On the recordApril 21, 2010
As the Nation's newest Member of Congress, it is truly an honor to have my first remarks on the floor be in commemoration of Israel's 62nd anniversary. Today I proudly rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 260, which recognizes the independence of the Jewish state of Israel and reaffirms the unyielding friendship and unshakable alliance between our two great nations. As Israelis and Jewish communities throughout the world celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut, this resolution holds a special significance for me and my constituents in Florida's 19th District. I proudly represent a district with one of the Nation's largest number of Jewish Americans, as well as Holocaust survivors. So many of my constituents remember when the promise of Israel was only an unlikely possibility, and over the years they watched the amazing realization of this dream and the establishment of this great nation. For so many of my constituents and to so many Americans, that day in 1948 when Israel declared its independence was the day that a promise was fulfilled to the Jewish people who for so long struggled to find a place they could call home. Sixty-two years later, Israel has grown into a thriving democratic state with a technologically advanced economy and a rich, democratic culture. The people of Israel embrace freedom, and through art and literature, music and business, the entire globe has benefited from Israel's existence and success.
