[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 429 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 429

 Designating April 30, 2014, as ``Dia de los Ninos: Celebrating Young 
                              Americans''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 29, 2014

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Durbin, 
    Mrs. Murray, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Reed, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
Heinrich, and Mr. Booker) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Designating April 30, 2014, as ``Dia de los Ninos: Celebrating Young 
                              Americans''.

Whereas many countries throughout the world, and especially within the Western 
        hemisphere, celebrate ``Dia de los Ninos'', or ``Day of the Children'', 
        on April 30 each year, in recognition and celebration of the future of 
        their country: their children;
Whereas children represent the hopes and dreams of the people of the United 
        States, and children are the center of families in the United States;
Whereas the people of the United States should nurture and invest in children to 
        preserve and enhance economic prosperity, democracy, and the spirit of 
        the United States;
Whereas, according to the 2012 American Community Survey by the Bureau of the 
        Census, approximately 17,500,000 of the nearly 53,000,000 individuals of 
        Hispanic descent living in the United States are children under the age 
        of 18, representing about \1/3\ (33 percent) of the total Hispanic 
        population residing in the United States and roughly \1/4\ of the total 
        population of children in the United States;
Whereas Hispanic Americans, the youngest and fastest-growing racial or ethnic 
        community in the United States, celebrate the tradition of honoring 
        their children on Dia de los Ninos and wish to share this custom with 
        the rest of the United States;
Whereas the primary teachers of family values, morality, and culture are parents 
        and family members, and children are responsible for passing on family 
        values, morality, and culture to future generations;
Whereas the importance of literacy and education is most often communicated to 
        children through their family members;
Whereas families should be encouraged to engage in family and community 
        activities that include extended and elderly family members and 
        encourage children to explore and develop confidence;
Whereas the designation of a day to honor the children of the United States will 
        help affirm the significance of family, education, and community for the 
        people of the United States;
Whereas the designation of a day of special recognition for the children of the 
        United States will provide an opportunity for children to reflect on 
        their future, articulate their aspirations, and find comfort and 
        security in the support of their family members and communities;
Whereas the National Latino Children's Institute, serving as a voice for 
        children, has worked with cities throughout the United States to declare 
        April 30, 2014, to be ``Dia de los Ninos: Celebrating Young Americans'', 
        a day to bring together Latinos and other communities in the United 
        States to celebrate and uplift children; and
Whereas the children of a country are the responsibility of all people of that 
        country, and people should be encouraged to celebrate the gifts of 
        children to society: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates April 30, 2014, as ``Dia de los Ninos: 
        Celebrating Young Americans''; and
            (2) calls on the people of the United States to join with 
        all children, families, organizations, communities, churches, 
        cities, and States across the United States to observe the day 
        with appropriate ceremonies, including activities that--
                    (A) center around children and are free or minimal 
                in cost so as to encourage and facilitate the 
                participation of all people;
                    (B) are positive and uplifting, and help children 
                express their hopes and dreams;
                    (C) provide opportunities for children of all 
                backgrounds to learn about one another's cultures and 
                share ideas;
                    (D) include all members of a family, especially 
                extended and elderly family members, so as to promote 
                greater communication among the generations within a 
                family, which will enable children to appreciate and 
                benefit from the experiences and wisdom of their 
                elderly family members;
                    (E) provide opportunities for families within a 
                community to build relationships; and
                    (F) provide children with the support they need to 
                develop skills and confidence and find the inner 
                strength, will, and fire of the human spirit to make 
                their dreams come true.
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