III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 256 

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 14, 2017 

Mr. SCHUMER (for Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. 

REED, Mr. KAINE, Mr. BENNET, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. HELLER, Mr. 

NELSON, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. WARNER, Mr. UDALL, and 

Mr. RUBIO)) 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, 2017, through October 15, 

2017, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage 

Month; 

Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimates the Hispanic 

population living in the continental United States at over 

57,000,000, plus an additional 3,500,000 living in the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, making Hispanic Americans almost 18 percent of the total population of the 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 256 ATS 

United States and the largest racial or ethnic minority 

group in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2016, 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, Nevada, New Jersey, 

New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, 

Texas, and Washington; 

Whereas, between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016, Latinos 

grew the United States population by approximately 

1,131,766 individuals, accounting for 1⁄2 of the total population growth during that period; 

Whereas, by 2060, the Latino population in the United 

States is projected to grow to 119,000,000, and the 

Latino population will comprise more than 28.6 percent 

of the total United States population; 

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

the population in every Latin American and Caribbean 

country except Mexico and Brazil; 

Whereas, in 2016, there were more than 18,345,742 Latino 

children under the age of 18 in the United States, which 

represents approximately 1⁄3 of the total Latino population in the United States; 

Whereas more than 1 in 4 public school students in the 

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

Whereas 19 percent of all college students between the ages 

of 18 and 24 are Latino, making Latinos the largest racial or ethnic minority group on college campuses in the 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 256 ATS 

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 

turn 18 years old and become eligible to vote, a number 

that could grow to 1,000,000 by 2030, adding a potential 

18 million new Latino voters by 2032; 

Whereas, in 2016, the annual purchasing power of Hispanic 

Americans was an estimated $1,400,000,000,000, which 

is an amount greater than the economy of all except 17 

countries in the world; 

Whereas there are more than 4,700,000 Hispanic-owned 

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

$600,000,000,000 in revenue to the economy of the 

United States; 

Whereas Hispanic-owned businesses represent the fastestgrowing 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 2017, more than 27,000,000 Latino 

workers represented 17 percent of the total civilian labor 

force of the United States, and the rate of Latino labor 

force participation is expected to grow to 28 percent by 

2024, accounting for approximately 48 percent of the 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 256 ATS 

total labor force increase in the United States by that 

year; 

Whereas, with 65.8 percent labor force participation, Latinos 

have the highest labor force participation rate of any racial or ethnic group, as compared to 62.9 percent labor 

force participation overall; 

Whereas, as of 2016, there were 312,228 Latino elementary 

and middle school teachers, 92,344 Latino chief executives of businesses, 63,448 Latino lawyers, 62,599 Latino 

physicians and surgeons, and 11,109 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 July 31, 2016, more than 164,000 Hispanic 

active duty service members served with distinction in the 

Armed Forces; 

Whereas, as of August 31, 2016, more than 284,000 Latinos 

have served in post-September 11, 2001, overseas contingency operations, including more than 8,500 Latinos 

serving as of September 2017 in operations in Iraq and 

Afghanistan; 

Whereas, as of September 2015, at least 675 United States 

military fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan 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 conVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:51 Sep 15, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR256.ATS SR256

lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 256 ATS 

flict, 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 United States history; 

Whereas, as of 2015, there were more than 1,200,200 living 

Hispanic veterans of the Armed Forces, including 

136,000 Latinas; 

Whereas 61 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, 34 

seats in the House of Representatives, and 1 seat in the 

Cabinet; and 

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, 2017, through Oc4 tober 15, 2017; 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•SRES 256 ATS 

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

2 manifold heritage of Latinos in the economy, cul3 ture, and identity of the United States; and 

4 (3) urges the people of the United States to ob5 serve Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate 

6 programs and activities that celebrate the contribu7 tions of Latinos to the United States. 

Æ 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS