PROCLAMATION 6337—SEPT. 20, 1991 105 STAT. 2683 sound energy policies and practices that are essential to America's well-being. NOW. THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH. President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 1991 as Energy Awareness Month. I urge all Americans to observe this month with appropriate educational programs and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF. I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety- one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth. GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6337 of September 20, 1991 National Hispanic Heritage Montii, 1991 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation When we speak of our Hispanic heritage, we speak of more than one particular set of customs and traditions. Indeed, the Hispanic American heritage can be traced back to many different lands—to places as farflung as Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and Peru. Nevertheless, Americans of Spanish and Latin American descent share a great sense of pride in the deep cultural and historical ties that exist between them. Rich and varied, the Hispanic American heritage is as old as the story of America itself. Daring Spanish navigators who explored the New World nearly half a millennium ago were the first Europeans to establish settlements in what is now United States territory. In fact, by 1565—almost half a century before British colonists landed at Jamestown—the Spanish had established a permanent settlement at Saint Augustine, Florida. Traders and missionaries followed in the wake of explorers such as Coronado, Ponce de Le6n, and Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, helping to open the American Southwest to further settlement and development. Making use of the land's resources through farming, ranching, and mining, Spanish peoples shaped much of the Western frontier. Thriving communities took root around many Spanish missions, and today cities such as San Diego, Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Santa Fe continue to bear evidence of their celebrated past. However, over the years, Hispanic Americans have made vital contributions in communities across the country and in virtually every field of endeavor. Today Hispanic Americans are om* Nation's fastest growing minority. The number of Hispanics in this country grew by 53 percent during the past decade, up from 14.6 million to 22.4 million. This means that Hispanics now constitute about 9 percent of our population. Many Hispanic Americans have come to these shores as immigrants, seeking better lives for themselves and their children. The achievements of these men and women indicate that they have not taken liber-
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