,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #deg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,january #ac1       
#bjad,ms4 ,meng submitted the following 
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,education and the        
,workforce  ,,resolution  ,recognizing  
,lunar ,new ,year as a significant      
cultural holiday and encouraging local  
education agencies to consider closing  
school on the ,lunar ,new ,year4        
,whereas ,lunar ,new ,year begins on the
 new moon1 or first day of the new year 
of the lunisolar calendar1 and extends  
until the full moon #ae days later2     
,whereas the #aeth day of the new year  
is called the ,lantern ,festival2       
,whereas ,lunar ,new ,year is also often
 referred to as ,spring ,festival in    
various ,asian countries2 ,whereas many 
religious and ethnic communities also   
use lunar-based calendars2 ,whereas     
,lunar ,new ,year began in ,china over  
#d1jjj years ago and is now widely      
celebrated in ,east and ,southeast      

,asia2 ,whereas the ,asian diaspora has 
expanded the ,lunar ,new ,year          
celebration into an annual worldwide    
event2 ,whereas ,lunar ,new ,year is    
celebrated by well over #h4g million    
,asian-,americans in the ,united        
,states1 as well as by many             
non-,asian-,americans2 ,whereas ,lunar  
,new ,year is traditionally celebrated  
by community activities and cultural    
performances1 and celebrants travel to  
spend the day reuniting with family and 
friends2 ,whereas ,lunar ,new ,year is  
traditionally a time to wish upon others
 good fortune1 health1 prosperity1 and  
happiness2 ,whereas ,lunar ,new ,year is
 one of the most significant cultural   
holidays for ,asian-,americans2 ,whereas
 ,asian-,american students wishing to   
participate in ,lunar ,new ,year        
celebrations must choose between        
absence1 which could result in missing  
scheduled or unannounced school exams1  
and celebrating with family1 friends1   
and their community2 and ,whereas       

communities with a substantial          
,asian-,american population annually    
experience a large number of student or 
teacher absences on ,lunar ,new ,year3  
,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house 
of ,representatives-- 7#a7 recognizes   
that ,lunar ,new ,year is a significant 
cultural holiday for many               
,asian-,americans in the ,united        
,states2 and  7#b7 encourages local     
education agencies serving a substantial
 ,asian-,american population to close   
schools on ,lunar ,new ,year annually in
 recognition of the cultural            
significance of ,lunar ,new ,year1 and  
to reduce the waste in government       
resources necessitated by holding school
 open on a day when a substantial       
portion of the student or teacher       
population is absent from school4