[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 460 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 460
Recognizing the significance of May 2014 as 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 22, 2014
Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Reid, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Schatz,
Mr. Brown, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Begich, Mr. Heller, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Cantwell,
and Mr. Warner) submitted the following resolution; which was
considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the significance of May 2014 as 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 United States joins 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 comprised 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 in the United States
during the last decade, surging nearly 46 percent between 2000 and 2010,
which is a growth rate 4 times faster than that of the total population
of the United States;
Whereas the 2010 decennial census estimated that there are 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
approximately 5.5 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively, of the total
population of the United States;
Whereas the month of May was selected for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
because the first immigrants from Japan arrived in the United States on
May 7, 1843, and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on
May 10, 1869, with substantial contributions from immigrants from China;
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 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, Hiram L. Fong,
the first Asian American Senator, and others have made significant
contributions in both our government and our military, including the
first Asian American cabinet member in 2000 and the first female Asian
American cabinet member in 2001;
Whereas the year 2014 marks several important milestones for the Asian American
and Pacific Islander community, including--
(1) the 15<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the establishment of the White
House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under Executive
Order 13125 by President William J. Clinton;
(2) the 20<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the founding of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bicameral caucus of Members
of Congress advocating on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders;
and
(3) the 20<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the creation of the Asian
Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies;
Whereas in 2014, 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, including 13 Members
of Asian or Pacific Islander descent;
Whereas in 2014, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are serving in State
legislatures across the United States in record numbers, including in
the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado,
Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington;
Whereas the number of Federal judges who are Asian Americans or Pacific
Islanders doubled between 2001 and 2008 and 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 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 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and
to appreciate the challenges faced by Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the significance of May 2014 as 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 the Asian American and Pacific Islander
community enhances the rich diversity of and strengthens the
United States.
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