WHEREAS, The Hispanic population plays a key role in our
country's socioeconomic, political and cultural development; and
WHEREAS, The United States Hispanic population reached a
record 60.6 million individuals in 2019, an increase of 930,000
over the previous year; and
WHEREAS, Hispanic Americans share deep family values,
recognize their obligations to individuals who are less
fortunate and cherish freedom and what it means to be an
American; and
WHEREAS, Throughout our history, Hispanic Americans have
shown their devotion to the nation through military service and
have fought in every war since the nation's founding; and
WHEREAS, More than 80,000 Hispanic Americans served with
distinction in the Vietnam War, representing 5.5% of individuals
who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States in the
conflict despite Hispanic Americans comprising only 4.5% of the
population of the United States during that time; and
WHEREAS, As of 2019, there are more than 200,000 Hispanic
active duty service members serving in the armed forces of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, "National Hispanic Heritage Month" originated in
1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed "National
Hispanic Heritage Week"; and
WHEREAS, On September 15, 1988, President Ronald Reagan
expanded the celebration into a month-long event linked to the
independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations,
including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico
and Chile; and
WHEREAS, "Hispanic Heritage Month" has become a vital
opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural traditions and
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