PRINTER'S NO. 2282
No. 288 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, KUKOVICH, WAGNER, MUSTO, BRIGHTBILL,
WOZNIAK, ROBBINS, C. WILLIAMS, STACK, TOMLINSON, WAUGH, ORIE,
DENT, BODACK, GREENLEAF, EARLL, BOSCOLA, TARTAGLIONE,
THOMPSON, KITCHEN, FUMO, COSTA, ERICKSON, HUGHES AND WENGER,
OCTOBER 7, 2002
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 7, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Acknowledging and affirming the integral role of Hispanics and
2 Latinos in the development of this Commonwealth and our
3 nation and designating the week of October 6 through 12,
4 2002, as "Hispanic Heritage Week" in Pennsylvania.
5 WHEREAS, September 15 through October 15, 2002, is "National
6 Hispanic Heritage Month" as decreed by presidential
7 proclamation; and
8 WHEREAS, September 15 marks the anniversary of the
9 independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and
10 Nicaragua; and
11 WHEREAS, Mexico achieved independence on September 16 and
12 Chile on September 18; and
13 WHEREAS, "El Dia de la Raza" is observed on October 12 to
14 celebrate the diversity of Hispanic culture, rooted in Mexico,
15 Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and
16 Europe; and
17 WHEREAS, Currently 35.3 million Hispanics comprise 12.5% of
1 the nation's total population; and
2 WHEREAS, The Hispanic population grew by 58% or 13 million
3 people between 1990 and 2000, accounting for 40% of the increase
4 in the nation's total population during that period; and
5 WHEREAS, The nation's Hispanic population is richly diverse,
6 comprised of 20.6 million people of Mexican origin, 3.4 million
7 people of Puerto Rican origin, 1.2 million people of Cuban
8 origin, 1.7 million people of Central American origin, 1.4
9 million people of South American origin, 765,000 people of
10 Dominican origin, 100,000 people of Spanish origin and 6.1
11 million people of other origin; and
12 WHEREAS, Hispanic Pennsylvanians have increased in number
13 from 2% to 3.2% of the State's total population; and
14 WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is home to the nation's fourth
15 largest Puerto Rican population; and
16 WHEREAS, In 1997 there were 1.2 million Hispanic-owned
17 businesses in the United States employing nearly 1.4 million
18 people and generating $186.3 billion in revenues; and
19 WHEREAS, Minority-owned businesses in the United States grew
20 more than four times more quickly than United States firms
21 overall between 1992 and 1997, increasing from 2.1 million to
22 about 2.8 million, with a 30% growth rate exceeding the 7%
23 increase for all United States firms; and
24 WHEREAS, The percentage of Hispanic households owning their
25 own home has increased to 46%, up from 42% in 1990; and
26 WHEREAS, The number of Hispanic voters has increased by
27 approximately 20% since 1996; and
28 WHEREAS, In the United States the percentage of public high
29 school students taking Spanish courses more than doubled between
30 1982 and 1994, from 12% to 27%, and registration in Spanish
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1 courses at colleges and universities climbed from 411,000 in
2 1986 to 606,000 in 1995; and
3 WHEREAS, Persons of Hispanic heritage have provided this
4 Commonwealth and our nation with many prominent leaders in
5 education, science, activism, politics, national defense, music,
6 visual arts, journalism, film and television, athletics and many
7 other fields; therefore be it
8 RESOLVED, That the Senate acknowledge and affirm the integral
9 role of Hispanics and Latinos in the development of this
10 Commonwealth and our nation; and be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the week of October 6
12 through 12, 2002, as "Hispanic Heritage Week" in Pennsylvania to
13 formally recognize Hispanic Pennsylvanians for their love of
14 family, hard work and community and for their countless
15 contributions to our society and encourage all Pennsylvanians to
16 observe this week with appropriate recognition, affirmation,
17 ceremonies, activities and programs.
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