A resolution recognizing the Chinese railroad workers who worked on the Transcontinental Railroad from 1865 to 1869 and the important contributions of those railroad workers to the growth of the United States.

III 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. RES. 681 Recognizing the Chinese railroad workers who worked on the Transcontinental Railroad from 1865 to 1869 and the important contributions of those railroad workers to the growth of the United States. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AUGUST 13, 2020 Ms. CORTEZ MASTO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Recognizing the Chinese railroad workers who worked on the Transcontinental Railroad from 1865 to 1869 and the important contributions of those railroad workers to the growth of the United States. Whereas the Transcontinental Railroad was 1 of the most re- markable engineering feats of the 19th century; Whereas construction of the nearly 2,000-mile Trans- continental Railroad spanned 6 years; Whereas the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad fa- cilitated commerce and reduced cross-country travel time from 6 months to 1 week; Whereas nearly 12,000 Chinese immigrants (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Chinese railroad workers’’) were employed in the construction of the Transcontinental VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:41 Aug 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR681.IS SR681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 681 IS Railroad, constituting more than 80 percent of the work- force of the Central Pacific Railroad Company; Whereas the Chinese railroad workers were— (1) considered indispensable by the foremen on the project; and (2) respected for their work ethic and discipline; Whereas the Chinese railroad workers set a world record by laying 10 miles of railroad track in just 1 work day; Whereas the Chinese railroad workers were— (1) given the most difficult and dangerous jobs; and (2) paid lower wages than other railroad workers; Whereas nearly 1,200 Chinese railroad workers died from work accidents, avalanches, and explosions while working in the Sierra Nevada Mountains; Whereas, in honor of the courage shown by the Chinese rail- road workers in organizing for fair wages and safe work- ing conditions, the Department of Labor inducted the Chinese railroad workers into the Labor Hall of Honor in 2014; Whereas the fight of the Chinese railroad workers against discrimination set an example for millions of Asian Amer- icans who later came to the United States; Whereas the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers and the wider Asian-American community view the sacrifices of the Chinese railroad workers as integral to the cre- ation of the vibrant and growing Asian-American commu- nity that exists throughout the United States; and Whereas the legacy of the Chinese railroad workers continues to have a profound and positive impact on life in the United States by advancing the ideals of equal oppor- VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:41 Aug 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR681.IS SR681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 681 IS tunity and the dignity of work for everyone: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) recognizes— 2 (A) the Chinese immigrants who worked 3 on the Transcontinental Railroad from 1865 to 4 1869 (referred to in this resolving clause as the 5 ‘‘Chinese railroad workers’’); and 6 (B) the contributions of the Chinese rail- 7 road workers to the construction of the Trans- 8 continental Railroad and the growth of the 9 United States; 10 (2) honors the Chinese railroad workers who 11 lost their lives working in the Sierra Nevada Moun- 12 tains; and 13 (3) acknowledges all of the risks faced by the 14 Chinese railroad workers in completing the construc- 15 tion of the Transcontinental Railroad while enduring 16 discrimination and unequal pay and treatment. 17 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:41 Aug 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR681.IS SR681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS