Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Passport Month
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL PASSPORT MONTH -- (House of Representatives - June 06, 2006)
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Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today in the United States, fewer than 23 percent of Americans have an issued passport, meaning that millions of our citizens are unable to take advantage of the culturally enriching opportunities presented by international travel. International travel can help promote understanding, tolerance and mutual respect for other cultures and traditions around the world.
National Passport Month would support the goal of encouraging and inspiring Americans to participate in the educational opportunities that having a passport can provide.
By opening the doors to the rewards of traveling beyond the boarders and the equally important potential that we have to build bridges connecting cultures throughout the world, makes it extremely pertinent that we encourage especially the young and old to apply for past ports.
Mr. Speaker, recently it became necessary to have a passport to go into Mexico. Most Americans are not yet aware of that. I would particularly remind people listening tonight throughout the world and those who will read the official record of our proceedings here today that having a passport takes time. I would encourage people to have them before they intend to travel so that they are prepared for the quick trip from San Diego to Tijuana or the trip from here to Abu Dhabi.
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Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge passage and thank the gentleman from Illinois. It is a pleasure working on the Committee on Government Reform. It is also a privilege serving on the International Relations Committee, in which public diplomacy has been a major initiative that Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos have been reaching out and trying to have done.
There is no better public diplomacy than for Americans to reach out to people, perhaps from their ancestry or simply from an area of interest, by visiting. So I too encourage all the Members to vote for this, to travel themselves and to be the diplomats in public diplomacy that we need so badly in this time of strife throughout the world.
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