[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10855-S10856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 184--CONGRATULATING THE NEVADA HISPANIC LEADERS IN 
        CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

  Mr. REID submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 184

       Whereas September 15th begins the celebration of Hispanic 
     Heritage Month;
       Whereas in 1999, the Hispanic population in Nevada exceeds 
     253,000, and is expected to exceed 31,000,000 nationwide by 
     the end of the millennium;
       Whereas Hispanic schoolchildren represent 25 percent of the 
     Clark County School District in Nevada;
       Whereas it is important to highlight the contributions 
     Hispanics have made to American society, culture, academics, 
     business, and education;
       Whereas Nevada Hispanic leaders have gathered in 
     Washington, D.C., to attend Senator Harry Reid's National 
     Conference for Hispanic Leadership Summit;
       Whereas Nevada Hispanic leaders will have an opportunity to 
     meet with Senator Reid's senatorial colleagues and members of 
     the Congressional Hispanic Caucus;
       Whereas Nevada Hispanic leaders will meet with the highest 
     ranking Hispanic in President Clinton's Administration, 
     Secretary of Energy, Bill Richardson, as well as other high 
     level Hispanics in the Executive Branch;
       Whereas Nevada Hispanic leaders will be briefed by the 
     White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic 
     Americans, and will meet with White House Deputy Chief of 
     Staff, Maria Echaveste, and the Director of Inter-
     Governmental Affairs, Mickey Ibarra;
       Whereas Nevada Hispanic leaders will be briefed by Federal 
     agencies critical to the Hispanic community's advancement, 
     such as the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, 
     Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban 
     Development, Justice, and Labor, as well as the Small 
     Business Administration and the Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service;
       Whereas Nevada Hispanic leaders will be briefed by the 
     Nation's pre-eminent Hispanic organizations, such as the 
     National Council of La Raza, the Hispanic Association of 
     Colleges and Universities, the National Association of Latino 
     Elected Officials, the League of United Latin American 
     Cities, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational 
     Fund, the National Latino Children's Institute, the Aspira 
     Association, and the MANA (a national Latina organization);
       Whereas Senator Reid's conference will be an opportunity 
     for Nevada Hispanic leaders to unite in Washington, D.C., so 
     that the leaders can experience the legislative and 
     regulatory process and interact with individuals and 
     organizations who shape the Nation's policy; and
       Whereas strong partnerships will be forged with the 
     attendees of Senator Reid's conference who have travelled 
     from Nevada to Washington, D.C., to influence policy and 
     advance the needs and goals of Hispanics in Nevada and the 
     Nation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates Nevada Hispanic leaders who have made a 
     special trip to the Nation's Capital for this historic 
     summit;
       (2) commemorates the following names of the Nevada Hispanic 
     leaders: Bob Agonia, Elvira J. Alvarez, Luisa Balza, Kelly 
     Benavidez, Carina Black, Greg J. Black, Carlos Blumberg, Don 
     Brown, Andrea Brown, Malena Burnett, Deanna Cambeiro-Remark, 
     Liz Carrasco, Maria Champlin, Lyciane Corona, Laura Cortez, 
     Cheryl Davis, Nico De La Puente, Johny Diaz, Dr. Mark 
     Dominguez, Rose Dominguez, Lopez Edwardo, Elva Esparza, Edith 
     Fernandez, Jacqueline Ferreiro, Judith Fleishman, Frank 
     Canales, Charvez Foger, Sermerno Francisco, Zullie Franco, 
     Hector Galvez-Lopez, Edward M. Garcia, Helena Garcia, Laura 
     Garcia, Arriola Gilbert, Almalinda Guerrero, Jesse Gutierrez, 
     Elaine Hernandez, Cinthya Hernandez, Cecilia Khan, Estela 
     LaVario, Eduardo Lopez, Scott Antonio Lopez, Rene Mantecon, 
     Diego Martin, Raul Martinez, Magda Martinez, Larry Mason, 
     Griselda Maya, Rita Mc Gary, John Medina, Eva Melendrez, Jose 
     Melendrez, Laura Mijanovich, Clara Miranda, Ramon Miranda, 
     Marlene Monteolivo, Jesse Montes, Fran Montes, Gabriela Mora, 
     John Mulligan, Mercy Nagel, Alberto Ochoa, Arturo Ochoa, Alex 
     Ortiz, Rosa Parodi, Ciria Perez, Jose Pineda, Craig Pittman, 
     Andres Ramirez, Dr. Maria G. Ramirez, Margarita Rebollal, 
     Mary Resendez, Linda Rivera, Mario Rocha, Carlos Rodriguez 
     Jr., Michelle Rodriguez, Fernando Romero, Dr. Carlos Romo, 
     Martha Salazar, Tony Sanchez, Raymond Sandoval, Emma 
     Sepulveda, Carmen Suarez, Maria Carmen Thomas, Jose Troncoso, 
     Candida Ann Ureno, and Rafael Villanueva; and
       (3) requests the legislative clerk of the Senate to read 
     the Resolution into the record upon its passage.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, September 15, 1999, marks the beginning of 
Hispanic Heritage Month. Today, I rise before my colleagues in the 
Senate to pay tribute to Nevada's dynamic Hispanic community, as well 
as the more than 30 million people in the United States who are of 
Hispanic heritage.
  Mr. President, Nevada, which has consistently been the fastest 
growing state in the union, boasts a Hispanic population of more than 
two-hundred and fifty thousand. While the Hispanic community 
constitutes fifteen percent of the population of Las Vegas, more than 
one in four schoolchildren in the Las Vegas/Clark County School 
District are of Hispanic heritage. Our children are the future, and the 
inference is clear: the Hispanic community is the fastest growing 
minority group in Nevada and the entire country.
  The many contributions of Hispanics in American society are 
demonstrated in the areas of culture, academics, business, education, 
the arts and entertainment. In Nevada, Hispanic leadership continues to 
advance as members of the community occupy more and more elected and 
appointed positions. I was especially honored to have my dear friend, 
Reynaldo Martinez, serve as my Chief of Staff in the United States 
Senate.
  Mr. President, to celebrate these many contributions, but also, to 
address the path that lies ahead, Nevada Hispanic leaders from Nevada 
will gather in Washington, D.C. from September 15-17, 1999, for Unidos 
para el Futuro (United for the Future), my National Conference for 
Nevada Hispanic Leadership. Armed with the lessons of the past, and 
ready to confront the challenges of the future, these members of the 
Nevada Hispanic community will have the opportunity to meet with my 
colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives, including 
the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. I am honored that Energy Secretary 
Bill Richardson, the highest ranking Hispanic in President Clinton's 
administration, will also address the gathering. Furthermore, the group 
will meet with numerous national Hispanic organizations, as well as 
officials from the various federal agencies that interact with the 
Hispanic community. I am hopeful that the efforts we are undertaking 
will provide our friends and colleagues in the Hispanic community with 
essential information on a variety of issues, as well as the necessary 
interaction with those individuals and entities that shape policy. Such 
pro-action on our part is imperative in the Senate which, 
unfortunately, is without a Hispanic Member.
  As elected officials, we must be constantly apprised of the issues 
that are important to our constituents. Simply put, the priorities of 
the Hispanic community must be our priorities as well.
  Mr. President, I rise to recognize and honor the following members of 
Nevada's Hispanic community who have joined me in our nation's capital, 
united for the future:
  Bob Agonia, Elmira J. Alvarez, Luisa Balsa, Kelly Benavidez, Carina 
Black,

[[Page S10856]]

Greg J. Black, Carlos Blumberg, Don Brown, Andrea Brown, Malena 
Burnett, Deanna Cambeiro-Remark, Liz Carrasco, Maria Champlin, Lyciane 
Corona, Laura Cortez, Cheryl Davis, Nico De La Puente, Johnny Diaz, Dr. 
Mark Dominguez, Rose Dominguez, Lopez Edwardo, Elva Esparza, Edith 
Fernandez, Jacqueline Ferreiro, Judith Fleishman, Frank Canales, 
Charvez Roger, Sermerno Francisco, Zullie Franco, Hector Galvez-Lopez, 
Edward M. Garcia, Helena Garcia, Laura Garcia, Arriola Gilbert, 
Almalinda Guerrero, Jesse Gutierrez, Elaine Hernandez, Cinthya 
Hernandez, Cecilia Khan, Estela LaVario, Eduardo Lopez, Scott Antono 
Lopez, Rene Mantecon, Diego Martin, Rual Martinez, Magda Martinez, 
Larry Mason, Griselda Mava, Rita Mac Gary, John Medina, Eva Melendrez, 
Jose Melendrez, Laura Mijanovich, Clara Miranda, Ramon Miranda, Marlene 
Monteolivo, Jesse Montes, Fran Montes, Gabriel Mora, John Mulligan, 
Mercy Mangel, Alberto Ochoa, Arturo Ochoa, Alex Ortiz, Rosa Parodi, 
Ciria Perez, Jose Pineda, Craig Pittman, Andres Ramirez, Dr. Maria G. 
Ramirez, Margarita Rebollal, Mary Resendez, Linda Rivera, Mario Rocha, 
Carlos Rodriguez, Jr., Michelle Rodriguez, Fernando Romeo, Dr. Carlos 
Romero, Martha Salazar, Tony Sanchez, Raymond Sandal, Emma Sepulveda, 
Carmen Suarez, Maria Carmen Thomas, Jose Troncoso, Candida Ann Ureno, 
Rafael Villanueva.

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