Candice S. Miller: “House Resolution 433 honors Luis A. Ferre, perhaps the greatest political figure in Puerto Rico during the last half…”

“House Resolution 433 honors Luis A. Ferre, perhaps the greatest political figure in Puerto Rico during the last half century. Luis Ferre passed away in San Juan at the age of 99 on October 21, 2003, and this resolution recognizes his lifelong devotion to the United States, and to social justice in his native Puerto Rico. Luis Ferre spent his life as a successful businessman and a human rights advocate for people on the small Caribbean island. He was elected to terms as Governor and to Representative in Puerto Rico. Madam Speaker, Luis Ferre loved the United States and his greatest hope was to see his native Puerto Rico become an American State. In 1917, at the age of 13 years old, Ferre and the Puerto Rican population were granted United States citizenship. In the year of 2000, Ferre once recounted that he could not distinctly remember the event but, he said, 'Ever since I have been very proud of that day. I feel it is a great privilege and a great honor to be a citizen of the greatest republic that we have had in the history of the world.'”