FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
September 11, 2013 Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org
Latino leaders brief congressional staff in anticipation of vote to avoid government shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C.—With Congress likely to vote as early as Thursday on a budget resolution to continue funding the government beyond September 30, national Latino leaders are urging senators to pass a federal budget that invests in our future, creates jobs and closes tax loopholes. Earlier today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) participated in a Senate staff briefing on Capitol Hill focused on the federal budget and the impact of sequestration on Latino communities.
“When it comes to the federal budget, Congress must recognize that the well-being and continued success of this nation is undeniably tied to the ability of Latino children to realize their full potential,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, NCLR. “Latino children now make up almost one in four students enrolled in public schools. By 2050, one in three American workers and taxpayers will be Latino. To ensure our future prosperity we must invest in programs like Head Start and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which keep our children healthy, active and educated.”
Latinos represent 37% of children who could lose access to Head Start due to sequestration, 42% of children in high-poverty schools who rely on Title I funding to provide quality education and 32% of youth enrolled in federal job training programs that are on the chopping block.
“Latino voters want jobs, not cuts,” added Rodriguez. “Instead of continuing and deepening cuts that hit hardworking families, we should prioritize closing tax loopholes so that everyone pays their fair share.”
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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