[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 466 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 466

 Expressing support for the designation of June as Portuguese National 
                            Heritage Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 5, 2023

Mr. Valadao (for himself, Mr. Costa, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Magaziner, Mrs. 
Trahan, and Mr. Keating) submitted the following resolution; which was 
       referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of June as Portuguese National 
                            Heritage Month.

Whereas Portugal was the first neutral nation to establish diplomatic ties with 
        the United States;
Whereas Portuguese Americans harbor a deep commitment to family and community, 
        an enduring work ethic, and a perseverance to succeed and contribute to 
        society;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have contributed to the advancement of early 
        American society from manning whaling ships in New England to the 
        introduction of grape cultivation in Georgia;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have been leaders in elected governmental 
        positions;
Whereas Portuguese-American political influence began early in Hawaii, and in 
        1894, 3 of the 18 elected delegates to the Constitutional Convention 
        were Portuguese;
Whereas, in 1979, Peter ``Tony'' Coelho of California was elected to the House 
        of Representatives, becoming the first Portuguese American to serve in 
        Congress;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have served in the highest positions of the 
        National Government, the most notable of whom is nuclear physicist and 
        former Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz;
Whereas Portuguese Americans are leaders in the agricultural industry in 
        California and throughout the Nation, most notably in the dairy 
        industry;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have served in the highest levels of the 
        educational community, the most notable being Francis Mile Rogers, who 
        was a professor of Portuguese at Harvard University, where he chaired 
        the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and served as the 
        dean of the School of Arts and Sciences;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have served with distinction and proudly in the 
        United States military;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have made lasting contributions to American culture 
        in various ways, such as introducing the ukulele to American music and 
        John Philip Sousa, the ``March King'', composing the ``Stars and Stripes 
        Forever'' march for the United States Navy;
Whereas Portuguese Americans, and particularly emigrants from the Azores 
        Archipelago, have built bridges of cooperation and innovation that have 
        strengthened transatlantic relations through local and international 
        Portuguese-American associations such as the Luso-American Development 
        Foundation and the Portuguese American Leadership Council: and
Whereas Dia de Portugal is annually celebrated on June 10: Now, therefore, be
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of Portuguese 
        National Heritage Month;
            (2) esteems the integral role of the Portuguese-American 
        community and the manifold heritage of Portugal in the economy, 
        culture, and identity of the United States; and
            (3) urges the people of the United States to observe a 
        Portuguese National Heritage Month with appropriate programs 
        and activities that celebrate the contributions of the 
        Portuguese community to the United States.
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