Senator Orrin Hatch Addresses Full House at the 86th Annual LULAC National Convention Presidential Awards Banquet
July 10, 2015
Salt Lake City, Utah – After four days of workshops and lectures addressing key areas of concern for the Latino community, an estimated 1,000 Latino community leaders heard from Utah’s senior senator. Orrin Hatch delivered his speech to a full house tonight at the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) 86th Annual Convention at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.
Founded in 1929, the League of United Latin American Citizens is the nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic organization. The non-partisan organization is comprised of more than 1,000 LULAC councils representing citizens across the U.S. and Puerto Rico that advocate for civil rights, education, economic development, immigration and equal opportunity.
The keynote speaker was Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) who spoke about family values, and immigration.
“As the longest serving Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have worked for many years to improve our nation’s immigration system and increase security along our borders. I would be surprised if there is anyone who thinks that we do not need to reform our immigration laws. Unfortunately, building support to enact the immigration reforms our country needs has not been easy. To overcome a challenging political environment, it will require trust that the difficult compromises we must make in Congress will be honored and enforced when they are enacted into law. I am committed to working on this issue and hope you will continue to work with me and others to advance long-overdue reforms.”
Now in his seventh term, Sen. Hatch is the most senior Republican in the Senate. Among his many initiatives are the Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, the Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America’s Security Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, and the Utah School Trust Lands Exchange Act.
“Our convention traditionally welcomes leading public officials who address those issues that are most at stake for Latinos, and minorities in general,” said LULAC Executive Director Brent Wilkes. “It was refreshing and inspiring to hear Sen. Hatch tackle some of those hot buttons.”
After LULAC President Margaret Moran bestowed a number of awards to community leaders, she invited John David Arnold, PhD on stage to present him with a humanitarian and community service award. Dr. Arnold is a long standing advocate of farmworkers and immigrants rights. In 1967, he founded a non-profit Dedicated to Improving the Quality of Rural Life. Today, it employs 550 people in Arizona.
Dr. Ricardo Rosselló, president of the political advocacy group, Borícua ¡Ahora Es!, was a featured speaker earlier at the event. Rosselló is the son of the former governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Rosselló.
“It was a great honor to address the members of LULAC at the Presidential Awards Banquet. Being a life long member of the organization, I can recall many speakers that were very influential in critical issues to the Latino community and the nation as a whole. It is my hope that I conveyed a similar message of a unique opportunity of growth for our community."
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.lulac.org.