Latino leaders from across the country were invited to attend a roundtable meeting Tuesday with White House and Democratic congressional leaders to discuss issues affecting Latino families and what’s being done to address them.
The more than 20 Hispanic leaders invited to the meeting were set to discuss issues like immigration, health care, education and the economy. The meeting is hosted every year by Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra.
“Every year, the Latino Leaders Roundtable gives officials in Washington an opportunity to hear the concerns and ideas of top thinkers in the Latino community,” Becerra said in a statement to NBC News. “From Los Angeles to New York City, Latino leaders will exchange ideas with members of the Administration and Congress.”
The Hispanic leaders were scheduled to meet with Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet and Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez to discuss some of the federal programs in place that seek to improve Latino workforce and business opportunities across the country. Those programs include the 8(a) Business Development Program that helps small and disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace.
They were also scheduled to meet with House Democratic leaders—including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer—to hear what Democrats in Congress are doing on immigration reform, job creation and education.
Republican congressional leaders have hosted similar meetings with Latinos in the past. The Republican National Committee is currently holding more than 25 community events across eight states as part of Hispanic Heritage Month in an effort to strengthen relationships with Latino voters ahead of the 2016 presidential election. One of the latest events was a roundtable discussion with Latino business and community leaders hosted by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus in Virginia.