,,iv #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #fje ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #bi1 #bjad ,ms4 ,chu 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,mr4 ,al ,green of ,texas1 ,mrs4 ,napolitano1 ,mr4 ,faleomavaega1 ,mr4 ,rangel1 ,mr4 ,sablan1 ,ms4 ,loretta ,sanchez of ,california1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mrs4 ,davis of ,california1 ,ms4 ,roybal-,allard1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,ms4 ,meng1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,ms4 ,matsui1 ,ms4 ,speier1 ,ms4 ,linda ,t4 ,snchez of ,california1 ,mr4 ,swalwell of ,california1 ,ms4 ,lofgren1 ,mr4 ,takano1 ,mr4 ,peters of ,california1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,ms4 ,hanabusa1 ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington1 ,ms4 ,gabbard1 ,mr4 ,bera of ,california1 ,mr4 ,conyers1 ,mr4 ,becerra1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,virginia1 ,ms4 ,fudge1 ,ms4 ,bordallo1 ,mr4 ,connolly1 ,ms4 ,eshoo1 ,mr4 ,crowley1 and ,mr4 ,van ,hollen7 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 our ,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 ,u4,s4 population2 ,whereas the #bjaj decennial census estimated that there are now approximately #ag1cjj1jjj residents of the ,united ,states who identify as ,asian and approximately #a1bjj1jjj residents of the ,united ,states who identify themselves as ,native ,hawaiian or 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 because the first ,japanese immigrants arrived in the ,united ,states on ,may #g1 #ahdc1 and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on ,may #aj1 #ahfi1 with substantial contributions from ,chinese immigrants2 ,whereas the year #bjad marks several important milestones for the ,asian ,american and ,pacific ,islander community1 including the #bjth anniversary of the founding of the ,congressional ,asian ,pacific ,american ,caucus1 the #bjth anniversary of the creation of the ,asian ,pacific ,american ,institute for ,congressional ,studies1 and the #aeth anniversary of the establishment of the ,white ,house ,initiative on ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders under ,executive ,order #acabe by ,president ,william ,j4 ,clinton2 ,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 ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders1 such as ,daniel ,k4 ,inouye1 a ,medal of ,honor and ,presidential ,medal of ,freedom recipient who1 as ,president ,pro ,tempore of the ,senate1 was the highest-ranking ,asian ,american government official in ,united ,states history1 ,dalip ,singh ,saund1 the first ,asian ,american ,congressman1 ,patsy ,t4 ,mink1 the first woman of color and ,asian ,american woman to be elected to ,congress1 ,daniel ,k4 ,akaka1 the first ,senator of ,native ,hawaiian ancestry1 ,hiram ,l4 ,fong1 the first ,asian ,american ,senator1 ,norman ,y4 ,mineta1 the first ,asian ,american member of a ,presidential ,cabinet1 and others have made significant contributions in both our government and military2 ,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 welcomed a number of historic firsts1 including ,mazie ,k4 ,hirono of ,hawaii1 the first ,asian ,american woman and first ,buddhist to ever serve in the ,united ,states ,senate1 ,tammy ,duckworth1 the first ,thai ,american woman1 first wounded female combat ,veteran1 and first ,asian ,american from ,illinois to serve in ,congress1 ,tulsi ,gabbard1 the first ,hindu ,american and first ,pacific ,islander woman to serve in ,congress1 ,grace ,meng1 the first ,asian ,american ,member of ,congress elected to represent the ,state of ,new ,york1 and ,mark ,takano1 the first openly gay person of color to ever serve in ,congress2 ,whereas in #bjad1 ,asian ,americans and ,pacific ,islanders are serving in ,state and ,territorial legislatures across the ,united ,states in record numbers1 including in the ,states of ,alaska1 ,arizona1 ,california1 ,connecticut1 ,colorado1 ,georgia1 ,hawaii1 ,idaho1 ,kansas1 ,maryland1 ,massachusetts1 ,michigan1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,new ,jersey1 ,new ,york1 ,pennsylvania1 ,texas1 ,utah1 ,vermont1 ,virginia1 and ,washington and in the ,territories of ,american ,samoa1 ,guam1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands2 ,whereas the number of ,asian ,american and ,pacific ,islander ,article ,,iii judges more than tripled between #bjji and #bjad1 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 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