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.