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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, and 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.
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 also is referred to as "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month," as seen in Presidential Proclamation 8369 of 2009.
P.L. 102-450 is codified in the U.S. Code at 36 U.S.C. §102.
H.Res. 911 (2018), 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. 546 (2018), Recognizing 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 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.
The Congressional Research Service has several reports that include information related to Asian/Pacific Americans.
CRS Report R45583, Membership of the 116th Congress: A Profile, by Jennifer E. Manning. The report provides statistical information on current Members of Congress, including the number of Asian/Pacific American Members, by gender and party.
CRS Report R44762, Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile, by [author name scrubbed]Jennifer E. Manning. The report provides a demographic profile of current Members of the 115th 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 IslanderIslander Americans in Congress, 1900–-2017, contains profiles of former and current Asian/Pacific American Members of Congress, essays, images, and photos.
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 AmericanRepresentative Darren Soto, "Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month," remarks in the SenateHouse, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 163164 (May 25, 2017), p. S3204.
Representative Jim Costa23, 2018) p. H4690.
Senator Ben Cardin, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the HouseSenate, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 162163 (May 2425, 2017), p. H4511S3204.
Representative Judy ChuJim Costa, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 162 (May 24, 20162017), p. H2968H4511.
Representative Janice HahnJudy Chu, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 162 (May 1224, 2016), p. H2294H2968.
Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, "Recognizing Janice Hahn, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extensions of Remarksremarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (April 26162 (May 12, 2016), p. E588H2294.
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, "Recognizing 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.
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 9867-Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2019. Proclamation 9733–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2018.
Proclamation 9595–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2017.
Proclamation 9434–Asian 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 govinfo service on the Government Publishing Office website.
Numerous federal and private sources maintain statistics on the Asian/Pacific American population. TwoThree that may be useful are
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2018.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Key Statistics in Honor of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: May 1, 2017.
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)National Archives, "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.
Numerous nongovernmental organizations provide information on and promote advocacy for Asian/Pacific Americans. Some of these include the following:
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Asian Pacific Fund
Federal Asian Pacific American Council
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD)
OCA-Asian Pacific American AdvocatesCenter
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Acknowledgments
Sundeep Mahendra originally authored this report. Kristi Meltvedt contributed to this version of the report.