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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 648
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WHEREAS, May 2019 has been set aside as Asian American and |
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Pacific Islander Heritage Month to recognize the accomplishments |
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and wide-ranging contributions of individuals who trace their |
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ancestry to Asia and the Pacific Islands; and |
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WHEREAS, Originally established by the United States |
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Congress as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week, the observance |
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celebrates the diverse culture, traditions, and history of |
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people from the Asian continent and the islands of Melanesia, |
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Micronesia, and Polynesia in the Pacific; it was officially |
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expanded into a monthlong celebration in 1992; and |
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WHEREAS, The month of May was chosen for this commemorative |
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period because of two key events in our nation's history; on |
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May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived, and on |
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May 10, 1869, a workforce largely composed of Chinese laborers |
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completed the Transcontinental Railroad; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2013, the Pew Research Center released a report |
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highlighting the tremendous progress that has been made by Asian |
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Americans; the study noted that a century ago, most were |
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low-skilled, low-wage laborers subject to official discrimination; |
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today, however, Asian Americans rank as the racial group with the |
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highest levels of income and education in the nation; since |
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approximately 2000, Asian Americans have also constituted the |
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fastest-growing racial group in the United States, largely |
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because of immigration; in addition, Asians who have recently |
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arrived in this country are about three times more likely than |
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other immigrants to be sponsored for permanent residency by an |
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employer; the Pew report further noted that over 60 percent of |
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new Asian immigrants age 25 to 64 held at least a bachelor's |
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degree; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is home to generations of |
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Americans who take great pride in their family roots in Asia and |
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the Pacific Islands, and this annual observance provides a |
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welcome opportunity to celebrate their significant contributions |
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to the prosperity and cultural vibrancy of our nation; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize May 2019 as Asian American and |
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Pacific Islander Heritage Month. |
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Paxton, Alvarado |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 1, 2019. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |