California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 100

Introduced by Assembly Member Alejo

February 19, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 100—Relative to relations with El Salvador.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 100, as introduced, Alejo. Relations with El Salvador.

This measure would extend an invitation to the people of El Salvador to join California and commit to the development of programs to foster social, economic, educational, scientific, and cultural programs in order to strengthen the democratization process and economic development of El Salvador and to promote economic ties and to improve international understanding and goodwill.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, El Salvador and California are economic centers
for commercial, industrial, and financial business; and

WHEREAS, Salvadoran-Americans constitute the second largest
Latino community in California, numbering close to 600,000
throughout the State and 6 percent of all immigrants nationwide;
and

WHEREAS, El Salvador and California share common cultural
ties, similar early history during the Spanish colonization, and
strong family ties among sectors of their populations, and the Cities
of Los Angeles and San Francisco have the largest concentration
of Salvadoran-Americans in California; and

WHEREAS, Although El Salvador and California share a great
deal in common, they are sufficiently different that both would
benefit from increased trade, investment, tourism, cultural,
educational, and scientific exchanges; and

WHEREAS, California’s educational and academic
communities, through casework and research studies carried out
by prestigious research institutions, have recognized the significant
economic, cultural migratory, and political contributions of the
Salvadoran-American community in California; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of California is
committed to encouraging relationships and exchanges between
California and other regions of the world in order to promote better
economic ties, understanding, and cultural relations; and

WHEREAS, Salvadoran-American workers in California support
our economy with indispensable labor, which in turn provides
remittances in El Salvador, totaling 16.7 percent of El Salvador’s
gross domestic product in 2012, the largest percentage in any Latin
county; and

WHEREAS, The United States prospered from a $692.6 million
trade surplus with El Salvador in 2013; and

WHEREAS, El Salvador has been recognized by President
Obama’s Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development as
one of four select countries chosen based on data indicating
economic gains resulting from increased foreign investment and
trade between both nations; and

WHEREAS, Establishing a relationship between El Salvador
and California would help achieve these goals, and would stimulate
and facilitate additional mutually beneficial exchanges in cities
such as Los Angeles and San Salvador; and

WHEREAS, El Salvador is committed to developing a
cooperative relationship with California; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California,
on behalf of the people of the State of California, hereby extends
an invitation to the people of El Salvador to join California and
commit to the development of programs to foster social, economic,
educational, scientific, and cultural programs in order to strengthen
the democratization process and economic development of El
Salvador and to promote economic ties and improve international
understanding and goodwill; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the President of the El Salvador and the
Governor of California.