Joe Biden: Latinos Are ‘The Center Of The Nation’s Future’

By Elsie Foley, Huffington Post Latino Voices

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden rallied Latino members of Congress on Thursday to push for immigration reform, calling Latinos “the center of the nation’s future” and reminding them that their political power will only grow after the last presidential election.

“The way to make the mark … is for the Hispanic community to step up and step out and let the world know, let the Republicans know, let others know that if you ignore the needs and concerns of the Hispanic community, you will not win,” Biden said at a swearing-in event hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a nonpartisan group that runs programs encouraging Latino leadership.

A record 26 members were welcomed into the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which is separate from the institute, on Thursday. Not all Latino members of Congress joined the caucus, but their total, too, is a record: There are three senators and 33 House members of Latino descent in the 113th Congress.

Many of them are strong supporters of immigration reform, which also ranked high — though not first — on the list of priorities of Latino voters. President Barack Obama has promised swift action and will begin major work on the issue this month now that the “fiscal cliff” battle is out of the way. Members of Congress are already beginning to…

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This article was first published in Huffington Post Latino Voices.