Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of National Hispanic Heritage Month, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), chair of the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Caucus, and John Cornyn (R-Texas), along with U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas-20), co-chair of the Congressional HSI Caucus, introduced a bipartisan, bicameral resolution to designate the week starting on September 9, 2024 as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.

The resolution is co-led in the House of Representatives by Congressional HSI Caucus co-chairs Representatives Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.-07), and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.-06). 

Hispanic-Serving Institutions are accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25 percent or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time students. There are 600 HSIs in the United States that enroll over 5.2 million Hispanic students, two-thirds of all Hispanic undergraduates, and 32.2 percent of total Pell recipients — empowering and improving communities. California is home to 172 HSIs and 45 Emerging HSIs.

“Hispanic-Serving Institutions play a critical role in fostering our nation’s economic growth and vitality,” said Senator Padilla. “California is home to the most HSIs of any state, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how important their work is in providing more equitable access to higher education for Latino students and other underserved student populations. As a founder of the first-ever Hispanic-Serving Institutions Senate Caucus, I’m committed to ensuring HSIs have the support they need to continue uplifting Latino communities across the country.”

“As a member of the HSI Coalition in the Senate, I applaud the outstanding work of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to provide quality education for Texas’s growing Hispanic population,” said Senator Cornyn. “I thank educators at these institutions for helping their students achieve their full potential, especially given the challenges of these past few school years.”

“Millions of students across America — including many in San Antonio — benefit from the incredible education that Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) provide,” said Representative Castro. “Today, I’m proud to recognize the critical role these institutions play in opening doors to opportunity for underserved students. This summer, I was glad to see the Biden Harris administration take major steps to bolster HSIs by establishing the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Hispanic-Serving Institutions and the President’s Board of Advisors for HSIs. In Congress, I’m committed to continuing to get HSIs the support they deserve to continue their important work.”

“The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is grateful for Congress recognizing the vital importance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions during National HSIs Week,” said Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “HSIs are America’s best hope for a vibrant democracy and a future as prosperous and just country. These rapidly growing institutions educate and train the newest generations of professionals, technicians, engineers, scientists, and leaders from diverse backgrounds that are the backbone of the nation’s economic and social advancement.”

This resolution celebrates the vast contributions of HSIs across the country. It also highlights the important role these institutions play in educating many underserved students, helping them attain their full potential by creating opportunities and increasing access to higher education.

In addition to Senators Padilla and Cornyn, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

In addition to Representatives Castro, González-Colón, Grijalva, and Ciscomani, Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.-29), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.-05), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.-20), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Lou Correa (D-Calif.-46), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas-30), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas-28), Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.-07), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas-16), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.-13), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.-03), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.-03), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas-29), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Al Green (D-Texas-09), Josh Harder (D-Calif.-09), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin L. Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.-07), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.-04), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.-14), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Katie Porter (D-Calif.-47), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.-38), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.-30), Darren Soto (D-Fla.-09), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.-01), Michelle Steel (R-Calif.-45), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04), David Trone (D-Md.-06), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Norma J. Torres (D-Calif.-35), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.-15), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.-03), David Valadao (R-Calif.-22), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), Marc Veasey (D-Texas-33), and Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07) cosponsored the resolution in the House of Representatives.

This resolution is supported by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

As chair of the Senate HSI Caucus, Senator Padilla has been a strong advocate for expanding educational opportunities for Latino students. For the last two years, Padilla has introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. Earlier this year, Padilla, Representative Castro, and Representative Grijalva issued a joint statement applauding key actions the Biden-Harris Administration will take to expand educational opportunities for Latino students. Last year, Padilla also introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment (HERE) Act, which aims to provide Hispanic and Latino students with the necessary tools and resources to lessen the higher education achievement gap.

Previously, Padilla and Senator Cornyn passed a bipartisan resolution expressing support to close the gap in STEM jobs among Latino students and young professionals entering the workforce. Padilla also unveiled a bipartisan resolution in 2022 recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Hispanic National Internship Program (HNIP), a seminal program of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities known for promoting Latino excellence and creating greater career development opportunities for Latino and Hispanic students across the country.

Full text of the resolution is available here.

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