PRINTER'S NO. 3873
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
1016
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, DONATUCCI, SCHWEYER, VAZQUEZ,
SCHLOSSBERG, PASHINSKI, BIZZARRO, NEILSON, HENNESSEY,
FREEMAN, BURNS, HILL-EVANS, KINSEY, R. BROWN, RYAN, READSHAW,
DiGIROLAMO, BARRAR, D. COSTA, SCHLEGEL CULVER, WATSON, MURT,
DRISCOLL, KAVULICH, B. O'NEILL, M. QUINN, ROEBUCK, MILLARD,
MARSICO, SOLOMON, WARD, BRADFORD, SIMS, DALEY AND
CALTAGIRONE, JULY 18, 2018
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JULY 18, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Observing September 15 through October 15, 2018, as "Hispanic
Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth draws its strength from the
extraordinary diversity of its people and their cultural
customs; and
WHEREAS, Hispanics were the earliest European settlers to
arrive at our great nation, founding settlements in Florida in
the 1500s; and
WHEREAS, Mexicans established homesteads in the southwest in
the 1600s; and
WHEREAS, Spanish was the first European language spoken in
the New World; and
WHEREAS, Hispanic culture includes elements originating in
Spain, North America, Central America, South America and the
Caribbean; and
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WHEREAS, Hispanics are the largest minority ethnic group in
the United States today; and
WHEREAS, Based on population estimates by the United States
Census Bureau for 2015, approximately 870,000 Hispanics reside
in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Hispanic Americans make valuable contributions to
this Commonwealth through business and industry, politics,
education, the sciences and the arts; 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, Hispanic-owned businesses are currently growing at
three times the rate of the national average; and
WHEREAS, Throughout our history, Hispanic Americans have
shown their devotion to our nation through military service; and
WHEREAS, Americans of Hispanic descent have fought in every
war since our founding and have taken their rightful place as
heroes in our nation's history; and
WHEREAS, Today, they are serving in our armed forces with
courage and honor, making our nation more secure and bringing
freedom to people around the world; and
WHEREAS, "National Hispanic Heritage Month" originated in
1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed "National
Hispanic Heritage Week"; and
WHEREAS, President Ronald Reagan established the monthlong
nationwide observance on September 15, 1988; and
WHEREAS, September 15 marks the anniversary of independence
for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; and
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WHEREAS, September 16 and 18 are the celebrated independence
days for Mexico and Chile, respectively; and
WHEREAS, Columbus Day, or Dia de la Raza, also takes place
within the 30-day period on October 12; and
WHEREAS, To honor the achievements of Hispanic Americans, the
Congress of the United States, by Public Law 100-402, has
authorized and requested the President of the United States to
annually issue a proclamation designating September 15 through
October 15 as "National Hispanic Heritage Month"; and
WHEREAS, The month of September 15 through October 15, 2018,
is observed as "Hispanic Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania to
encourage all residents to celebrate the value of our diversity
and the rich culture which has made our Commonwealth and our
nation so extraordinary; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives observe September
15 through October 15, 2018, as "Hispanic Heritage Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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