H.R. 3551 — Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act

This section states 27 congressional findings recognizing the historical contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to the United States; documenting discriminatory immigration laws, labor exploitation, wartime incarceration, nuclear testing impacts, and military service; and affirming the Federal Government's role in supporting accurate K-12 instruction on these histories through national museums.

This section revises the American history and civics education program (authorized under section 2231 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965), Presidential and Congressional Academies for American History and Civics (section 2232), and national activities (section 2233) to require that American history—which previously focused on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and traditional American history—include Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history. The section further requires such inclusion in the National Assessment of Educational Progress for history (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)(2)(D)) and directs collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s Asian Pacific American Center for academy programs and resources. (Thus, these programs, which provide grants to improve K-12 history and civics education and teacher training from funds reserved under ESEA section 6621(3), must now incorporate specified AANHPI content.)