III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 352 

Recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrating the heritage and culture of Latinos in the United States and the immense contributions 

of Latinos to the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BRAUN, Mr. BROWN, Ms. CANTWELL, 

Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, 

Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. GARDNER, Mrs. 

GILLIBRAND, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. HIRONO, 

Mr. KAINE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, Mr. REED, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. 

SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SINEMA, Ms. SMITH, Ms. 

STABENOW, Mr. UDALL, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNER, Ms. WARREN, 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrating the 

heritage and culture of Latinos in the United States 

and the immense contributions of Latinos to the United 

States. 

Whereas, from September 15, 2019, through October 15, 

2019, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage 

Month; 


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Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimates the Hispanic 

population living in the 50 States at more than 

59,000,000 people, plus an additional 3,300,000 living in 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, making Hispanic 

Americans 18 percent of the total population of the 

United States and the largest racial or ethnic minority 

group in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2017, there were close to 1,000,000 or more 

Latino residents in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 

and in each of the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, 

New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, 

Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington; 

Whereas, between July 1, 2008, and July 1, 2018, Latinos 

grew the population of the United States by approximately 1,200,000 individuals, accounting for more than 

1⁄2 of the total population growth during that period; 

Whereas the Latino population in the United States is projected to grow to 107,000,000 people by 2065, at which 

point the Latino population will comprise more than 24 

percent of the total population of the United States; 

Whereas the Latino population in the United States is currently the third largest population of Latinos worldwide, 

exceeding the size of the population in every Latin American and Caribbean country except Mexico and Brazil; 

Whereas, in 2018, there were more than 18,701,184 Latino 

children under 18 years of age in the United States, 

which represents approximately 1⁄3 of the total Latino 

population in the United States; 

Whereas, from 1996 to 2016, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in schools, colleges, and universities in the 


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United States doubled from 8,800,000 to 17,900,000, 

and Hispanics now make up 22.7 percent of all people 

enrolled in school in the United States; 

Whereas more than 1 in 4 public school students in the 

United States are Latino, and the share of Latino students is expected to rise to nearly 30 percent by 2027; 

Whereas 19 percent of all college students are Latino, making Latinos the second largest racial or ethnic minority 

group enrolled in higher education in the United States, 

including 2-year community colleges and 4-year colleges 

and universities; 

Whereas a record 12,700,000 Latinos voted in the 2016 

Presidential election, representing a record 9.2 percent of 

the electorate in the United States; 

Whereas the number of eligible Latino voters is expected to 

rise to 40,000,000 by 2030, accounting for 40 percent of 

the growth in the eligible electorate in the United States 

by 2032; 

Whereas each year approximately 800,000 Latino citizens 

reach 18 years of age and become eligible to vote, a number that could grow to 1,000,000 per year, potentially 

adding 18,000,000 new Latino voters by 2032; 

Whereas, in 2018, the annual purchasing power of Hispanic 

Americans was an estimated $1,700,000,000,000, which 

is an amount greater than the economy of all except 17 

countries in the world; 

Whereas there are more than 4,370,000 Hispanic-owned 

firms in the United States, supporting millions of employees nationwide and contributing more than 

$1,700,000,000 in revenue to the economy of the United 

States; 


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Whereas Hispanic-owned businesses represent the fastest 

growing segment of small businesses in the United 

States, with Latino-owned businesses growing at more 

than 15 times the national rate; 

Whereas, as of August 2018, more than 28,000,000 Latino 

workers represented 17 percent of the total civilian labor 

force of the United States, and, as a result of Latinos experiencing the fastest population growth of all race and 

ethnicity groups in the United States, the rate of Latino 

participation in the labor force is expected to grow to 20 

percent by 2024, accounting for 1⁄5 of the total labor 

force; 

Whereas, with 66.1 percent of Latinos participating in the 

labor force, Latinos have the highest rate of participation 

in the labor force of any racial or ethnic group, resulting 

in an expansion of the Latino labor force at a rate that 

is 3 times as fast as the rest of the population; 

Whereas, as of 2017, there were approximately 326,800 

Latino elementary and middle school teachers, 77,033 

Latino chief executives of businesses, 54,576 Latino lawyers, 73,372 Latino physicians and surgeons, and 15,895 

Latino psychologists, who contribute to the United States 

through their professions; 

Whereas Hispanic Americans serve in all branches of the 

Armed Forces and have fought bravely in every war in 

the history of the United States; 

Whereas, as of 2019, there are more than 200,000 Hispanic 

members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and 

approximately 1,200,000 Hispanic veterans of the Armed 

Forces, including 136,000 Latinas; 


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Whereas, as of 2018, more than 399,000 Hispanics have 

served in post-September 11, 2001, overseas contingency 

operations, and Hispanics represent 12.1 percent of the 

total number of veterans who have served in operations 

in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001; 

Whereas, as of August 2019, at least 688 fatalities in Iraq 

and Afghanistan were members of the Armed Forces who 

were Hispanic; 

Whereas an estimated 200,000 Hispanics were mobilized for 

World War I, and approximately 500,000 Hispanics 

served in World War II; 

Whereas more than 80,000 Hispanics served in the Vietnam 

war, representing 5.5 percent of individuals who made 

the ultimate sacrifice for the United States in the conflict, even though Hispanics comprised only 4.5 percent 

of the population of the United States during the Vietnam war; 

Whereas approximately 148,000 Hispanic soldiers served in 

the Korean war, including the 65th Infantry Regiment of 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, known as the 

‘‘Borinqueneers’’, the only active duty, segregated Latino 

military unit in the history of the United States; 

Whereas 60 Hispanic Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force bestowed on an individual 

serving in the Armed Forces; 

Whereas Hispanic Americans are dedicated public servants, 

holding posts at the highest levels of the Government of 

the United States, including 1 seat on the Supreme 

Court of the United States, 4 seats in the Senate, and 

36 seats in the House of Representatives; and 


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Whereas Hispanic Americans harbor a deep commitment to 

family and community, an enduring work ethic, and a 

perseverance to succeed and contribute to society: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Her3 itage Month from September 15, 2019, through Oc4 tober 15, 2019; 

5 (2) esteems the integral role of Latinos and the 

6 manifold heritages of Latinos in the economy, cul7 ture, and identity of the United States; and 

8 (3) urges the people of the United States to ob9 serve Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate 

10 programs and activities that celebrate the contribu11 tions of Latinos to the United States. 

Æ 


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