Title: Recognizing the month of June as "Immigrant Heritage Month", a celebration of the accomplishments and contributions immigrants and their children have made in making the United States a healthier, safer, more diverse, prosperous country, and acknowledging their importance to the future successes of America.
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
This resolution recognizes Immigrant Heritage Month in honor of the contributions immigrants and their children have made to the United States throughout its history.
The resolution also welcomes immigrants currently in the United States and those seeking to immigrate to the United States to contribute to the health, safety, diversity, and prosperity of the United States by finding their place in our vibrant, multiethnic, and integrated society.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1035 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1035

   Recognizing the month of June as ``Immigrant Heritage Month'', a 
  celebration of the accomplishments and contributions immigrants and 
   their children have made in making the United States a healthier, 
   safer, more diverse, prosperous country, and acknowledging their 
             importance to the future successes of America.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 30, 2020

Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Gallego, 
     Mr. Vargas, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Judy Chu of 
    California, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mrs. Torres of California, Mrs. 
 Napolitano, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Soto, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
 Sablan, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Correa, Ms. Bass, Ms. Roybal-Allard, 
   Mr. Serrano, Mr. Sires, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Vela, Mr. 
   Cuellar, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Costa, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. 
Jayapal, and Mr. Takano) submitted the following resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the month of June as ``Immigrant Heritage Month'', a 
  celebration of the accomplishments and contributions immigrants and 
   their children have made in making the United States a healthier, 
   safer, more diverse, prosperous country, and acknowledging their 
             importance to the future successes of America.

Whereas the United States is stronger when all people have the opportunity to 
        live up to their full potential;
Whereas over 16 percent of health care workers in the United States are 
        immigrants, including, in order of highest percentage of health care 
        workers who are foreign born--

    (1) physicians (29.1 percent);

    (2) dentists (23.7 percent);

    (3) nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides (23.1 percent);

    (4) pharmacists (20.3 percent);

    (5) dieticians and nutritionists (17.4 percent);

    (6) medical assistants (17.3 percent);

    (7) dental assistants (16.5 percent);

    (8) optometrists (16.2 percent);

    (9) registered nurses (16 percent); and

    (10) licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (15 percent);

