[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 15, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6712-S6713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise to call the attention of the Senate 
to the 40th anniversary of the largest national Hispanic civil rights 
and advocacy organization in the United States. The National Council of 
La Raza and its nearly 300 community-based affiliates across the 
country have worked for more than 40 years to expand the opportunities 
of Hispanics in the United States.
  The National Council of La Raza is strongly rooted in America's civil

[[Page S6713]]

rights movement of the 1960s and has been a critical force in the 
advancement of the Hispanic community's fight to obtain a voice in the 
public sphere. Thanks to the fine leadership at NCLR by individuals 
such as current president and CEO Janet Murguia and past president and 
CEO Raul Yzaguirre, NCLR has much to celebrate. In its 40 years of 
service in 41 States, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, the 
National Council of La Raza has worked ardently to provide a much 
needed Latino perspective in the policy areas of civil rights, 
immigration, education, employment, health and asset building. In 
addition, I recognize NCLR's dedication to encouraging civic 
participation among Hispanics through its voter registration 
initiatives.
  In the Silver State, NCLR has been a valuable partner in meeting 
national challenges at the local level through its four Nevada 
affiliates: the East Las Vegas Community Development Corporation, 
Housing for Nevada, The Nevada Association of Latin Americans, Inc., 
NALA, and Nevada Hispanic Services, Inc.
  In recent months, Nevadans have endured the highest foreclosure rate 
in the country and struggled to overcome the challenges of an ailing 
economy. Unfortunately, the Hispanic community has been especially 
vulnerable to foreclosure and more susceptible to falling victim to 
economic decline. I have been comforted to know that local partners in 
the NCLR affiliate network have been tackling this problem head on by 
providing homebuyer education programs, assistance for loss of a home 
due to foreclosure, and counseling for individuals facing mortgage 
default, among many other services and valuable affordable housing 
projects.
  In addition to these valuable housing services, NCLR's Nevada 
affiliates also offer programs that focus on job placement, education 
services, nutrition services, immigration assistance, and important 
health issues, such as HIV/AIDS prevention and substance abuse 
prevention. These efforts have been especially important during an 
economic recession, and I share the gratitude of the many Nevadans who 
have benefited from the services and programs in Las Vegas, Reno, and 
throughout the Silver State.
  I commend the National Council of La Raza for their 40 years of 
support to the Hispanic community and to these affiliates in Nevada and 
around the United States. It is through the hard work of these 
organizations that we will be able to overcome the challenges of our 
current economy and of the longer term battles against racial and 
ethnic disparities in the United States.

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