[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 146 (Friday, October 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL POSEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 9, 2009

  Mr. POSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Hispanic 
Heritage Month. This national day of observance is celebrated September 
15 through October 15 and commemorates the anniversary of independence 
for 7 Latin American countries--Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, 
Honduras, and Nicaragua on September 15th; Mexico on the 16th; and 
Chile on September 18th. It is also a tribute to the many achievements 
of the diverse peoples of Spanish-speaking backgrounds who have come to 
the United States from countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin 
America.
  In the United States, more than 35 million people identify themselves 
as Hispanic Americans. In Florida alone, 20 percent of the state 
population is of Latin American descent. In the next several years, the 
number of Hispanic-owned businesses in America is expected to reach 4.3 
million--that's a 42 percent increase and three times faster than the 
national average! And according to the Latino Business Review, Central 
Florida is at the heart of this growth. The Florida Puerto Rican/
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was founded in 2002 with just 8 members, 
and now has over 312 members! And the Hispanic Business Council of the 
Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber has over 150 Members. These very businesses, 
based here in the U.S. are playing and will play an ever increasing 
role in expanding U.S. exports to Latin American countries--creating 
jobs here in America to export our goods and services in this 
increasingly competitive global marketplace.
  I have enjoyed a long relationship with this active community and 
recently had the privilege of visiting with this group of talented 
business owners. Their leadership and support for economic development 
is vital to our economy.
  Our communities also benefit from the strong faith and family values 
engrained in the Hispanic culture. These values provide the foundation 
upon which Hispanic Americans build their families, producing citizens 
that often become pillars of their communities. Also, the strong ties 
that Hispanic Americans maintain with their ancestral homeland remind 
us that the United States must pursue robust relations with its 
neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  Let us all take a moment this month to celebrate the independence of 
these Latin American countries and to show our gratitude for the 
important contributions Hispanic Americans make in our communities.