[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 129 (Thursday, September 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NATIONAL HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS WEEK

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                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 2010

  Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize the good 
work that Hispanic-Serving Institutions are doing both in New York City 
and across the country. The week of September 19, 2010 was designated 
as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week under H. Res. 1611, a 
resolution of which I was proud to be a cosponsor.
  New York City is home to a number of world-class educational 
institutions, many of which have been designated as Hispanic-Serving 
Institutions. Over 10,000 students from my district alone attend 
Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Queens and the Bronx, including Bronx 
Community College, the College of Mount Saint Vincent, Hostos Community 
College, LaGuardia Community College, Lehman College, Mercy College and 
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology. I have had a chance to 
visit many of these colleges and know firsthand not only the quality 
education they provide, but also the valuable services they provide as 
centers of the community.
  Hispanics are the youngest and fastest-growing ethnic population 
group in the nation, and play a major role in maintaining our country's 
global competitiveness and contributing to our national culture. 
However, nationally, Hispanic students graduate at lower rates than 
non-Hispanic students with similar academic backgrounds. We need a 
strong education system to prepare Hispanic students to enter the 
workforce, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions are ideally suited to 
address the needs of this population.
  We particularly need to ensure further involvement of Hispanic 
students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
fields, where they have been historically underrepresented. During 
consideration of the original America COMPETES Act in 2007, I was proud 
to champion the creation of a grant program for Hispanic-Serving 
Institutions to strengthen and develop their undergraduate science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics degree programs.
  This program will help educate and train a new generation of experts 
in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics areas. By 
engaging Hispanic-Serving Institutions, who serve the majority of the 
two million Hispanic students enrolled in college today, we are able to 
reach out to and involve more of the Hispanic educational community.
  This Congress has enacted legislation to make college more accessible 
by improving the way our student loan system works for students and 
families. However, there is much more we need to do to ensure all 
students have a chance to achieve the American Dream. We need to 
continue supporting Hispanic-Serving Institutions and encouraging the 
vital work they are doing for millions of American students. I am 
pleased to join Representative Grijalva and the rest of my colleagues 
in this fight.

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