Subject: For research: DWS Remarks - Hispanic Chamber of Commerce small business breakfast
From: "Walsh, Tom" <[email-masked]>
To: RR2 <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Miranda, Luis" <[email-masked]>, "Paustenbach, Mark" <[email-masked]>, Ryan Banfill <[email-masked]>, "Walker, Eric" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:29:42 -0700

DWS
US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
April 19, 2015 - 8-9:30a.m.
5 min remarks
Buenos dias!

Thank you Javier [Palomarez] for that generous introduction and for the invitation to be here with you today.

It's great to see so many familiar faces, including Albert Morales, who was an absolute rockstar for us at the DNC. We were sorry to see him leave, but I know he's going to continue to do great things for the Hispanic community and our country here at the USHCC.

One of the last events Albert worked on with us on was a DNC Hispanic summit in Miami last month - it was a fantastic opportunity to listen to open have a dialogue to engage South Florida's thriving with the Hispanic community, listen to their ideas and hear about the great work they're doing to organize and mobilize voters in these elections. listen to their hopes and concerns. Some of the personal stories we heard in particular were a great reminder that politics is about people, their lives, their hopes and aspirations. And that's where we find so much synergy with the Hispanic Chamber.

This is an exciting time in politics - we have fewer than 100 days to go until our convention kicks off in Philadelphia, and just 202 days until Election Day in November. With last night's New York Primary behind us, things are heating up on both sides.

One thing is absolutely clear - no matter which of our Democratic candidates becomes our nominee, we will have a candidate that will be good for business, good for the economy, and ready to expand opportunity for all Americans, while the alternative would drag us backwards.

For starters, on the Democratic side, our debates have been serious, substantive, and our candidates have each made it clear they understand our nation's strength comes from embracing our diversity.

It's a stark contrast from what we've seen from Republicans - especially their frontrunner.

Donald Trump started his campaign by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers. We've seen a disturbing trend at this rallies of Latino and other minority attendees becoming victims of harassment and even violence. He claimed he lost a court case because the judge was Hispanic, and his extreme calls for mass deportations are even shared by his closest competitor, Ted Cruz.

But of course, this election isn't just about the candidates' positions on immigration, attitudes toward minorities or the scapegoating of immigrant communities.

The Number One problem voters care about most is our economy. And you understand as well as anyone that when it comes to the economic progress, volatility is bad news.

Well, a Trump presidency, as he's described it himself, looks like the very model of volatility.

Economists have already predicted his policies could start an international trade war and cause a global recession.

But he's also promised to pull back from our most important military alliances in NATO, potentially destabilizing key regions of the globe. He even refused to say he wouldn't use nuclear weapons on European territory.

But even if Trump doesn't become the nominee, all the GOP candidates have proposed economic plans similar-to or worse than those in place at the end of the last Republican presidency.

Now, I can admit, as Chair of the DNC, I'm bringing a slight bias to the stage today.
But the facts speak for themselves. Just look at how far our country has come over the last seven years under Democratic leadership.

For the Hispanic Chamber, you and your members know what's at stake. You know what it was like seven years ago. When the last Republican President left office our economy was losing 800,000 jobs a month. The Hispanic unemployment rate spiked. We all remember walking through neighborhoods and seeing foreclosure signs up and down the street. We remember seeing too many families losing their jobs, their homes and their savings.

For business owners of every size, credit simply dried up. Hispanic families and Hispanic businesses were squeezed. I know I'd rather take my chances in today's economy any day over what we were facing then.

That's what's at stake. This election is about opportunities seized, or opportunities lost. It's about whether we embrace and champion the energy, enthusiasm, and spirit of everyone in America, or allow our country to be divided, diminished, and made more dangerous at home and abroad.

Your members seek out the American Dream every single day. Your support for Hispanic businesses -- large and small -- is about helping them seize opportunities and gain a sense of ownership over their future.

Hispanic Americans are more likely to start their own businesses than the general population. You have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, one that has helped revitalize communities across our country. And no other community can attest to the progress our country has made over the last seven years than yours.

Now, unemployment - including Latino unemployment - is at record lows, the housing market is rebounding, and hundreds of thousands of DREAMers have the chance to study, work and contribute to the communities they grew up in.

We've had 73 consecutive months of private sector job growth - an all-time record.

And the number of Hispanic-owned businesses increased 47 percent between the years of 2007-2012, from 2.3 million to 3.3 million.

In fiscal year 2014, the Minority Business Development Agency facilitated 2.8 billion dollars in contracts and financing for Hispanic-owned firms. Those transactions supported the creation and retention of about 13,000 jobs.

At the same time, the SBA has increased overall lending, including to Hispanic entrepreneurs, and increased access to small dollar loans.

And under the Affordable Care Act, the uninsured rate among Hispanics dropped by more than 25 percent - with about 4 million Hispanic adults gaining coverage.

And that's just part of the 20 million Americans who now have health care that they didn't have it before the ACA, which means Americans are healthier and even more economically secure.

So regardless of your personal politics - maybe you're still on the fence - I want you to know that Hispanic Americans and business owners have a home in the Democratic Party. We're going to keep fighting every day to grow the economy, expand opportunity, level the playing field and give everyone a fair shot.

Thank you so much for having me this morning. I wish you all the business success in the world. I'm grateful for your leadership in your communities, and I look forward to continuing the conversation between us at the DNC, our broader Democratic Party, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Thank you!