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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies
Committee on Population
Panel on Hispanics in the United States

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Briefings for Congressional Staff Only
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
2318 Rayburn House Office Bldg. -- 2:30 p.m.
and
366 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. -- 4:00 p.m.

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on

Multiple Origins, Uncertain Destinies:
Hispanics and the American Future

by

Marta Tienda, Maurice P. During Professor in Demographic Studies, Department of Sociology, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and Office of Population Research, Princeton University; and Chair, Panel on Hispanics in the United States, Committee on Population, Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, The National Academies

and

Stephen J. Trejo, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Texas at Austin and Member, Panel on Hispanics in the United States, Committee on Population, Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, The National Academies

Hispanics are the nation’s largest and fastest growing ethnic group. Multiple Origins, Uncertain Destinies: Hispanics and the American Future, a new report from the National Academies’ Panel on Hispanics in the United States, covers economic, health, education, and other aspects of Hispanics’ lives and finds that in many ways Hispanics are adapting as did other immigrant groups in the nations’ history. However, Hispanics are also distinguished by key differences. One is their size and the pattern of continuing immigration to the United States; the other is today’s economy, which is quite different from that faced by earlier immigrant groups.

The health, education, and training of the nation’s Hispanic workers and their children will be key to their ability to significantly contribute to and share in U.S. prosperity. The children of Spanish-speaking immigrants will account for 26 million workers over the next 25 years: targeted investments would benefit not only Hispanic families, but also the country at large by enhancing national productivity as baby boomers shift into retirement.

These briefings were for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.