Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Updated May 2, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R43977
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Introduction
May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. It is 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.
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
also 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. 448 (2021), 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. 247 (2021), A resolution 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.
H.Res. 983 (2020), 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. 589 (2020), A resolution 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.
H.Res. 401 (2019), 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. 218 (2019), A resolution 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.
Congressional Research Service
1
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Asian/Pacific American Members of Congress
CRS Report R46705, Membership of the 117th 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 R45583, Membership of the 116th Congress: A Profile, by Jennifer E. Manning. The
report provides statistical information on Members of the 116th 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.
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). A nonpartisan, bicameral caucus
established in 1994 and currently chaired by Representative Judy Chu.
Sample Congressional Speeches and Recognitions
Members of Congress typically 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 Mazie Hirono, “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month,” remarks in the Senate,
Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 167 (May 27, 2021), pp. S3887-S3888.
Representative Darren Soto, “Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month,” remarks in the
House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 164 (May 23, 2018) p. H4690.
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 Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, “Recognizing Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month,” Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (April
26, 2016), p. E588.
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, are the following:
Presidential Proclamations—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021-)
Presidential Proclamations—Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)
Presidential Proclamations—Barack H. Obama (2010-2017)
Presidential Proclamations—George W. Bush (2002-2009)
Presidential Proclamations—William J. Clinton (1994-2001)
Congressional Research Service
2
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Presidential proclamations and remarks from 1993 to the present are available through the
govinfo service on the Government Publishing Office website. Earlier remarks (including
selected audio and video clips) are available through The American Presidency Project,
established by the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Statistics
Numerous federal and private sources maintain statistics on the Asian/Pacific American
population. Three that may be useful are
U.S. Census Bureau, “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: May 2022,” facts for
features, April 18, 2022.
Abby Budiman and Neil G. Ruiz, “Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing
population,” Pew Research Center, April 29, 2021.
Robert Gebeloff, Denise Lu, and Miriam Jordan, “Inside the Diverse and Growing Asian
Population in the U.S.,” The New York Times, August 21, 2021.
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. These include the following:
Library of Congress, “Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.” Highlights events, exhibits,
collections, and educational materials related to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. For
additional research material, see the “Asian American and Pacific Islander Materials: A Resource
Guide.”
National Archives and Records Administration, “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage
Month.” Holds a wealth of material documenting the Asian and Pacific Islanders experience, and
highlights those resources online, in programs, and through traditional and social media.
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage
and History in the U.S.” The NEH highlights historical readings and educational resources.
National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Department of the Interior, “Asian American and Pacific
Islander 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. Some of these include the following:
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
Congressional Research Service
3
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Asian Pacific Fund
Federal Asian Pacific American Council
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD)
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
UCLA Asian American Studies Center.
Author Information
Valerie S. Cervantes
Senior Knowledge Services Librarian
Acknowledgments
Sundeep Mahendra originally authored this report. Lisa N. Massengale, Kristi Meltvedt, and Ben Leubsdorf
contributed to earlier versions of the report.
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
Congressional Research Service
R43977 · VERSION 16 · UPDATED
4