[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 247 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 247
Recognizing 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 history of the United
States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 27, 2021
Ms. Hirono (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr.
Booker, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr.
Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms.
Hassan, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr.
Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Schatz, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith,
Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Kelly)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing 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 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;
Whereas the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community is an inherently
diverse population, composed of more than 45 distinct ethnicities and
more than 100 language dialects;
Whereas, according to the Bureau of the Census, 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 as Asian and approximately 1,600,000 residents of the United
States who identify as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, making
up nearly 7 percent of the total population of the United States;
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 on April 30, 2021, President Biden issued a proclamation on Asian
American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month,
recognizing the history, achievements, and diversity of Asian Americans
and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and the systemic barriers to
economic justice, health equity, educational attainment, and personal
safety experienced by many in the Asian-American and Native Hawaiian/
Pacific Islander community;
Whereas 2021 marks several important milestones for the Asian-American and
Pacific Islander community, including--
(1) the 45th anniversary of Presidential Proclamation 4417, dated
February 19, 1976 (41 Fed. Reg. 7741), in which President Gerald Ford
formally rescinded Executive Order 9066 (7 Fed. Reg. 1407; relating to
authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe military areas) and condemned
the incarceration of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents
of Japanese ancestry during World War II;
(2) the 65th anniversary of the election to the House of
Representatives of Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American, first
Indian American, and first Sikh American elected to Congress;
(3) the 75th anniversary of the passage of the amendments made by the
Act of July 2, 1946 (commonly known as the ``Luce-Cellar Act of 1946'') (60
Stat. 416, chapter 534), which allowed Filipinos and Indians to immigrate
to the United States and become naturalized United States citizens;
(4) the 75th anniversary of the passage of the First Supplemental
Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act, 1946 (Public Law 79-301; 60 Stat. 6),
and the Second Supplemental Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act, 1946
(Public Law 79-391; 60 Stat. 221), which stripped military benefits from
Filipino World War II veterans in the service of the United States Armed
Forces;
(5) the 100th anniversary of the first premier in a United States film
of an Asian-American woman, Anna May Wong, in ``Bits of Life''; and
(6) the 120th anniversary of the arrival of Peter Ryu, the first Korean
immigrant in the United States;
Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made significant
contributions to the United States at all levels of the Federal
Government and in 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;
(7) Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian-American woman member of a
Presidential cabinet; and
(8) Kamala D. Harris, the first woman and the first Asian American to
hold the Office of the Vice President;
Whereas, in 2021, 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 75 Members, including 18 Members
of Asian or Pacific Islander descent;
Whereas, in 2021, 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, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, 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 2021, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders honorably serve
throughout the Federal judiciary;
Whereas, since January 2020, the increased use of anti-Asian terminology and
rhetoric related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (``COVID-19'') has
perpetuated an anti-Asian stigma and has resulted in a dramatic increase
in reports of hate crimes and incidents against individuals of Asian
descent;
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
Resolved, That the Senate--
(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 history of the United States; and
(2) recognizes that Asian-American and Pacific Islander
communities enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the
United States.
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