Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, first, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar), and all those founding mothers and fathers who, many years ago, thought about this museum and how important it would be to add to the fabric of our country in our own backyard, an American Latino museum. I stand here today, proudly, because I still remember in 2014 hosting a reception for the museum to try to raise money, to try to raise awareness, to make sure that people understood why it was so needed. So, I stand proudly today to support this bill, because, as Latinos, 60 million strong and growing, we have a place to be, and that is in the museum. Latinos contribute billions to our economy and are starting more small businesses than any group, and during this pandemic, we have worked essential jobs that have kept our country moving forward. It is time for Latinos to see our contributions, our culture, and our history reflected in all institutions, including the Smithsonian museums. More importantly, it is time for our children to come to a museum and see the stories of their own heritage, their own culture, and their own language. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to support this very important bill. (English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:) Latino history is American history. Nuestra historia es historia Americana.”