H.R. No. 655
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The United States is home to nearly two million
immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, more than half of whom arrived
in the U.S. from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa;
and
WHEREAS, Typically, these African immigrants have higher
levels of educational attainment than the nation's population as a
whole, and they are more likely to hold degrees in the in-demand
fields of science, technology, engineering, or math; moreover, they
are well-represented in such vital sectors of the economy as the
health care industry, which faces unprecedented levels of demand
for qualified professionals; and
WHEREAS, A 2018 report by the Partnership for a New American
Economy Research Fund notes the large number of African
entrepreneurs residing in the U.S.; of some 90,000, many are
involved in the broader transportation sector, and 5,700 are
employed in real estate and accounting; and
WHEREAS, While the U.S.-born population is aging, nearly
three-quarters of African immigrants are in the prime of their
working years; they also naturalize at high rates, and accordingly,
these individuals are well-positioned to fill gaps that are being
created by the retirement of baby boomers; and
WHEREAS, African immigrants also support numerous
U.S. businesses as consumers, especially in states that have
experienced high rates of immigration; in Texas, African immigrants
hold $4.7 billion in spending power, and the total for the country
exceeds $40 billion; they are an important source of revenue for
governments in many areas, and in just nine states, among them
Texas, Georgia, and Virginia, their state and local tax payments
exceeded half a billion dollars in 2015 alone; and
WHEREAS, Although the Sub-Saharan African immigrant
population is relatively small compared to other foreign-born
groups in the U.S., its members have an outsize impact in the
economy and the tax base, and they provide key support in the health
care sector and other industries in need of skilled professionals;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize the contributions of Sub-Saharan
African immigrants.
Reynolds
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 655 was adopted by the House on March
21, 2019, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House