[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14641]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SILICON VALLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 2005

  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
achievements of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley as 
they celebrate 50 years as an advocate and resource for its members, 
business owners, professionals, students and the community in general 
by being the premier voice for Hispanic and minority businesses.
  The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley, originally called 
the Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, was founded in 1955, and 
incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1975 when it began 
offering services to the Latino small business community.
  Over the years, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has provided 
assistance and support to numerous Latinos and other minority small 
businesses in business education, economic assistance, international 
business, entrepreneurship, education, community development, loan 
program development, and procurement assistance, to name a few. The 
Hispanic Chamber has helped over 5,000 clients in the past 50 years and 
has helped businesses procure loans totaling over $3 million.
  The Hispanic Chamber is a recognized leader and influential player in 
the development of the social, political and economic landscape of this 
region, and was recognized as the best Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 
the United States by an independent auditing firm in 1999.
  I am proud of the leadership, volunteers and network of supporters 
whose dedication has built Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Silicon 
Valley into an integral part of the fabric of our local community. And, 
in so doing, the Hispanic Chamber is contributing to making Silicon 
Valley a place that recognizes the vital role Hispanic businesses play 
in the economic development of our nation.

                          ____________________