[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 20 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE SOLOMON ENGLISH LANGUAGE EMPOWERMENT AMENDMENT

  (Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, in just a few minutes this House will begin 
debate on something that is probably the most important issue that we 
will take up on the floor this Congress during this entire year. It is 
the question of whether or not to start in motion the wheels that will 
begin to admit Puerto Rico as a State to this Union.
  I would just hope that all Members, and because of their interest for 
their constituents, would pay particular attention. I would suggest 
that they come over here. This debate is going to take 7 or 8 hours on 
this floor, but it is very, very important.
  I will be offering an amendment that will begin to emphasize that 
based on this premise, for the past two centuries we have forged a 
Nation out of our different peoples by emphasizing our common beliefs, 
our common ideals, and perhaps, most importantly, Mr. Speaker, our 
common language.
  Our English language has permitted this country to live up to our 
motto, our national motto, and that motto is e pluribus unum, and it 
means ``out of many, one.'' The English language is the reason that we 
have survived these last 200 years. Think about it.

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