Congressman Cohen Celebrates Cinco de Mayo, Hispanic Contributions to Our Nation

“Today, we celebrate the importance of Hispanics in this country, specifically the contributions Mexican Americans have made and continue to make and how their achievements strengthen our nation,” said Congressman Cohen. “For Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has become a symbol of unity and patriotism in its history. In the United States, it is also a celebration of the rich cultural heritage Mexican Americans have brought to this country.”

Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, and there are now 45.5 million Hispanics in the country, 15.1% of the population.

“The 111th Congress is taking key steps to meet the vital concerns of Hispanic families across the country,” added Congressman Cohen. “In this recession, a great number of Hispanic families, like other American families, are struggling to make ends meet. In February, working with President Obama, the Congress enacted a sweeping, historic Recovery Act to jumpstart the economy. This plan creates or saves 3.5 million jobs and makes key investments in health care, energy and education in order to transform our economy for the 21st Century. It also cuts taxes for 95 percent of working families – including many Hispanic families.”

Another focus of the 111th Congress has been meeting the needs of our veterans and our servicemen and women. The budget just adopted provides a much-needed 11.7% increase for veterans’ health care and other services and is designed to ensure that our troops receive the equipment, training and body armor they need.

Congressman Cohen explained, “These provisions in the budget are designed to honor the service of the more than 190,000 Hispanic men and women who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 and the 1.1 million Hispanic veterans. Our country is in their debt for their service. Hispanics share with other Americans the common goals of freedom, opportunity, and a chance to build a better life. Today, we say thank you to the Hispanic community for making our economy stronger and our culture more vibrant; and thank you for helping to improve our society.”

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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, 202-225-3265
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, 202-225-3265