WASHINGTON, March 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) has announced the panelists for its inaugural Immigration Plenary set to take place during the 2015 Legislative Summit on March 26th at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. Participants of the plenary are Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; Governor John Engler, President of the Business Roundtable; and Governor Bill Richardson, Co-Chair of the American Competitiveness Alliance. The plenary will be moderated by Maria Elena Salinas, co-anchor of Noticiero Univision.

The Immigration Plenary will bring together top policymakers and business leaders to discuss the impact of immigration on America’s economic and political landscape. The event will be attended by hundreds of chamber executives, Hispanic business owners, Fortune 500 corporate representatives and leaders in federal and state government.

“As the nation’s largest Hispanic business association, the USHCC has worked tirelessly to advance the interest of immigrant businesses that contribute nearly $776 billion to our nation’s economy and employ one out of ten American workers. By advocating in the halls of Congress and through our corporate partners, our association has elevated the dialogue of immigration reform to an economic imperative—a necessity for the continued well-being of our nation,” said USHCC President & CEO Javier Palomarez. “We look forward to hosting our this plenary to discuss the impact of immigrants on our economy and our nation’s long-term growth and success.”

Topics of this year’s plenary include: immigrant entrepreneurs, the growth and impact of immigrant businesses on the American economy, immigrants in politics, the President’s executive actions, and the future of comprehensive immigration reform.

According to a study conducted by the USHCC in partnership with the George W. Bush Institute, immigrants in the U.S. account for approximately 13% of the country’s population and 15.9% of the civilian labor force, and own approximately 18% of American small businesses. The Congressional Budget Office has determined that passing comprehensive immigration reform would grow the economy and reduce federal deficits by about $200 billion over the next decade.

For more information about the USHCC Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., please visit www.ushcclegislative.com.

About the 2015 Legislative Summit

The Legislative Summit is the USHCC’s premier advocacy event, offering numerous high-level engagements with leading government officials, training opportunities, workshops, roundtable discussions, procurement matchmaking sessions with federal agencies, and the chance to meet with congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

About the USHCC

Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of our nation’s entrepreneurs. The USHCC advocates on behalf of nearly 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses, that together contribute in excess of $486 billion to the American economy, each year. As the leading organization of its kind, the USHCC serves as an umbrella to more than 200 local chambers and business associations across the nation, and partners with more than 240 major corporations.

For more information, visit www.ushcc.com

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