< Back to Current Version

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

Changes from May 1, 2018 to May 18, 2018

This page shows textual changes in the document between the two versions indicated in the dates above. Textual matter removed in the later version is indicated with red strikethrough and textual matter added in the later version is indicated with blue.


Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

May 118, 2018 (R43977)

Introduction

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. It is designed to be a time to recognize the contributions and achievements of Americans of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Island descent.

This guide is designed to assist congressional offices with work- related to Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations. It contains links to census and demographic information, CRS reports, andand presidential proclamations, as well as to additional web resources commemorating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. The guide also provides a list of educational, cultural, and advocacy organizations focusing on the Asian/Pacific American community.

History

President Jimmy Carter declared May 4-10, 1979, Asian Pacific Heritage Week, as called for by the passage of P.L. 95-419. The observance was extended to one month by P.L. 101-283, signed by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. In 1992, Congress passed P.L. 102-450, which permanently designated May as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month." The commemoration is alsoalso is referred to as "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month," as seen in Presidential Proclamation 8369 of 2009.

Legislation

P.L. 102-450 is codified in the U.S. Code at 36 U.S.C. §102.

H.Res. 338 (2017), 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 history of the United States.

S.Res. 183 (2017), A resolution recognizing the significance of May 2017 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States.

H.Res. 757 (2016), 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 history of the United States.

S.Res. 481 (2016), A resolution recognizing the significance of May 2016 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States.

CRS Reports

Asian/Pacific American Members of Congress

The Congressional Research Service has several reports that include information related to Asian /Pacific Americans.

CRS Report R44762, Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile, by [author name scrubbed]

CRS Report R43244, Women in Congress: Summary Statistics and Brief Overview, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]

CRS Report R43237, Programs for Minority-Serving Institutions Under the Higher Education Act, by [author name scrubbed]

. The report provides a demographic profile of current Members of Congress, including the number of Asian/Pacific American Members, by gender and party.

U.S. House of Representatives, "Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress." From the Office of the Historian and the Clerk of the House's Office of Art and Archives, this website, based on the book Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress, 1900–2017, contains profiles of former and current Asian/Pacific American Members of Congress, essays, images, and photos.

Sample Congressional Speeches and Recognitions

Members of Congress often make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter Extensions of Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and observances. The following are some examples from the Congressional Record.

Senator Ben Cardin, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 163 (May 25, 2017), p. S3204.

Representative Jim Costa, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 162 (May 24, 2017), p. H4511.

Representative Judy Chu, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 162 (May 24, 2016), p. H2968.

Representative Janice Hahn, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 162 (May 12, 2016), p. H2294.

Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, "Recognizing Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (April 26, 2016), p. E588.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (May 8, 2015), p. E665.

Senator Harry Reid, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (May 6, 2015), p. S2682.

Presidential Proclamations

One of the many uses of a presidential proclamation is to ceremoniously honor a group or call attention to certain issues or events. Some recent proclamations commemorating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, from the Compilation of Presidential Documents, include

Proclamation 9733–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2018. Proclamation 9595–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2017.

Proclamation 9434Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2016.

Proclamation 9266–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2015.

Proclamation 9108–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2014.

Proclamation 8965–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2013.

Proclamation 8806–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2012.

Proclamation 8659–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2011.

Earlier presidential proclamations are available through the Federal Digital System (FDsys)govinfo service on the Government Publishing Office website.

Statistics

Numerous federal and private sources maintain statistics on the Asian/Pacific American population. Two that may be useful are

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: May 20172018.

Nicholas A. Jones, "The Asian Population in the United States: Results from the 2010 Census," Presentation for the 2010 Asian Profile America Event, Washington, DC, May 2012.

Commemorating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

Several federal, state, and local departments and agencies provide resources and host events to celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Some of these include the following:

Library of Congress, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month." Events, exhibits, collections, and educational materials related to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month are highlighted. For additional research material, see the "Guide to Asian American and Pacific Islander Resources at the Library of Congress."

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), "Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month." The DOD recognizes and honors "the tremendous contributions of AAPIs to both the Nation and the DoD mission and is grateful for their unselfish service in securing and protecting our great Nation."

The Smithsonian Institution, "Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Smithsonian." Events and programs related to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month are highlighted. Additional events and resources can be found at the website of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and Smithsonian Education's "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Teaching Resources."

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), "Asian-Pacific Heritage Month." The NEH highlights historical readings and educational resources.

National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Department of the Interior, "National Register of Historic Places Program: Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month." The NPS features historic properties listed in the National Register and National Park units "highlighting important aspects of the Asian and Pacific experience in America."

Programming Librarian, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month." The American Library Association highlights public libraries throughout the United States that celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with activities, programs, displays, entertainment, and more.

Educational, Cultural, and Advocacy Organizations

Numerous nongovernmental organizations provide information on and promote advocacy for Asian/Pacific Americans, including. Some of these include the following:

Asian Pacific Fund

Federal Asian Pacific American Council

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD)

UCLA Asian American Studies Center

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Digital Services Librarian ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])