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2018 SESSION

18100668D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 15
Offered December 29, 2017
Commending Pakistani Americans in Virginia.
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Patrons-- Black, Dunnavant and Ebbin
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, Pakistani Americans, one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States, who make many valuable contributions to the Commonwealth and the nation as a whole, celebrated the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan on August 14, 2017; and

WHEREAS, after the end of British Crown rule in India in 1947, British territories in the region were partitioned into the Muslim-majority Dominion of Pakistan and Hindu-majority Dominion of India; and

WHEREAS, Pakistanis have been migrating to the United States since the 18th century, when they found work in agriculture, logging, and mining in the western states; by 2016, Pakistani Americans had become the country’s seventh-largest immigrant group, making contributions to communities from coast to coast; and

WHEREAS, today the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area, including parts of Virginia and Maryland, is home to one of the largest Pakistani American communities in the United States, and Pakistani Americans’ unique traditions and delicious cuisine have enriched local culture throughout the area; and

WHEREAS, Pakistani Americans are well-educated; a majority earn an undergraduate degree, and many others pursue graduate, postgraduate, and professional degrees; and

WHEREAS, there are many notable Pakistani Americans in philanthropy, sports, business, government, and entertainment, and Pakistani Americans enjoy a high rate of employment, especially in the fields of medicine, engineering, finance, and information technology; and

WHEREAS, many Pakistani Americans have honorably served in the United States Armed Forces, especially as interpreters and liaison officers with foreign forces, thanks to their knowledge of regional languages like Pashto, Balochi, and Punjabi as well as Urdu; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Pakistani Americans in Virginia on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan in 2017; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for Pakistani Americans’ contributions to the Commonwealth and the United States.