[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 142 (Thursday, September 12, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6023-S6024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 815--DESIGNATING THE WEEK BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 
        2024, AS ``NATIONAL HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS WEEK''

  Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Brown, Ms. Butler, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, 
Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Kelly, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. 
Lujan, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warnock, 
Ms. Warren, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Casey, and Mr. Heinrich) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 815

       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions are degree-granting 
     institutions that have a full-time equivalent undergraduate 
     enrollment of at least 25 percent Hispanic students;
       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions play an important 
     role in educating many low-income and underserved students 
     and creating opportunities and increasing access to higher 
     education for such students;
       Whereas, in the 2022-2023 academic year, 600 Hispanic-
     serving institutions operated in the United States, the 
     District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, enrolling more than 
     5,200,000 students;
       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions are engines of 
     economic mobility and a major contributor to the economic 
     prosperity of the United States;
       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions represent 20 percent 
     of all institutions of higher education, yet serve 31.7 
     percent of all undergraduate students and 66.2 percent of all 
     Hispanic undergraduate students;
       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions are located in 28 
     States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico;
       Whereas the number of emerging Hispanic-serving 
     institutions, defined as institutions that do not yet meet 
     the threshold of 25 percent Hispanic full-time equivalent 
     enrollment but serve a Hispanic student population of between 
     15 and 24.9 percent, stands at 412 institutions operating in 
     43 States and the District of Columbia;
       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions are actively involved 
     in empowering and improving the communities in which the 
     institutions are located;
       Whereas Hispanic-serving institutions are leading efforts 
     to increase Hispanic participation in science, technology, 
     engineering, and mathematics (commonly known as ``STEM'');
       Whereas 9 of the top 10 institutions of higher education 
     ranked by the Social Mobility Index were Hispanic-serving 
     institutions;
       Whereas celebrating the vast contributions of Hispanic-
     serving institutions strengthens the culture of the United 
     States; and

[[Page S6024]]

       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;
       (2) expresses support for the designation of ``National 
     Hispanic-serving institutions Week''; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States and interested 
     groups to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies, 
     activities, and programs to demonstrate support for Hispanic-
     serving institutions in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

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