Remarks on Receiving the Legislative Award from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Pelosi Remarks on Receiving the Legislative Award from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Washington, D.C.-House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi received the Legislative Award from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) tonight at their National Legislative Awards Gala. Celebrating its 75th anniversary, LULAC is the oldest and largest Hispanic organization in the United States. Below are Leader Pelosi's remarks:
Thank you, Rosa Rosales, for that gracious introduction and for all that you do as LULAC National Vice-President for Women. Congratulations to my fellow honorees Ruben Barrales and my great colleague Congresswoman Grace Napolitano.
To the board members and affiliates of the League of United Latin American Citizens, thank you for your unfailing dedication to improving the lives of Latino families, and thank you for this award.
At its founding, LULAC sought to help make the American dream a reality for the millions of Hispanics living in America. For the past 75 years, you have worked tirelessly to expand opportunity for those here and for those drawn here by that dream. Tonight, we celebrate your success, we give thanks for your dedication, and we rededicate ourselves to your mission. So on your 75th anniversary, it gives me great pleasure to be here and to say
Feliz aniversario y muchas gracias!
Tonight, I bring the greetings of House Democrats. The Democratic caucus is the only diverse caucus with our great Hispanic Caucus, our Congressional Black Caucus, our Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, our Women's Caucus. Whether in Congress or across the country, our diversity is our strength. As we say in California, the beauty is in the mix.
Hispanics values - faith, family, love of country - are American values. The Hispanic dream - the hope of a better future - is the American Dream.
A better future starts with the best education for our children. We must fully fund education programs such as No Child Left Behind to improve the lives of Hispanic children. We will not move forward as a country by leaving so many children behind.
A better future includes equal access to health care. We must do more to help those with no health insurance, including one-third of all Hispanics in America and half of all Hispanic children. We will not heal our divisions by ignoring inequalities.
A better future recognizes that immigration enriches, not threatens, America. We must pursue real immigration reform that respects core values - family unity, fairness, and economic opportunity. We do not need a temporary worker program, we need a meaningful pathway to citizenship. We cannot come together as a country by trying to keep others out.
We can build that better future, but only by working together. No one knew that better than Willie Velasquez, who taught us all, "Su voto es su voz." Recently, I was thrilled to see Willie's legacy revisited by the Dallas Morning News. It reminded me of how proud I was to know and work with him, and of how far the Hispanic community has come. 10 million Hispanics will be registered to vote by this November. Hispanics have long been influential culturally and economically, and now you are decisive politically. Know thy power.
On his death bed, reflecting on the new influence of Hispanics, Willie said "Que bonito es el Nuevo mundo" - How beautiful is our new world. As I look at all of you tonight-how beautiful is our new world.
Together, we can give everyone in this nation - whether they have been here for generations or just arrived to our shores - the opportunity to realize the American dream.
Thank you, LULAC, for this National Legislative award, and thank you for 75 years of outstanding work for our country.