Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week should be established.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 737) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week should be established.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 737 into the record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of House Resolution 737, which encourages the establishment of the week of September 20 as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. Hispanic-Serving Institutions are degree-granting institutions with full-time equivalent enrollment that are at least 25 percent Hispanic. In 1990, there were only 137 recognized Hispanic- Serving Institutions. Today, there are 268 such institutions, educating more than half of all Hispanic college and university students in the Nation.

Hispanic Americans face multiple obstacles in access and completion of higher education. While Hispanic high-school graduates are more likely than their white peers to go on to college, they are less likely to complete their bachelor's degrees because of issues linked to poverty, immigration, and enrollment status.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions play a crucial role in addressing these issues and obstacles while remaining committed to educating underserved students across the country.

Working to increase enrollment and retention, Hispanic-Serving Institutions have created many innovative programs. At El Camino College in California, their ``First Year Experience'' class has rates 10 to 30 percent higher than the rest of the student body. The program provides a learning community through linked classes and a team of instructors and counselors who work together to increase student success.

At the University of Texas, El Paso, deep relationships with the surrounding K-12 community schools have helped bridge a path for students to obtain a higher education and be prepared for college-level work.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions continue to produce extremely accomplished members of our society. Their alumni include Members of Congress and some of the President's closest advisors in his Cabinet.

Lastly, it is important to note that September is Hispanic Heritage Month. This month celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of Hispanics in the United States while honoring the Hispanic culture in our country. It is appropriate that we include Hispanic-Serving Institutions in this honor.

I thank Representative Grijalva for his leadership in bringing this important resolution forward. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this important resolution and join me in my commendation of our country's Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage my colleagues to support House Resolution 737.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 737, a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week should be established.

I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Grijalva, for introducing this resolution. Mr. Grijalva recognizes the important role that HSIs play for all postsecondary students, especially minority students.

HSIs and their student body are very diverse. The community of HSIs includes 2-year and 4-year institutions and public and private institutions. In 2007, 46 percent of students enrolled in HSIs were Hispanics, and the remaining 44 percent were a diverse mix of students from various ethnicities and backgrounds. Even with this diversity of the student body, geographical location and population served, the principal missions of all of these institutions is to provide a quality education.

HSIs deserve recognition for the contribution they make to the education community and the Nation. While comprising less than 10 percent of the Nation's institutions of higher education, HSIs educate over two-thirds of Hispanic students enrolled in colleges and universities. Most HSIs do not have access to the resources or endowment income that other institutions can draw

on. However, they are still successful in their effort to provide a high-quality education, often to some of our most disadvantaged students.

We have consistently worked to improve the Nation's support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Just last Congress, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the reauthorization bill for the Higher Education Act, included a provision that created a new program designed to allow these institutions to improve their graduate and professional programs. We also provided more flexibility to HSIs through broadening their uses of Title V funds to include activities like the development of articulation agreements, the development of distance learning technologies, and providing additional financial literacy counseling to students and families.

It is important that we recognize the contributions of HSIs and their graduates by celebrating HSI Week. The number of HSIs increases every year. From 2006 to 2007, 13 new institutions qualified as an HSI. These institutions provide an ever-increasing number of students with a high- quality education and leadership skills for the future, and they deserve recognition for such.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.