119-hres679

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 679 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 679

 Honoring Paul Kawata for his unwavering commitment to communities of 
 color, the LGBTQ+ community, and work to end the HIV epidemic.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 4, 2025

 Ms. Waters submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Honoring Paul Kawata for his unwavering commitment to communities of 
 color, the LGBTQ+ community, and work to end the HIV epidemic.

Whereas Paul Kawata has served as the executive director of NMAC (formerly the 
 National Minority AIDS Council) since 1989, becoming the longest serving 
 leader of a national HIV/AIDS organization in the United States;
Whereas, under Mr. Kawata's transformative leadership, NMAC became a powerful 
 national force advancing health equity for minority communities, with a 
 mission rooted in lifting up communities of color, especially Black, 
 Latino, Asian, Native American, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 
 populations, who have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS;
Whereas Paul Kawata has been a fearless and unapologetic voice for LGBTQ+ 
 justice, ensuring that LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly queer people of 
 color, are fully visible, represented, and protected in HIV/AIDS policy, 
 service delivery, and community care;
Whereas Paul Kawata helped lay the foundation for equitable public health 
 responses through his role as a founding member of the Federal AIDS 
 Policy Partnership and a leader in shaping the Minority AIDS Initiative 
 and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy;
Whereas Paul Kawata's work has consistently confronted systemic racism, 
 homophobia, and health disparities, creating pathways for inclusion, 
 leadership, and advocacy among historically marginalized groups;
Whereas, throughout the darkest and most stigmatizing chapters of the HIV 
 epidemic, Paul Kawata responded not with silence but with bold action 
 and moral clarity, working to dismantle bias and build resilient, 
 empowered communities;
Whereas, as a proud Japanese American, Paul Kawata shattered barriers and has 
 long served as a mentor and inspiration to emerging leaders, 
 particularly in the Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ 
 movements, helping to amplify the voices of those too often left out of 
 national conversations on health and equity; and
Whereas Paul Kawata's work exemplifies the power of intersectional leadership, 
 always centering justice, dignity, and the lived experience of those 
 most impacted: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) honors Paul Kawata for his groundbreaking leadership 
 and enduring legacy of advocacy for communities of color and 
 the LGBTQ+ community;

    (2) recognizes Paul Kawata's 38 years of visionary service 
 at NMAC, where he reshaped public health through a lens of 
 racial and queer justice;

    (3) commends Paul Kawata's unwavering pursuit of equity, 
 inclusion, and access for people living with HIV and all those 
 affected by systemic discrimination;

    (4) expresses profound gratitude for his lifelong 
 contributions to civil rights, public health, and the 
 empowerment of marginalized communities; and

    (5) extends best wishes to Paul Kawata in his retirement, 
 with the utmost respect for the indelible mark he leaves on the 
 Nation.
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