[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14660]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING UNIVISION NOTICIAS 15

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the efforts of 
Noticias 15, a Nevada news program that has gone to great lengths to 
realize the benefits of U.S. citizenship for many new Americans.
  Noticias 15 has shown the impact news media can have by supporting 
programs like ``Ya Es Hora . . . Ciudadani'' or ``Now is the Time . . . 
Citizenship'', which motivates and assists lawful permanent residents 
to navigate the often daunting legal hurdles of our immigration system 
through a comprehensive civic engagement strategy.
  Noticias 15, working with its sister programs in the Entravision 
Communications Corporation, provides a strong example of the support 
that can help to more fully engage immigrant communities and 
traditionally underrepresented minority groups in civic participation. 
As one of the top-rated local early evening newscasts in the Las Vegas 
market, the news program has disseminated critical information on 
applying for U.S. citizenship, featuring segments on citizenship 
eligibility, requirements, and the application process. In addition, it 
has partnered with local and national agencies to boost voter 
registration among viewers.
  This is particularly relevant in Nevada, where we have experienced 
rapid population growth in the Hispanic community--now nearly one in 
every four Nevadans is of Hispanic descent. We must encourage the 
active participation in civic life of every eligible Nevadan, and I am 
pleased that Noticias 15 is a partner in this effort.
  Like many of my fellow Nevadans, I am aware of the challenges we have 
faced in increasing civic participation among Hispanics. Our proverbial 
wheels are spinning as we fight to make the American dream attainable 
for all families who work hard and play by the rules, level the playing 
field so that Latinos can become viable candidates for elective office, 
and remove the unfair barriers that hinder the Latino community from 
coming out to vote. Noticias 15's actions help to provide the traction 
that will keep our wheels from continually spinning up dust.
  Today, I recognize Noticias 15 for its valuable support of ``Ya Es 
Hora . . . Ciudadani.'' The momentum that has been created by this 
program and others will lead to better opportunities for the Hispanic 
community and for the larger community in which we all live. I look 
forward to seeing more contributions from this important organization 
in the Silver State.

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