[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 13, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S5485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 253--DESIGNATING THE WEEK BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 18, 
        2017, AS ``NATIONAL HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS WEEK''

  Mr. SCHUMER (for Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Casey, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Sanders, Mr. Heller, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Heinrich)) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 253

       Whereas Hispanic-Serving Institutions are degree-granting 
     institutions that have a full-time equivalent undergraduate 
     enrollment of not less than 25 percent Hispanic students;
       Whereas Hispanic-Serving Institutions play an important 
     role in educating many underprivileged students and helping 
     those students attain their full potential through higher 
     education;
       Whereas more than 470 Hispanic-Serving Institutions operate 
     in the United States;
       Whereas Hispanic-Serving Institutions represent just 13 
     percent of all nonprofit institutions of higher education, 
     yet serve more than 63 percent of all Hispanic undergraduate 
     students, enrolling, in 2014, more than 1,750,000 Hispanic 
     undergraduate students and more than 86,000 Hispanic graduate 
     students;
       Whereas the number of ``emerging Hispanic-Serving 
     Institutions'', defined as institutions that do not yet meet 
     the threshold of 25 percent Hispanic enrollment but serve a 
     Hispanic student population of between 15 and 24 percent, 
     grew to more than 300 colleges and universities in 2014;
       Whereas Hispanic-Serving Institutions are located in 18 
     States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and emerging 
     Hispanic-Serving Institutions are located in 33 States and 
     the District of Columbia;
       Whereas Hispanic-Serving Institutions are actively involved 
     in stabilizing and improving the communities in which the 
     institutions are located;
       Whereas Hispanic-Serving Institutions are leading efforts 
     to increase Hispanic participation in the fields of science, 
     technology, engineering, and mathematics;
       Whereas celebrating the vast contributions of Hispanic-
     Serving Institutions to the United States strengthens the 
     culture of the United States; and
       Whereas the achievements and goals of Hispanic-Serving 
     Institutions deserve national recognition: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the achievements and goals of Hispanic-
     Serving Institutions across the United States and in the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
       (2) designates the week beginning September 18, 2017, as 
     ``National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week''; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States and interested 
     groups to observe National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week 
     with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to 
     demonstrate support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

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