U.S. Rep. Grace Meng has launched legal guidelines to make Lunar New 12 months a federally acknowledged trip.
By way of Getty Pictures and QNS File
Be a part of our QNS piece of email e-newsletter to get data, updates, and native insights delivered straight to your inbox!
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng has reintroduced measures to make the Lunar New 12 months a federal trip alongside facet a call to acknowledge the historic and cultural significance of the conventional Asian trip.
Meng, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), has launched the Lunar New 12 months Day Act in Congress, which could make Lunar New 12 months the twelfth federally acknowledged trip within the USA.
The measure, which has 39 co-sponsors, objectives to acknowledge the importance of Lunar New 12 months to a whole lot of 1000’s of Asian-Folks all through the US.
“Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays for many in the Asian American community and is celebrated by millions in the United States and around the world. It is past time that Congress recognizes this holiday on the federal level, and I am proud to be leading the effort to make this a reality,” Meng talked about in a press launch.
Meng beforehand launched funds in 2021 and 2023 to make Lunar New 12 months a federal trip. In addition to, she has put forth a separate determination recognizing the cultural significance of Lunar New 12 months for the Asian American group.
The choice, backed by 50 co-sponsors, highlights the importance of the holiday and extends properly wants to those celebrating.
“As programs that benefit our communities come under attack, it is more important than ever to uplift the contributions, traditions, and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, and I will continue fighting to ensure their voices are heard in Congress. May this new year bring happiness, prosperity and good health for all who celebrate,” Meng talked about.
Lunar New 12 months, additionally referred to as the Spring Competitors, celebrates the arrival of spring and the start of a up to date 12 months primarily based totally on the Chinese language language lunisolar calendar. It is celebrated in fairly just a few nations all through Asia, along with Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore.
Lunar New 12 months is extensively recognized on the first day of the lunar calendar, which frequently falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. The date varies yearly primarily based totally on the lunar cycle. This 12 months’s trip is acknowledged on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and celebrates the 12 months of the Snake. Communities all through New York Metropolis will host Lunar New 12 months-themed events over the next month, along with standard cultural celebrations comparable to lion and dragon dancing, fireworks, and traditional lantern exhibits.
Within the meantime, Meng moreover carried out a activity in creating a university trip for New York Metropolis schools on Lunar New 12 months, supporting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2023 legal guidelines declaring Lunar New 12 months a public faculty trip in New York State. Meng first proposed closing New York schools for the Lunar New 12 months when she was a member of the New York State Legislature in 2009.
Meng represents New York’s sixth Congressional District, which encompasses central and jap Queens, along with Bayside, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Flushing, Forest Hills, Glendale, Kew Gardens, Maspeth, Middle Village, and Rego Park. As the first Asian American elected to Congress from New York, Meng has been a vocal advocate for immigrant communities, small firms, and cultural recognition initiatives, along with efforts to make Lunar New 12 months a federal trip.