[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2495-S2496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 496--RECOGNIZING APRIL 30, 2018, AS ``EL DIA DE LOS 
                  NINOS-CELEBRATING YOUNG AMERICANS''

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Cortez Masto, 
Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Reed, Mr. 
Heinrich, Mr. Hatch, and Mr. Heller) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 496

       Whereas, each year in the United States, El Dia de los 
     Ninos-Celebrating Young Americans is recognized as a day to 
     affirm and recognize the importance of young children in the 
     United States;
       Whereas children represent the hopes and dreams of the 
     people of the United States and the well-being of children 
     and adolescents is emphasized as a top priority in the United 
     States;
       Whereas the people of the United States should nurture and 
     invest in children and adolescents in order to preserve and 
     enhance economic prosperity, democracy, and the free and open 
     exchange of ideas, which are concepts that are essential to 
     the spirit of the United States;
       Whereas, according to data of the Bureau of the Census, the 
     Hispanic population in the United States is the youngest 
     major racial or ethnic group in the United States, as--
       (1) 17,900,000 Hispanics in the United States, a group that 
     represents nearly \1/3\ of the Hispanic population in the 
     United States, are younger than 18 years of age; and
       (2) in 2014, approximately 14,600,000 Hispanics in the 
     United States, a group that represents \1/4\ of the Hispanic 
     population in the United States, were individuals between 18 
     and 33 years of age (commonly referred to as 
     ``millennials'');
       Whereas the Hispanic population in the United States is the 
     youngest and largest ethnic minority group in the United 
     States, continues to grow, and is a significant part of the 
     workforce in the United States and children in that 
     population will be consumers, taxpayers, and voters in the 
     future;
       Whereas, as the United States becomes more culturally and 
     ethnically diverse, the people of the United States must 
     strive to bring about cultural understanding and celebrate a 
     tradition that honors all children on El Dia de los Ninos-
     Celebrating Young Americans, a day that acknowledges and 
     shares traditions and customs with all people in the United 
     States;
       Whereas parents are at the center of teaching children 
     about family values, morality, life preparation, health, 
     survival, and culture;
       Whereas the designation of a day to honor children and 
     adolescents in the United States will help affirm the 
     significance of family, education, health, and community 
     among the people of the United States;
       Whereas the designation of a day of special recognition for 
     children in the United States will provide an opportunity for 
     those children to reflect on their futures, to articulate 
     their aspirations, to find comfort and security in the 
     support of their family members, communities, and schools, 
     and to grow to contribute to the United States;
       Whereas the National Latino Children's Institute, which 
     serves as an advocate and a voice for young Latino children--
       (1) will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2018;
       (2) has partnered with States and cities throughout the 
     United States during the 20 years preceding 2018; and
       (3) will declare April 30, 2018, as ``El Dia de los Ninos-
     Celebrating Young Americans'', a day to bring communities and 
     Latinos together across the United States to celebrate and 
     uplift children;
       Whereas April 30, 2018, would be an appropriate day to 
     recognize as ``El Dia de los Ninos-Celebrating Young 
     Americans''; and
       Whereas the people of the United States should be 
     encouraged to celebrate the gifts of children and to help 
     children take their rightful place in the future of the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes April 30, 2018, as ``El Dia de los Ninos-
     Celebrating Young Americans''; and
       (2) calls on the people of the United States to join with 
     children, families, communities, schools, churches, cities, 
     and States across the United States to observe El Dia de los 
     Ninos-Celebrating Young Americans with appropriate 
     ceremonies, including activities that--
       (A) center on children and are free or of minimal cost so 
     as to facilitate full participation by all people;
       (B) uplift and help children positively envision a path to 
     their futures by allowing children to voice their hopes and 
     dreams;
       (C) offer opportunities for children of diverse backgrounds 
     to learn about the cultures of one another and to share 
     ideas;
       (D) include family members, especially extended and elderly 
     family members, so as to--
       (i) promote understanding and communication among 
     generations within families; and
       (ii) enable young people to learn from, and respect and 
     benefit from the experiences of, their family elders;
       (E) enable diverse communities to build relationships of 
     understanding; and
       (F) provide children with an education, safe environments 
     in which to learn, live, and develop, and long-term support 
     in order to become confident young adults who are ready and 
     eager to believe in and contribute to the United States.

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