Title: 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.
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 561 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 561

 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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 2019

 Mr. Cardenas (for himself, Mr. Aguilar, Ms. Bass, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. 
Bonamici, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Brown of Maryland, 
 Ms. Brownley of California, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Carson of 
Indiana, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. 
 Judy Chu of California, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Ms. 
Clarke of New York, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Correa, Mr. Costa, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. 
  Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. Dean, Ms. 
  DeGette, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Barragan, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
 Engel, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Evans, Ms. Frankel, 
    Mr. Gallego, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Garcia of 
Illinois, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Haaland, 
   Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Himes, Mr. 
   Horsford, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Larsen of Washington, 
    Mr. Langevin, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Ms. Lee of 
 California, Mr. Levin of California, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Ms. 
  Lofgren, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Malinowski, Ms. Matsui, Ms. 
 McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Meng, Ms. Moore, 
 Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, Mr. Moulton, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Nadler, 
Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Neal, Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
  Pallone, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New 
 York, Mr. Peters, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Porter, Mr. Raskin, 
  Mr. Lujan, Miss Rice of New York, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Ruiz, Mr. 
 Sablan, Mr. San Nicolas, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. 
  Schakowsky, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. 
Serrano, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mr. Sires, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. 
 Soto, Ms. Speier, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Takano, 
 Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. Titus, Mrs. Torres of California, Ms. 
 Torres Small of New Mexico, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Veasey, Mr. 
 Vela, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Yarmuth, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Waters, 
   Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Foster, Ms. Houlahan, and Mr. Hastings) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                        on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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;
Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimates the Hispanic population living in the 
        continental United States at over 59,000,000, 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 United States 
        population by approximately 1,200,000 individuals, accounting for over 
        \1/2\ of the total population growth during that period;
Whereas, by 2065, the Latino population in the United States is projected to 
        grow to 107,000,000, and the Latino population will comprise more than 
        24 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 2018, there were more than 18,701,184 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 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, from 1996 to 2016, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in schools, 
        colleges, and universities in the United States doubled from 8.8 million 
        to 17.9 million, and Hispanics now make up 22.7 percent of all people 
        enrolled in school;
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 per year, 
        adding a potential 18 million 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;
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 the 
        rate of Latino labor force participation is expected to grow to 20 
        percent by 2024, accounting for \1/5\ of the total labor force as a 
        result of the fastest population growth of all the race and ethnicity 
        groups in the United States;
Whereas with 66.1 percent labor force participation, Latinos have the highest 
        labor force participation rate of any racial or ethnic group, resulting 
        in the Latino labor force expanding 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 active duty 
        servicemembers serving in the Armed Forces, accounting for a total of 
        more than 1,200,000 Hispanics who have served our country, including 
        136,000 Latinas;
Whereas, as of 2018, more than 399,000 Hispanics have served in post-September 
        11, 2001, overseas contingency operations, representing 12.1 percent of 
        the total veteran population who have served post-9/11 in operations in 
        Iraq and Afghanistan;
Whereas, as of August 2019, at least 688 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 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 United States history;
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
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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month;
            (2) esteems the integral role of Latinos and the manifold 
        heritage of Latinos in the economy, culture, and identity of 
        the United States; and
            (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
        Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate programs and 
        activities that celebrate the contributions of Latinos to the 
        United States.
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