Political Quotes

“I want to commend my colleague, Congressman Grimm, for introducing this bill to name a post office in his Staten Island district after Sergeant Angel Mendez, who, at age 20, in Vietnam, laid down his life for his fellow marines, earning the Navy Cross for his actions. Sergeant Mendez died far too young, but his short life was filled with greatness. With this bill, Congressman Grimm, a Devil Dog himself, honors Sergeant Mendez, the Marine Corps, and this country. The bond between New York and Puerto Rico is deep and strong. Sergeant Mendez' parents were born in Puerto Rico and, like so many island residents of their generation, moved to New York in search of a better life for themselves and their children. How Sergeant Mendez came to possess such character and courage will never be known; and, in fact, I am moved by the description just made by Congressman Grimm about his valor in Vietnam. But on that day in 1967 when he was mortally wounded on a battlefield thousands of miles from Staten Island, this New York son of Puerto Rican heritage became an American hero. Today, thanks to Congressman Grimm, we pay tribute to his strength and his sacrifice, and engrave his name in stone. I am now, more than ever, a proud Puerto Rican American remembering the life of Sergeant Angel Mendez. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2422.”