III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 574 

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

of Latinos and Latinas to the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. REID, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

BOOKER, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. CARPER, Mr. COONS, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. 

HELLER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. MERKLEY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. NELSON, Mr. 

PETERS, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. WARNER, Mr. UDALL, Mr. KAINE, Mr. 

BROWN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, and Mr. 

FRANKEN) 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 and Latinas 

to the United States. 

Whereas the United States will celebrate Hispanic Heritage 

Month from September 15, 2016, through October 15, 

2016; 

Whereas the United States Census Bureau estimates the Hispanic population in the United States at more than 

56,500,000 people, making Hispanic Americans 17.6 perVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:03 Sep 26, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR574.ATS SR574

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•SRES 574 ATS 

cent of the population of the United States and the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2015, there were 1,000,000 or more Latino residents in Puerto Rico and each of the following 9 States: 

Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, and Texas; 

Whereas Latinos grew the United States population by more 

than 1,215,000 people between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 

2015, accounting for nearly 1⁄2 of all population growth 

during that period; 

Whereas the Latino population in the United States is projected to grow to 119,000,000 people by 2060, at which 

point the Latino population will comprise more than 28.6 

percent of the total population of the United States; 

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 2015, there were 15,062,452 Latino households 

in the United States and more than 18,000,000 Latino 

children younger than 18 years of age, representing 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 is Latino and the share of Latino students 

is expected to rise to nearly 30 percent in the next decade; 

Whereas 19 percent of all college students between 18 and 

24 years of age are Latino, making Latinos the largest 

racial or ethnic minority group on college campuses in 


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•SRES 574 ATS 

the United States, including both 2-year community colleges and 4-year colleges and universities; 

Whereas a record 11,200,000 Latinos voted in the 2012 

Presidential election, representing a record 8.4 percent of 

the electorate in the United States; 

Whereas an estimated 27,300,000 Latinos will be eligible to 

vote in the 2016 Presidential election and 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 over the next 15 

years; 

Whereas more than 2,000 Latino citizens in the United 

States reach 18 years of age and become eligible to vote 

every day and an estimated 1,000,000 Latino citizens in 

the United States will turn 18 and become eligible to vote 

every year by 2024; 

Whereas, in 2015, the annual purchasing power of Hispanic 

Americans was an estimated $1,500,000,000,000, which 

is larger than the economy of all but 15 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; 


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Whereas, as of August 2016, almost 27,000,000 Latino 

workers represented 16.9 percent of the total civilian 

labor force in the United States; 

Whereas the share of the Latino labor force participation is 

expected to grow to 28 percent by 2024, with the Latino 

population accounting for more than 40 percent of the increase in employment in the United States over the next 

5 years; 

Whereas Latinos have the highest labor force participation 

rate of any racial or ethnic group at 66.1 percent, compared to 62.7 percent overall; 

Whereas, in 2015, there were 267,920 Latino elementary and 

middle school teachers, 83,435 Latino chief executives of 

businesses, 63,800 Latino lawyers, 64,448 Latino physicians and surgeons, and 11,194 Latino psychologists contributing to the United States through their professions; 

Whereas Hispanic Americans serve in all branches of the 

Armed Forces and have bravely fought in every war in 

the history of the United States; 

Whereas, as of July 31, 2015, more than 164,000 Hispanic 

active duty service members had served with distinction 

in the Armed Forces; 

Whereas, as of July 31, 2016, approximately 284,000 

Latinos have served in post-September 11, 2001, overseas contingency operations, including more than 9,870 

Latinos currently serving in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; 

Whereas, as of September 2016, not fewer than 680 fatalities 

in Iraq and Afghanistan were members of the Armed 

Forces who were Hispanic; 


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Whereas an estimated 200,000 Hispanics were mobilized for 

World War I and about 500,000 Hispanics served during 

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 at the time; 

Whereas approximately 148,000 Hispanic members of the 

Armed Forces served in the Korean War, including Puerto Rico’s 65th Infantry Regiment known as the 

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

military unit in the history of the United States; 

Whereas, as of September 2015, there are an estimated 

1,500,000 living Hispanic veterans of the Armed Forces; 

Whereas 61 Hispanic Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed on an 

individual serving in the Armed Forces; 

Whereas Hispanic Americans are dedicated public servants, 

holding posts at the highest levels of the Federal Government, including 1 seat on the Supreme Court of the 

United States, 3 seats in the Senate, 34 seats in the 

House of Representatives, and 4 seats 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— 


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1 (1) recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Her2 itage Month from September 15, 2016, through Oc3 tober 15, 2016; 

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

5 manifold heritage of Latinos in the economy, cul6 ture, and identity of the United States; and 

7 (3) urges the people of the United States to ob8 serve Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate 

9 programs and activities that celebrate the contribu10 tions of Latinos to life in the United States. 

Æ 


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