88R12935 CJM-D
By: Button H.R. No. 1089
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, May 2023 has been set aside as Asian American and
Pacific Islander Heritage Month to recognize the accomplishments
and wide-ranging contributions of individuals who trace their
ancestry to Asia and the Pacific Islands; and
WHEREAS, Originally established by the United States
Congress as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week, the observance
celebrates the diverse culture, traditions, and history of people
from the Asian continent and the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia,
and Polynesia in the Pacific; it was officially expanded into a
monthlong celebration in 1992; and
WHEREAS, The month of May was chosen for this commemorative
period because of two key events in our nation's history; on May 7,
1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the U.S., and on May
10, 1869, a workforce largely composed of Chinese laborers
completed the Transcontinental Railroad; and
WHEREAS, According to a 2022 U.S. Census Bureau estimate,
around 6.2 percent of Americans identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian,
or Pacific Islander, with approximately 24 million Americans
claiming Asian ancestry and nearly 1.6 million tracing their
origins to Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands; and
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is home to generations of
Americans who take great pride in their family roots in Asia and the
Pacific Islands, and this annual observance provides a welcome
opportunity to celebrate their significant contributions to the
prosperity and cultural vibrancy of our nation; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize May 2023 as Asian American and Pacific
Islander Heritage Month.