Whereas immigrants working in a health care occupation range from those with 
        Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 
        (DACA) to naturalized citizens;
Whereas over 12 percent of such immigrants (310,000 individuals) are 
        humanitarian migrants, including refugees, asylees, special immigrant 
        visa holders, and Cuban and Haitian entrants;
Whereas 41,700 DACA recipients perform critical roles in the health care 
        industry;
Whereas immigrants working in health care professions serve throughout the 
        United States, and often in rural or underserved communities;
Whereas the medical students, residents, and physicians who rely on DACA for 
        their ability to practice medicine each provide medical care to 
        approximately 4,600 patients a year;
Whereas immigrants have filled approximately one-third of physician roles in the 
        United States for a decade;
Whereas the Association of American Medical Colleges attested to the United 
        States Supreme Court that our health care system relies on current 
        immigrant health care providers;
Whereas in response to COVID-19, immigrants are putting their own lives on the 
        line to save lives every day, working as diagnosing and treating 
        practitioners, physicians assistants, nurses, health aides, nursing 
        assistants and orderlies, health care support workers, medical students 
        and residents, and health technologists and technicians;
Whereas nearly one-third of all DACA recipients (200,000 individuals), and more 
        than 130,000 of the estimated 411,000 Temporary Protected Status 
        holders, are serving on the frontlines of the response to COVID-19 and 
        are considered essential critical infrastructure workers;
Whereas immigrant essential workers, including first-responders, health care 
        workers, agricultural workers and meat packers, childcare providers, and 
        hospitality and transportation workers, have heroically helped provide 
        medical care, food, shelter, and comfort to Americans impacted by COVID-
        19;
Whereas the majority of farm workers in America are immigrants, and regardless 
        of politics, have been deemed ``essential workers'' by the President of 
        the United States to maintain a safe food supply for America during the 
        COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas immigrants have served in the Armed Forces since the founding of our 
        country, and have fought in every major conflict in American history, 
        including the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and conflicts in Vietnam, 
        Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas immigrants have put their lives on the line to protect the ideals of 
        America and democracy, as well as American lives, by serving as 
        translators and interpreters for the Armed Forces, and performing 
        sensitive and trusted activities for United States military personnel 
        stationed at the international Security Assistance Force;
Whereas immigrants who serve in emerging industries with pronounced labor 
        shortages in America such as artificial intelligence that rely on 
        science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills, not only 
        bolster the economy, but also enhance national security and global 
        leadership;
Whereas when immigrants have a trusting relationship with local law enforcement, 
        they have reported crime and have worked with police on neighborhood 
        crime reduction strategies;
Whereas more immigrants reside in the United States than any other country in 
        the world, and represent almost every country in the world, contributing 
        to our rich diversity of people, cultures, cuisine, literature, art, 
        language, academia, music, media, fashion, and customs;
Whereas the United States is more diverse than ever before in its history, with 
        greater shares of immigrants from countries such as India, China 
        (including those born in Hong Kong and Macao, but not Taiwan), the 
        Philippines, El Salvador, Vietnam, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, South 
        Korea, and Guatemala, and an increase of 71 percent since 2000 of Black 
        immigrants from across the African continent, the Caribbean, Jamaica, 
        and Haiti;
Whereas Black immigrants and their children make up roughly one-fifth (18 
        percent) of the overall Black population in the United States;
Whereas in response to recent civil unrest in the United States immigrants of 
        all backgrounds have pledged their support to fight racial injustice, 
        hand-in-hand, with Black immigrants, to fight for accountability from 
        law enforcement and the criminal justice system and to demand that law 
        enforcement protect people, regardless of their skin color;
Whereas celebrating racial, ethnic, linguistic, and religious differences of 
        immigrants has resulted in a unified, patriotic, and prosperous Nation;
Whereas immigration has long been one of America's greatest competitive 
        advantages;
Whereas immigrants of all skill levels have helped make the economy of the 
        United States the strongest in the world, complementing existing 
        American businesses in times of need and founding successful businesses 
        of their own;
Whereas although only accounting for 13.5 percent (40,000,000) of the total 
        population of the United States, nearly half of Fortune 500 companies 
        were founded by immigrants or their children, which has created over 
        $6,000,000,000,000 in annual revenue and employs millions of Americans;
Whereas 72.5 percent of immigrants believe that hard work is necessary to 
        succeed in America and are responsible for half of the total labor force 
        growth in the United States over the last decade;
Whereas 62.2 percent of immigrants aged 16 and older (as opposed to 58.1 percent 
        of native-born Americans) were employed;
Whereas immigrants are entrepreneurial, self-starters who create their own 
        opportunity and employment opportunities for others with 7.6 percent of 
        immigrants being self-employed compared to 5.6 percent of native-born 
        Americans;
Whereas immigrant-owned businesses provide jobs across the United States, 
        respectively employing an average of 11 employees;
Whereas immigrants are more likely to have college degrees than native-born 
        Americans and are more likely to have advanced degrees;
Whereas our high-skilled immigration system has not been updated in over 25 
        years, and is now outdated and overburdened, putting our global 
        leadership at risk;
Whereas national security experts agree that it is essential for the United 
        States to maintain its military exceptionalism by being the leader in 
        advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, 
        robotics, directed energy and hypersonic weapons, which are all STEM 
        fields where immigrants fill dangerous labor shortages in the United 
        States;
Whereas due to population aging and longer life expectancy of the population in 
        the United States requiring an increase in health care workers, 
        immigrants are expected to fill a crucial need in future health care of 
        the United States, keeping us healthy;
Whereas in just 20 years, meaningful immigration policy reform would reduce the 
        Federal deficit by 1,200,000,000,000, contributing to greater economic 
        stability and safety;
Whereas over the course of the next decade, immigration policy reform would 
        result in the creation of 3,230,000 new jobs, keeping us more 
        economically sound;
Whereas if Dreamers, alone, were provided a pathway to citizenship, they would 
        contribute approximately $1,000,000,000,000 to the economy of the United 
        States;
Whereas over 70 percent of immigrants are between the ages of 25 and 64 compared 
        to less than 50 percent of native-born Americans, and by 2035, the 
        working age of immigrants will increase by 18,000,000, keeping us safer 
        and prosperous;
Whereas because immigrants in the United States are more likely to be working-
        age than their United States-born counterparts, they are more likely to 
        contribute to the labor force and economy as both consumers and 
        taxpayers, thereby helping to fund social services and programs like 
        Medicare and Social Security, keeping us healthier, safer, and 
        economically prosperous; and
Whereas continued integration of immigrants from around the world that 
        encourages and facilitates a pathway to citizenship, economic and social 
        mobility, and civic engagement, will perpetuate America's prosperity and 
        enforce the patriotism we all feel for our great Nation, no matter the 
        color of skin, country of origin, or religious background: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes ``Immigrant Heritage Month'' in honor of the 
        contributions immigrants and their children have made to the 
        United States throughout its history;
            (2) pledges to celebrate immigrant contributions to, and 
        immigrant heritages in, each district;
            (3) welcomes immigrants currently in the United States and 
        those seeking to immigrate to the United States to contribute 
        to the health, safety, diversity, and prosperity of the United 
        States by finding their place in our vibrant, multiethnic, and 
        integrated society;
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to work with 
        their immigrant neighbors and colleagues to advance the well-
        being of the Nation today and tomorrow; and
            (5) commits to working with fellow Members of Congress, the 
        relevant executive agencies administering immigration laws and 
        policies, and the President of the United States, to promote 
        smart and just immigration policy for those presently in the 
        United States, their family, and those seeking to come to the 
        United States in the future.
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