Clyburn Commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month
Monday, September 15, 2008
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Today, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn released the following statement to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15 every year.
“Today begins the celebration Hispanic Heritage Month. We celebrate the hard work, deep faith and closely-knit family traditions of the Hispanic community which have contributed to making America a better and stronger country. Hispanic Americans are an integral part of our nation’s progress and prosperity and their contributions span many sectors, from the military, to education, to government, to nonprofits, to business.
“However Hispanic Americans have been hit particularly hard by the staggering economy. The median household income of Hispanic families has fallen, the number of uninsured has risen, the number of living below the poverty level has grown, and unemployment rate among Hispanic Americans has skyrocketed.
“To address the economic challenges of all Americans, the New Direction Congress has passed legislation to jumpstart the economy with a stimulus package, increased the minimum wage, extended unemployment benefits, cracked down on predatory lending, made mortgages more affordable, and cut the interest rates on student loans in half. Congress also enacted major bills to provide a free four-year college education to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and increased funding for veterans’ health care.
“America’s strength is our diversity. This month we appropriately reserve time to celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of the Hispanic American community.”
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