Statement on Hispanic Heritage Month 2021

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and Chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month this year:

"This Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize that Hispanic heritage is American heritage. From day one, our country has been blessed by having a strong, vital heritage of the Spanish- and Indigenous- cultures that together built the foundation of the Latino community we know today. You see it in the names of our cities and states, with more than a third of all Americans living in a state with a Spanish name -- New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Texas and California. Cities and towns in almost every state also come from Spanish and Indigenous languages: Casa, Arkansas; Amarillo, Texas; Palo Alto, California; Havana, Illinois; Valdez, Alaska; Valparaiso, Indiana; Escalante, Utah; Buena Vista, Virginia; DeSoto, Kansas; Sorono, Kentucky; and Peru, Nebraska, just to name a few. We see the deep influence of Hispanic heritage in all parts of the American story. While we may often use the phrase "As American as Apple Pie', a more accurate phrase might be "As American as Pumpkin Pie, Corn Tortillas or Guacamole'-- all made from crops native to North America and first cultivated from the indigenous tribes like the Navajo, Apache, Olmec, Mayans and Aztecs.

"This Hispanic Heritage Month, I reaffirm my commitment to advocating for the interests and causes of Latinos by supporting policies and legislative proposals that will further the community. The Hispanic community has been disproportionately affected by both the health and economic consequences of COVID-19. With nearly half of Latino adults saying that someone close to them has either died or been hospitalized due to Covid, we must continue to advocate that the Hispanic community receives the proper relief and opportunities. I am proud to have supported the American Rescue Plan which expanded the Child Tax Credit, provided grants for small businesses, and secured over $360 billion of emergency funding for state and local governments to provide public services. I also continue to advocate for the expansion of programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to guarantee affordable health care to underserved communities. These programs are beneficial in maintaining and building a thriving Latino American culture.

"Along with addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on the Hispanic community, I also dedicate myself to standing up for the civil rights and liberties of Latinos across the country. Of all undocumented people in the United States, nearly 76% are Latino. I remain committed to comprehensive immigration reform which includes a pathway to citizenship for the millions of hardworking undocumented people here in the U.S., many who have been here for decades. Many Latinos live in states where the right to vote has come under attack. As a Vice-Chair of The Democracy Reform Task Force, I am working to counter these measures and ensure no one is denied the right to vote. That is why we must pass the For The People Act, to ensure Latino citizens have access to exercise their right.

"I am delighted to celebrate all that the Latino community provides America. I am devoted to passing legislation that guarantees their continued success and wellbeing. Working together, we can successfully achieve policies that will help the Latino community, and all Americans.

"I am proud to work with the activists who are fighting for human rights, civil rights & immigrants' rights. When speaking to them, I encourage them with the words, "When We Fight, We Win'; "Cuando Luchamos, Ganamos.'"

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