[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4862-S4863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 782--RECOGNIZING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND 
 CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE AND CULTURE OF LATINOS IN THE UNITED STATES 
     AND THE IMMENSE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LATINOS TO THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
Van Hollen, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Markey, Ms. Sinema, 
Mr. Padilla, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Reed, Mr. Coons, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Carper, 
Mr. Murphy, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Casey, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Heinrich, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Rubio, 
Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Booker, Ms. Duckworth, 
Mr. King, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Warner, 
Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Brown, Ms. 
Warren, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Smith, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Scott of South Carolina, and Mr. Lankford) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 782

       Whereas, from September 15, 2022, through October 15, 2022, 
     the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month;
       Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimates the Hispanic 
     population living in the 50 States at more than 62,000,000 
     people, plus close to 3,200,000 people living in the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, making Hispanic Americans 
     approximately 19 percent of the total population of the 
     United States and the largest racial or ethnic minority group 
     in the United States;
       Whereas, in 2021, there were close to 1,000,000 or more 
     Latino residents in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and in 
     each of the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, 
     Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New 
     Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and 
     Washington;
       Whereas, from 2010 to 2020, Latinos grew the population of 
     the United States by more than 11,600,000 individuals, 
     accounting for more than \1/2\ of the total population growth 
     of the United States during that period;
       Whereas the Latino population in the United States is 
     projected to grow to 111,200,000 people by 2060, at which 
     point the Latino population will comprise more than 28 
     percent of the total population of the United States;
       Whereas the Latino population in the United States is 
     currently the third largest population of Latinos worldwide, 
     exceeding the size of the population in every Latin American 
     and Caribbean country, except Mexico and Brazil;
       Whereas, in 2020, there were more than 18,630,000 Latino 
     children under 18 years of age in the United States, which 
     represents approximately \1/3\ of the total Latino population 
     in the United States;
       Whereas 27.5 percent of public school students in the 
     United States are Latino, and the share of Latino students is 
     expected to rise to nearly 30 percent by 2027;
       Whereas approximately 20 percent of all college students in 
     the United States are Latino, making Latinos the second 
     largest racial or ethnic minority group enrolled in higher 
     education in the United States, including 2-year community 
     colleges and 4-year colleges and universities;
       Whereas, from 1996 to 2018, the number of Hispanic students 
     enrolled in schools, colleges, and universities in the United 
     States increased from 8,800,000 to more than 18,000,000, and 
     Hispanics now make up 25 percent of all people enrolled in 
     school in the United States;
       Whereas 30,600,000 Latinos were eligible to vote in the 
     2020 Presidential election, representing 13.2 percent of the 
     electorate in the United States;
       Whereas, in the 2020 Presidential election, Latinos cast 
     16,600,000 votes, a 30.9-percent increase from the number of 
     votes cast by Latinos in the 2016 Presidential election;
       Whereas the number of eligible Latino voters is expected to 
     rise to more than 32,400,000 by 2036, accounting for 
     approximately 20 percent of the eligible electorate in the 
     United States by 2036;
       Whereas, each year, approximately 800,000 Latino citizens 
     of the United States reach 18 years of age and become 
     eligible to vote, a number that could grow to 1,000,000 per 
     year, potentially adding 10,000,000 new Latino voters by 
     2032;
       Whereas it is estimated that, in 2021, the annual 
     purchasing power of Hispanic Americans was 
     $1,900,000,000,000, which is an amount greater than the 
     economy of all except 9 countries in the world;
       Whereas there are approximately 5,000,000 Hispanic-owned 
     businesses in the United States, supporting millions of 
     employees nationwide and contributing more than 
     $800,000,000,000 in revenue to the economy of the United 
     States;
       Whereas, by 2020, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses 
     had grown by 34 percent since 2010, representing the fastest 
     growing segment of small businesses in the United States, 
     with those businesses representing 5.8 percent of all 
     businesses in the United States;
       Whereas, as of August 2020, more than 29,000,000 Latino 
     workers represented 18 percent of the total civilian labor 
     force of the United States, and, as a result of Latinos 
     experiencing the fastest population growth of all race and 
     ethnicity groups in the United States, the rate of Latino 
     participation in the labor force is expected to grow to 
     35,900,000 by 2030, accounting for \1/5\ of the total labor 
     force;
       Whereas, in 2022, the labor force participation rate of 
     Latinos was 66.5 percent, higher than the labor force 
     participation rate of non-Hispanics, which was 62.2 percent;
       Whereas, as of 2021, there were approximately 426,840 
     Latino elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers, 
     123,136 Latino chief executives of businesses, 74,865 Latino 
     lawyers, 58,492 Latino physicians and surgeons, and 20,788 
     Latino psychologists, who contribute to the United States 
     through their professions;
       Whereas Hispanic Americans serve in all branches of the 
     Armed Forces and have fought bravely in every war in the 
     history of the United States;
       Whereas, as of 2021--
       (1) more than 230,000 Hispanic members of the Armed Forces 
     serve on active duty; and
       (2) there are more than 1,500,000 Hispanic veterans of the 
     Armed Forces, including approximately 203,000 Latinas;
       Whereas, as of 2018, more than 399,000 Hispanics have 
     served in post-September 11, 2001, overseas contingency 
     operations, and Hispanics represent 12.1 percent of the total 
     number of veterans who have served in operations in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan since September 11, 2001;
       Whereas, as of August 2021, at least 693 fatalities in Iraq 
     and Afghanistan were members of the Armed Forces who were 
     Hispanic;
       Whereas an estimated 200,000 Hispanics were mobilized for 
     World War I, and more

[[Page S4863]]

     than 500,000 Hispanics served in World War II;
       Whereas more than 80,000 Hispanics served in the Vietnam 
     war, representing 5.5 percent of individuals who made the 
     ultimate sacrifice for the United States in that conflict, 
     even though Hispanics comprised only 4.5 percent of the 
     population of the United States during the Vietnam war;
       Whereas approximately 150,000 Hispanic soldiers served in 
     the Korean war, including the 65th Infantry Regiment of the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, known as the ``Borinqueneers'', 
     the only active duty, segregated Latino military unit in the 
     history of the United States;
       Whereas 61 Hispanic Americans have received the 
     Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in 
     action against an enemy force bestowed on an individual 
     serving in the Armed Forces;
       Whereas in 2020, Congress established the National Museum 
     of the American Latino, which, when complete, will display 
     the achievements, diversity, and legacy of the Hispanic 
     community in the United States;
       Whereas Hispanic Americans are dedicated public servants, 
     holding posts at the highest levels of the Government of the 
     United States, including 1 seat on the Supreme Court of the 
     United States, 6 seats in the Senate, and 45 seats in the 
     House of Representatives; and
       Whereas Hispanic Americans harbor a deep commitment to 
     family and community, an enduring work ethic, and a 
     perseverance to succeed and contribute to society: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month 
     from September 15, 2022, through October 15, 2022;
       (2) esteems the integral role of Latinos and the manifold 
     heritages of Latinos in the economy, culture, and identity of 
     the United States; and
       (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
     Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate programs and 
     activities that celebrate the contributions of Latinos to the 
     United States.

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