By Senators Honeyford, Miloscia, Rolfes, Hasegawa, Saldaña, Dhingra, Pedersen, Fortunato, Chase, Keiser, Kuderer, Palumbo, and Wagoner

WHEREAS, The State of Washington has recognized the proud history of Filipino Americans since 2010; and

WHEREAS, The earliest documented proof of Filipino presence in the continental United States was October 18, 1587, when the first "Luzones Indios" set foot in Morro Bay, California; and

WHEREAS, The Filipino American National Historical Society recognizes the year of 1763 as the date of the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States in St. Malo, Louisiana; and

WHEREAS, Washington State contributed to this history with the recognition of the 1888 documents of Port Blakely on Bainbridge Island, at the time the largest lumber mill in the world, as listing a "Manilla," the first known employee from the Philippines in the Pacific Northwest; and

WHEREAS, Filipinos are one of the largest Asian/Pacific Islander communities in Washington State, and the third largest in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Washington State is the location of historic Filipino American communities, including Wapato, Bainbridge Island, Seattle, Auburn, Bremerton, Tacoma, Pateros, and others; and

WHEREAS, Washingtonians who have made a national contribution to American culture and society include Filipino Americans Carlos Bulosan, Roy Baldoz, Harry Bucsit, Jose Calugas, Fred and Dorothy Cordova, Pio DeCano Sr., Trinidad Rojo, Box Santos, Delores Sibonga, Silvestre Tangalan, Bernie Reyes Whitebear, Velma Veloria, Rey Pascua, and others; and

WHEREAS, The United States Congress, in 2016, passed the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015; and

WHEREAS, The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian awards bestowed by the United States, and represents a public expression of the United States Congress' gratitude on behalf of the nation for the distinguished contributions of two hundred sixty thousand Filipino soldiers and guerrillas during World War II in the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, The recognition and celebration of these Filipino and American heroes is continuing, defined by the work of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project Region 8, the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, other Filipino American organizations, and others, in awarding the Gold Medals to eligible veterans; and

WHEREAS, The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project Region 8 has set ceremonies in Olympia on April 14, 2018, in Renton on April 15, 2018, and in Wapato on April 28, 2018, to recognize Filipino and American Veterans of World War II for the states of Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Oregon;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate call on all Washingtonians to observe and celebrate April 14, 15, and 28, 2018, as "UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR FILIPINO AND AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS RECOGNITION DAYS"; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Rey Pascua, president of the Filipino-American Community of the Yakima Valley, for further distribution to the Filipino American National Historical Society, to Asian and Pacific Islander organizations, to other historical societies and government entities, and to the superintendent of public instruction.