,,iv #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #ahi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #bf1 #bjac ,ms4 ,chu 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,meng1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,ms4 ,bordallo1 ,mr4 ,al ,green of ,texas1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4 ,faleomavaega1 ,mr4 ,becerra1 ,mr4 ,bera of ,california1 ,ms4 ,gabbard1 ,ms4 ,matsui1 ,mr4 ,sablan1 ,mr4 ,takano1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,virginia1 ,mr4 ,connolly1 ,mr4 ,conyers1 ,mrs4 ,davis of ,california1 ,ms4 ,eshoo1 ,ms4 ,fudge1 ,mr4 ,sherman1 ,mr4 ,mc,nerney1 ,mrs4 ,napolitano1 ,mr4 ,peters of ,california1 ,mr4 ,rangel1 ,ms4 ,roybal-,allard1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington1 ,ms4 ,speier1 ,mr4 ,swalwell of ,california1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,ms4 ,linda ,t4 ,snchez of ,california1 ,ms4 ,lofgren1 ,mrs4 ,carolyn ,b4 ,maloney of ,new ,york1 ,ms4 ,loretta ,sanchez of ,california1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4 ,crowley1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 and ,ms4 ,hanabusa7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform ,,resolution ,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 history4 ,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 ,nation's history2 ,whereas the history of ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders in the ,united ,states is inextricably tied to the story of the ,nation2 ,whereas the ,asian ,american and ,pacific ,islander community is an inherently diverse population1 comprised of over #de distinct ethnicities and over #ajj language dialects2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,census ,bureau found that the ,asian ,american population grew faster than any other racial or ethnic group over the last decade1 surging nearly #df percent between #bjjj and #bjaj1 a growth rate #d times faster than the total ,united ,states population2 ,whereas the #bjaj ,census estimated that there are now #ag1cjj1jjj ,united ,states residents who identify as ,asian1 and #a1bjj1jjj ,united ,states residents who identify themselves as ,native ,hawaiian and ,other ,pacific ,islander1 making up nearly #f percent of the total ,united ,states population2 ,whereas the month of ,may was selected for ,asian_/,pacific ,american ,heritage ,month due to the following two historical events1 first1 ,may #g1 #ahdc1 when the first ,japanese immigrants arrived in the ,united ,states1 and second1 ,may #aj1 #ahfi1 when1 with substantial contributions from ,chinese immigrants1 the first transcontinental railroad was completed2 ,whereas #bjac marks #gj years since the repeal of the ,chinese ,exclusion ,act and #be years since the passage of the ,civil ,liberties ,act of #aihh which granted reparations to ,japanese ,americans interned during ,world ,war ,,ii1 both cases in which the ,united ,states ,congress acted to address discriminatory laws that targeted those of ,asian descent2 ,whereas section #ajb of title #cf1 ,united ,states ,code1 officially designates ,may as ,asian_/,pacific ,american ,heritage ,month1 and requests the ,president to issue each year a proclamation calling on the people of the ,united ,states to observe this month with appropriate programs1 ceremonies1 and activities2 ,whereas the ,congressional ,asian ,pacific ,american ,caucus1 a bicameral caucus of ,members of ,congress advocating on behalf of ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders1 is composed of #da ,members this year1 including #ac ,members of ,asian or ,pacific ,islander descent2 ,whereas the #aacth ,congress has welcomed a number of historic firsts this year1 including ,mazie ,hirono of ,hawaii1 the first ,asian ,american woman and first ,buddhist to ever serve in the ,united ,states ,senate1 ,rep4 ,tammy ,duckworth1 the first ,thai ,american woman1 first wounded female combat ,veteran1 and first ,asian ,american from ,illinois to serve in ,congress1 ,rep4 ,tulsi ,gabbard1 the first ,hindu ,american and first ,pacific ,islander woman to serve in ,congress1 ,rep4 ,grace ,meng1 the first ,asian ,american ,member of ,congress elected to represent the ,state of ,new ,york1 and ,rep4 ,mark ,takano1 the first openly gay person of color to ever serve in ,congress2 ,whereas today1 ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders are serving in ,state legislatures across the ,nation1 in ,states as diverse as ,alaska1 ,arizona1 ,california1 ,connecticut1 ,colorado1 ,georgia1 ,hawaii1 ,idaho1 ,maryland1 ,massachusetts1 ,new ,york1 ,pennsylvania1 ,texas1 ,utah1 ,vermont1 ,virginia1 and ,washington2 ,whereas the number of ,asian ,american and ,pacific ,islander ,article ,,iii judges has more than doubled over the past #d years1 reflecting a commitment to diversity in the ,federal judiciary that has resulted in the confirmations of high caliber ,asian ,american and ,pacific ,islander judicial nominees2 ,whereas there still remains much to be done to ensure that ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders have access to resources1 a voice in the ,united ,states ,government1 and continue to advance in the ,nation's political landscape2 and ,whereas celebrating ,asian_/,pacific ,american ,heritage ,month provides the people of the ,united ,states with an opportunity to recognize the achievements1 contributions1 history1 and address the challenges faced by ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 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 history2 and 7#b7 recognizes that ,asian ,american and ,pacific ,islander communities enhance the rich diversity of the ,united ,states and strengthen the ,nation4