Vito Fossella: “Mr. Speaker, it is my strong belief that Italian Americans have contributed greatly to the United States and continue to…”

“Mr. Speaker, it is my strong belief that Italian Americans have contributed greatly to the United States and continue to contribute proudly as well. We know Columbus discovered America. Two Italians signed the Declaration of Independence. Enrico Fermi split the atom, and Captain Don Gentile, the fighting ace, was described by General Dwight Eisenhower as a ``one-man force.'' He, like so many other Italian-Americans, did and were willing to give their life in defense of freedom and liberty and supporting these great United States. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to spend a few minutes today to honor an Italian American and former Staten Island resident who is often overlooked, as announced already, and his name was Antonio Meucci. The 19th century was a time of great technological innovation, as its birth heralded the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. However, unlike the century just ended and the new one we are beginning to explore, the rough-and-tumble of our young Nation had yet to develop information exchange to the extent we enjoy today. The Founding Fathers made America a guarantor of unprecedented and, to this day, unmatched liberty. This liberty included again an unprecedented appreciation for intellectual property rights.”