1Designating the month of May 2014 as "Asian-Pacific American
2Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, In 1783, Filipinos deserted a Spanish ship in New
4Orleans and established the first Filipino community in
5Louisiana; and

6WHEREAS, The first Japanese emigrated to the United States on
7May 7, 1843; and

8WHEREAS, The majority of the workers who laid the tracks on
9the transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869, were
10Chinese immigrants; and

11WHEREAS, Asian-Pacific Americans have contributed to the
12growth of America in every walk of life for more than 200 years;
13and

14WHEREAS, Asia Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent
15and the Pacific Islands of Japan, Melanesia (New Guinea, New

1Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia
2(Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati,
3Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New
4Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa,
5American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia
6and Easter Island); and

7WHEREAS, The Asian-Pacific heritage celebration originated
8with a Joint Resolution passed by the Congress of the United
9States and signed by President Jimmy Carter on October 5, 1978;
10and

11WHEREAS, Twelve years later, President George H. W. Bush
12signed an extension turning the week-long celebration into a
13month-long celebration; and

14WHEREAS, In 1991, Public Law 102-42, which requested that the
15President proclaim both May 1991 and May 1992 as Asian/Pacific
16American Heritage Months, was passed unanimously by Congress and
17signed by President George H. W. Bush on May 14, 1991; and

18WHEREAS, In 1992, the permanent designation of May as Asian-
19Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law; and

20WHEREAS, On April 8, 2013, the House of Representatives
21unanimously adopted House Resolution No. 47, which designated
22the month of May 2013 as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month
23in Pennsylvania; therefore be it

24RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
25month of May 2014 as "Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month" in
26Pennsylvania and encourage participation in national, State and
27local observances celebrating the contributions of Asian
28Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States.