; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions employ many of the Nation’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander faculty and staff; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions award almost half of the associate’s degrees and approximately one-third of the bachelor’s degrees attained by all Asian-American and Pacific Islander college students; Whereas over half of funded Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions have an Asian-American and Pacific Islander enrollment of over 20 percent; Whereas one-third of the funded Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions have active Asian American Studies programs that play a vital role in preserving the heritage, culture, history, and experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions create culturally relevant academic programming, programs, research, and services to support low-income and first-generation students and increase the graduation rates and educational experiences of Asian-American and Pacific Islander students; Whereas celebrating the vast contributions of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions strengthens the culture of the United States; and Whereas the achievements and goals of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions deserve national recognition: Now, therefore, be it