[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 40 (Friday, March 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E512-E513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 CELEBRATING FLORIDA'S SESQUICENTENNIAL

                                 ______


                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 3, 1995
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud observance 
of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the State of Florida.
  One hundred and fifty years ago today, President John Tyler signed 
into law the Florida Statehood bill, enacted 2 days earlier by the 28th 
Congress, admitting Florida as the 27th State. Today, the Sunshine 
State has risen in stature to become the fourth largest State of the 
Union, with an economy larger than all but 14 countries. In the last 15 
years alone, its population has risen by more than a third, further 
enriching one of the most economically successful, culturally vibrant 
regions of America.
  The Sunshine State plays a vital role in American prosperity. In 
1513, Ponce de Leon's initial landfalls along Florida's pristine 
beaches marked the first steps by European settlers on the shores of 
North America. Today, the more than 20 million visitors to our State 
each year walk these same beaches seeking their own Fountain of Youth. 
Florida welcomes tourists from across the world who come to enjoy our 
cultural offerings and environmental beauty.
  Our State's rich natural resources provide our Nation with a healthy 
diet of fruits, vegetables, and fish, and its manufacturing industries 
supply America with key electrical, transportation and high technology 
equipment.
  Since the Spanish-American War, critical military facilities across 
Florida have defended 
[[Page E513]] our Nation's Southeast flank, and have given us the 
ability to protect our national interests throughout the hemisphere. On 
the threshold of the 21st century, the United States relies ever more 
on Florida's strengths in education and technology, assets that have 
already launched us into a new frontier.
  As Commander Steve Oswald told our Florida congressional delegation 
this morning while orbiting the Earth in Space Shuttle Endeavor, 
``Every time Americans have left the planet to explore space, they have 
done so from Florida.''
  The greatest testament to Florida's excellence comes from the tens of 
thousands of people each year who choose to make our State their homes. 
Whether by birth or by choice, Floridians are a proud people who have 
contributed greatly to the history of our Nation. Twenty-two sons of 
Florida have won the Nation's highest award for bravery, the 
Congressional Medal of Honor, for protecting our country's freedoms. 
Here in the Nation's Capital, 96 Floridians have served our State and 
our Nation in the House of Representatives, and 30 have distinguished 
themselves through their service in the Senate. We salute our 
predecessors and the numerous other Floridians who have served in the 
executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the Federal 
Government.
  From the white, sandy beaches and intercostal waterways of Pinellas 
County, the area which I have the privilege to represent, to the 
tropical Keys to the south, the rich pine forests to the north, and the 
excitement of the Kennedy Space Center on the east coast, after 150 
years, the Sunshine State has become synonymous with great historic 
moments and diverse natural beauty. Florida's many diverse successes 
have transformed it into a gateway between North and South America, a 
bridge from the Earth to space, and a link connecting us to our future. 
With great pride, I salute the State of Florida on this historic day. 
May the sun always shine on its future.


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