Council endorses 2 Latino initiatives
Sunday, July 29, 2007 2:16 AM CDT

BY STEVE ZABROSKI
Times Correspondent

EAST CHICAGO | The City Council has gone on record in support of two federal initiatives that recognize the nation's Latino population.

The council unanimously passed resolutions Monday in support of U.S. Senate and House bills that would propose a National Museum of the American Latino for the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and the DREAM Act, which would provide a path toward U.S. citizenship for undocumented residents who either graduate from high school or serve in the military.

"A number of students here in East Chicago could be positively impacted by the DREAM Act," said Jesse Gomez, D-at large, primary sponsor of the resolutions.

The museum initiative would provide funding to establish a national commission to study the potential creation of a new museum that would "honor American Latinos and their significant contributions to our culture and society," according to the resolution.

The DREAM Act -- development, relief and education for alien minors -- would create a six-year track toward citizenship for the estimated 65,000 teenagers in the country who are denied loans for higher education because of their status as illegal residents.

Gomez was joined by Robert Garcia, D-5th in sponsoring both resolutions, and by Richard Medina, D-at large, in sponsoring the DREAM Act resolution.

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