[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 294 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 294

   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 the 
importance of immigrants and their children to the future successes of 
                           the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2021

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Warren, Ms. Duckworth, 
    Mr. Padilla, Mr. Lujan, and Ms. Hirono) 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 the 
importance of immigrants and their children to the future successes of 
                           the United States.

Whereas the United States is stronger when all individuals have the opportunity 
        to live up to their full potential;
Whereas about 15 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) 29 percent of physicians;

    (2) 25 percent of nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides;

    (3) 24 percent of dentists;

    (4) 20 percent of pharmacists;

    (5) 19 percent of dental assistants;

    (6) 15 percent of medical assistants;

    (7) 15 percent of registered nurses;

    (8) 15 percent of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses;

    (9) 12 percent of dieticians and nutritionists; and

    (10) 12 percent of optometrists;

Whereas immigrants working in a health care occupation range from those granted 
        temporary protected status under section 244 of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a) or deferred action pursuant to the 
        memorandum of the Department of Homeland Security entitled ``Exercising 
        Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the 
        United States as Children'' issued on June 15, 2012, (referred to in 
        this preamble as ``DACA'') to naturalized United States citizens;
Whereas more than 12 percent of such immigrants (310,000 individuals) are 
        humanitarian migrants, including refugees, asylees, special immigrant 
        visa holders, and Cuban and Haitian entrants;
Whereas 50,000 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 provide medical care to approximately 
        4,600 patients a year;
Whereas immigrants have filled approximately \1/3\ of physician roles in the 
        United States each year for the 10 years prior to 2021;
Whereas the Association of American Medical Colleges attested to the Supreme 
        Court that the health care system of the United States relies on 
        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 diagnostic and treatment 
        practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, nurses, health aides, 
        nursing assistants and orderlies, health care support workers, medical 
        students and residents, and health technologists and technicians;
Whereas more than 5,200,000 undocumented immigrants, including more than \1/2\ 
        of all DACA recipients (400,000 individuals) and the majority of 
        Temporary Protected Status holders (more than 220,000 individuals) are 
        considered essential critical infrastructure workers;
Whereas immigrant essential workers, including first-responders, health care 
        workers, agricultural workers and meat packers, child care providers, 
        and hospitality and transportation workers, have heroically helped 
        provide medical care, food, shelter, and comfort to the people of the 
        United States impacted by COVID-19;
Whereas undocumented immigrants alone contribute an estimated $228,000,000,000 
        of spending power annually to the United States economy, after the 
        payment of $49,000,000,000 of combined Federal, State, and local taxes 
        each year;
Whereas the majority of farm workers in the United States are immigrants, and 
        regardless of politics, have been deemed ``essential workers'' in order 
        to maintain a safe food supply for the United States during the COVID-19 
        pandemic;
Whereas immigrants have served in the Armed Forces since the founding of the 
        United States, and have fought in every major conflict in the history of 
        the United States, 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 the 
        United States and democracy, as well as lives of the people of the 
        United States, by serving as translators and interpreters for the Armed 
        Forces, and performing sensitive and trusted activities for United 
        States military personnel stationed with the International Security 
        Assistance Force;
Whereas immigrants who serve in emerging industries with pronounced labor 
        shortages in the United States, such as artificial intelligence, that 
        rely on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to 
        in this preamble as ``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 the rich diversity in the United States 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 79 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 \1/5\ of the overall 
        Black population in the United States (18 percent);
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 the racial, ethnic, linguistic, and religious differences of 
        immigrants has resulted in a unified, patriotic, and prosperous United 
        States;
Whereas immigration has long been one of the greatest competitive advantages of 
        the United States;
Whereas immigrants of all skill levels have helped make the economy of the 
        United States the strongest in the world, complementing existing 
        businesses in the United States in times of need and founding successful 
        businesses of their own;
Whereas, although only accounting for 13.7 percent (nearly 45,000,000 people) of 
        the total population of the United States, more than 40 percent of 
        Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, 
        which has created $4,200,000,000,000 in annual revenue and employ 
        millions of people of the United States;
Whereas 64.5 percent of immigrants aged 16 and older were employed, as opposed 
        to 60.0 percent of native-born people of the United States;
Whereas immigrants are entrepreneurial, self-starters who create their own 
        opportunity and employment opportunities for others, with 11.8 percent 
        of employed immigrants being self-employed compared to 8.9 percent of 
        employed, native-born people of the United States;
Whereas immigrant-owned businesses provide jobs across the United States, 
        creating more jobs through entrepreneurial activity than they fill;
Whereas immigrants are more likely to have advanced degrees than native-born 
        people of the United States;
Whereas the high-skilled immigration system of the United States has not been 
        updated in more than 25 years and is now outdated and overburdened, 
        putting global leadership of the United States 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 the future health care 
        of the United States, keeping the people of the United States healthy;
Whereas in just 20 years, meaningful immigration policy reform could reduce the 
        Federal deficit by approximately $1,000,000,000,000, 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 the United States 
        more economically sound;
Whereas future population growth in the United States will require increased 
        immigration, and by increasing immigration substantially, will keep the 
        United States economically competitive with China and other global 
        economies, and reduce future fiscal imbalances for popular programs like 
        programs under the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); 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 the prosperity of the 
        United States and reinforce the patriotism all people of the United 
        States feel for the United States, no matter the color of skin, country 
        of origin, or religious background of the person: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes June 2021 as ``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 State;
            (3) welcomes immigrants presently in the United States and 
        individuals 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 the vibrant, 
        multiethnic, and integrated society of the United States;
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to work with 
        their immigrant neighbors and colleagues to advance the current 
        and future well-being of the United States; and
            (5) commits to working with fellow Members of Congress, the 
        executive agencies that administer immigration laws and 
        policies, and the President to promote smart and just 
        immigration policy for immigrants presently in the United 
        States, their families, and individuals seeking to immigrate to 
        the United States in the future.
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