[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 433 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

                                                        March 16, 2004.
Whereas Luis A. Ferre was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on February 17, 1904, soon 
        after Spain ceded control of Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898;
Whereas in 1917, when Luis Ferre was 13 years old, the people of Puerto Rico 
        were granted United States citizenship;
Whereas Luis Ferre's respect for the United States was fostered by his years as 
        a college student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 
        Cambridge, Massachusetts;
Whereas Luis Ferre returned to Puerto Rico with a degree in engineering and a 
        firm belief in Puerto Rican statehood;
Whereas Luis Ferre built his father's business, Puerto Rico Iron Works, into a 
        hugely successful industrial enterprise;
Whereas Luis Ferre, who entered politics at a propitious time in the island's 
        history, was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1951 and was 
        elected to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives in 1953;
Whereas Luis Ferre saw the opportunity to advocate Puerto Rican statehood in 
        1967, the year of the first political status plebiscite on the island;
Whereas, although Puerto Rico remained a commonwealth after the 1967 plebiscite, 
        Luis Ferre utilized the plebiscite to mobilize statehood forces and to 
        establish a new political entity, the New Progressive Party;
Whereas in 1968 Luis Ferre ran for Governor of Puerto Rico as the New 
        Progressive Party candidate and won a close race;
Whereas Luis Ferre served as Governor for one term, from 1969 to 1973;
Whereas, as Governor, Luis Ferre ordered the liberation of all political 
        prisoners incarcerated in Puerto Rican prisons as an act of national 
        reconciliation;
Whereas when Luis Ferre was elected Governor he launched an effort to address 
        what he called ``the inequalities of Puerto Rican society'', with 
        initiatives to grant property titles to people living on public lands 
        and to build multiple housing structures in rural and urban areas of 
        Puerto Rico to provide homes for low-income families;
Whereas, during his term as Governor, Luis Ferre signed into law several pieces 
        of social legislation that contributed to the betterment of Puerto Rican 
        workers, including pay increases for teachers and policemen as well as 
        other public employees and ``Christmas bonuses'', whereby workers 
        received a check for at least 4 percent of their annual salary during 
        the holiday season;
Whereas, as Governor, Luis Ferre appointed the first woman to a cabinet-level 
        position, selecting Julita Rivera de Vicenty as Secretary of Labor of 
        Puerto Rico;
Whereas Luis Ferre made great contributions to Puerto Rican cultural life, 
        founding the Ponce Museum of Arts and giving scholarships to artists to 
        further their studies in disciplines such as painting, visual arts, and 
        music;
Whereas, throughout his life over the past century, Luis Ferre became an honored 
        elder statesman and philanthropist;
Whereas Luis Ferre is one of four Puerto Ricans who have received the 
        Presidential Medal of Freedom; and
Whereas Luis Ferre passed away on October 21, 2003, at the age of 99: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors Luis A. Ferre for his outstanding political leadership, 
        business savvy, advocacy for social justice, and great love and support 
        of the arts; and
            (2) expresses condolences on his passing to his wife, Tiody de 
        Jesus, and his two children, Antonio Luis and Rosario, and 
        grandchildren.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.