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Schakowsky Statement on Hispanic Heritage Month

October 6, 2016

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month:

Every year, from September 15th to October 15th, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and honor the history, culture, and contributions of the Latino community. Across the country, Latino Americans enrich our nation by contributing to the arts and sciences, serving in our Armed Forces, and starting millions of small businesses that boost communities everywhere. This Hispanic Heritage Month, we must recommit to doing all we can to ensure Latinos can continue to play a prominent role in shaping the future of our country.

We will keep fighting for millions of hardworking immigrants who live in fear of being separated from their loved ones and who aspire to become citizens in a country of opportunity and freedom. In the 9th District, we are grateful for the work that Centro Romero, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and many others do for immigrants and refugees across our city. All of us must continue to fight to fix our broken immigration system to ensure that we can stop ripping families apart even as we secure our borders.

As the November election nears we must ensure that all Americans are able to exercise their right to vote. Many Latino voters live in the 15 states that currently have discriminatory voting laws and we must do all we can to ensure that their rights are not unfairly challenged. While some states have rolled back other restrictive laws, no citizen who is eligible to vote should be denied this right.

I have been delighted to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month so far, and I am committed to taking action on important legislative issues.

¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

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