Annotations for People: Roybal-allard-lucille 1941-

It's not going to accomplish anything in keeping people from crossing the border. It'll simply prevent them from wanting to come over to buy American goods.

I'm Maria Hinojosa. From mom-and-pop stores to computer corporations, the number of Latino-owned businesses in this country is growing rapidly. According to the US business census, 20 years ago, there were just over a hundred thousand such enterprises. Today, they number over a half a million with total revenues of over $34 billion. That figure is expected to rise to $49 billion by the year 2000. A number of CEOs of the top Latino-owned business firms were in Washington, DC recently for a dialogue with policy makers in the nation's capital. Latino USA's, Patricia Guadalupe reports.

Organized by Hispanic Business magazine, this gathering brought over 250 chief executive officers of top Hispanic companies to communicate their concerns and legislative priorities to members of Congress and President Clinton. Among their concerns, the North American Free Trade Agreement and healthcare reform. Nancy Archuleta, CEO of MEVATEC Corporation, a small aerospace company in Huntsville, Alabama, is concerned that available details from the President's healthcare plan indicate it may pose problems for many Latino businesses.

Almost a resounding message that we've received is that small to mid-size business America has not been heard. We currently provide full pay medical benefits to our employees, but given the tax reform, given healthcare as a mandate, those things would really make me consider seriously whether I would be able to even be profitable any longer. And if I can't be profitable, obviously, I can't stay in business.

Archuleta added that as part of their meetings with congressional leaders, the Hispanic CEOs will propose tax incentives for small businesses as a way to help pay for participation in the healthcare system.

I think there's a good compromise somewhere in there. It's a great start. I hope we can take our time with it.

A majority of the business leaders assembled support the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Many say that as Latinos, they can take advantage of the common language and cultural identification with Mexico. Gilbert Moreno, a senior partner for a telecommunications company in El Paso, Texas, says that even though he has problems with the enforcement powers of the labor and environmental site agreements to NAFTA, he feels those who are against the treaty don't realize it as beneficial overall.

I think there's a lot of issues, environmental, a lot of concerns that existed with or without the NAFTA environment here that I think are muddying the water relative to what's happening. And I think that we have no choice as American business people to use some provisions that are not to our liking as the excuse not to move forward. We have no choice, and what I'm afraid of is that most of the legislators who for political reasons may be making the decision not to vote for NAFTA are not taking a look at the big picture and the common ground that we can reach between the three nations.

According to the latest US Census and Department of Labor Statistics, new business growth, even in a recession, is greatest among Hispanics and even outpaces the population group in that community. Democratic representative, Lucille Roybal-Allard of California, one of the lawmakers meeting with the Latino business leaders says that with the growing influence of Latinos, more members of Congress are paying attention.

The Latino community and the business community is growing tremendously, and it has tremendous influence, not only in terms of the contributions that the Latino businesses will make to the economy of the United States but in terms of their political influence, their influence and a lot of the policy decisions that are going to be have been made and are being made today.

Those attending the business leaders conference also met with members of Clinton's cabinet. For Latino USA, I'm Patricia Guadalupe in Washington.[transition music]

Latina women are more likely to have diabetes than other groups of women, and there's a whole series of diseases that impact Latino women disproportionately from other population.

Well, the good news right now for the administration is that it's not hemorrhaging or losing as many votes as it was say about a month ago. The bad news is that it's not picking up very many votes either.

As the countdown continues for a mid-November congressional vote on NAFTA, the Clinton administration is stepping up its campaign to promote free trade. The President is trying to convince those still undecided members of Congress, including those in the Hispanic caucus, to get on board. NPR reporter Richard Gonzalez has been following the free-trade debate.

What they're trying to do is convince Congressman Esteban Torres that they can meet his demands for a North America Development Bank. This would be a bank, funds for which would be used for border and environmental clean-up and for communities away from the border who might be impacted by the North America Free Trade agreement. The problem is that these negotiations are very fragile, but it could also explode and come to nothing.There's a possibility that Congressman Torres, Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard and maybe two or three others might come over to the Pro-NAFTA side. But it's still too early to say. There's the deal in the works, but a deal has not been finalized.

Some of the Puerto Rican and Cuban American Congress members are also still undecided regarding the free trade agreement.

Border Patrol spokesperson, Doug Mosher says that technically Operation Blockade ended on November 2nd, but that the enhanced patrols would continue indefinitely. Border Patrol spokesperson, Doug Mosher says that technically Operation Blockade ended on November 2nd, but that the enhanced patrols would continue indefinitely.

We still have enhanced manpower at all the major crossing points in a 20-mile area between roughly Ysleta, Texas and Sunland Park, New Mexico. So the strategy still continues.

Catholic bishops in El Paso say that Juarez, Mexico and Las Cruces, New Mexico recently called for a moratorium on Operation Blockade, to give people in border communities in both countries time to adjust to the impact of the operation on their economy, said the Bishops.But Doug Mosher of the Border Patrol says the number of apprehensions at the border are up by 80% since Operation Blockade began. That's a success, he says, and there are no plans for a moratorium.

It's a permanent initiative and it's something we're going to be doing from here on out. So, that's the word we're getting at, is it no longer is a special operation, it's a permanent activity.

Doug Mosher of the Border Patrol in El Paso.