Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a special day for Americans of Portuguese descent to celebrate Dia de Portugal, a national Portuguese holiday. The story of Portuguese Americans is part of the American story, which is about immigrants past and present--in this case, the Portuguese community. As a proud descendant of Portuguese immigrants, the traditions and values that my family took from the Azore Islands off the coast of Portugal have never been far from my heart. It is the story of my family. The fact is that Portugal is one of America's longest and strongest allies. It was one of the first nations to recognize the United States as an independent nation after the Revolutionary War. As co-chairman of the Portuguese Caucus, I look forward to continuing our efforts in a bipartisan fashion to advance mutual interests and strengthen the bonds between the United States and Portugal. We celebrate the richness and ethnic diversity of all the communities in our country. I am convinced it is the secret sauce of America. De Tocqueville wrote a book about it in the late 19th century, wondering why America could reinvent itself with every generation of immigrants that came to these shores with nothing more than the clothes on their back but a deep desire to work hard and succeed for themselves and their families. That is the secret sauce, the American Dream that we share in common. For Dia de Portugal, Feliz Dia de Portugal. ____________________”