, directing, producing, 
        acting in, and choreographing his own films;
Whereas, in 1973, due to his relationships and successes in both the United 
        States and Hong Kong, Bruce became a household name through the making 
        of ``Enter the Dragon'', the first film ever to bridge the Hong Kong and 
        United States film industries, while overcoming language barriers and 
        production difficulties, and providing a viable and hugely successful 
        link between the two cultures;
Whereas, on July 20, 1973, Bruce experienced a fatal swelling of the brain after 
        taking a pain medication for a minor headache and did not live to see 
        the opening of his film, ``Enter the Dragon'', or experience the 
        enduring success of his films in the nearly 50 years since his death;
Whereas the popularity of Bruce's films sparked national and international 
        interest in the study of the martial arts and the genre of the martial 
        arts action film, creating a proliferation of films and schools and 
        inspiring many youths to become more physically fit and philosophically 
        minded in their daily lives;
Whereas Bruce Lee has been remembered today in many ways, having been named one 
        of Time magazine's 100 most important people of the 20th century, given 
        a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, and honored on postage stamps in 8 
        countries around the world;
Whereas even after Bruce Lee's death, the Bruce Lee Foundation, a nonprofit 
        501(c)(3) tax exempt organization formed by his wife, Linda, and 
        daughter, Shannon, enriches lives, opens minds, and breaks down barriers 
        through the active proliferation of Bruce's legacy of undaunted optimism 
        in the face of adversity, unwavering humanism, mental and physical 
        perseverance, and inspirational presence of mind toward the betterment 
        of our global community; and
Whereas the Bruce Lee Foundation also applies the legacy of Bruce Lee to the 
        present day global community, showing how relevant Bruce Lee, his 
        teachings, his thoughts, and his example still are today through their 
        educational programs for children, social initiatives, and exhibits 
        geared toward looking at how taking action and working to fulfill our 
        human potential can change and mold our lives for the better: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors the life and impact of Bruce Jun Fan Lee, an 
        American success story whose legacy of persistence and honor 
        resonates and inspires millions of citizens today; and
            (2) recognizes the profound importance of Bruce Lee's 
        teachings as a catalyst for popular culture and Chinese-
        American history in the United States.
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