[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6913-S6914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO COLONEL RAMON M. BARQUIN

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure to honor an 
individual who lived in pursuit of a free Cuba and a better America, 
COL Ramon M. Barquin, who died at the age of 93 on March 3, 2008.
  Colonel Barquin was an accomplished military leader, an educator, a 
diplomat, and an entrepreneur. Although Cuba was his native home, he 
made our Nation a better place during the years he lived in exile.
  Ramon Barquin was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, on May 12, 1914. At the 
age of 19, he joined the Cuban army, served his country, and graduated 
from the Cuban Military Academy in 1941. During his years of military 
service, Colonel Barquin attended various U.S. Army schools here in the 
United States. Following a distinguished career in the military, 
Colonel Barquin found his passion in military education.
  In the classroom, he worked to instill a culture of civic awareness 
within the military's ranks, founded the Cuban National War College, 
and eventually

[[Page S6914]]

was promoted to director of Cuba's military schools. Following his 
career in Cuban military education, Barquin was appointed as Cuba's 
military attache to the United States and delegate to the Inter-
American Defense Board, where he was elected vice chair and led the 
team that developed the plan for a joint defense of the Western 
Hemisphere. For his work, Colonel Barquin was honored in 1955 by our 
government with the Legion of Merit, Grade of Commander.
  While serving as attache, he learned of the shifting political winds 
in Cuba and conspired to prevent freedom from losing a foothold in his 
native land. I can remember as a young boy in Cuba living through 
tumultuous times. But I also remember my father often remarking that in 
Colonel Barquin, Cuba had its best hope for democracy.
  It was the colonel's concerns that led him to participate in a failed 
military revolt against the Batista dictatorship and later to actively 
work against Castro's totalitarian regime. When Castro came to power, 
he asked Barquin to serve as defense minister. Concerned with the 
regime's repressive nature, Colonel Barquin refused and instead chose 
to serve in an ambassadorial post in Europe. As a result of that, he 
was able to flee to the United States and begin a new life, now in 
exile.
  After briefly living in Miami, Barquin rekindled his passion for 
education by establishing a consortium of educational institutions in 
Puerto Rico. They included a K-12 school called the American Military 
Academy, summer camps, a university--Atlantic College--and an institute 
for civic education known as Instituto de Democratica. He was 
recognized for his hard work and enterpreneurism by the Puerto Rican 
government as the 1995 Educator of the Year.
  Graduates of the K-12 academy he founded had kind words of 
appreciation for the colonel's work and character. One student 
remarked: ``From the Colonel, I learned to love my country and he 
taught me the values that lead my life today.''
  As a Cuban American, a Floridian, and a Senator, it gives me great 
pleasure to pay tribute to an individual with a legacy as awe inspiring 
as that of COL Ramon M. Barquin. His unwavering commitment to freedom 
and democracy, his generosity, and his zeal for serving others is, and 
will be, sorely missed.
  I also know that probably one of his proudest accomplishments was a 
wonderful family. I am privileged to know his son Ramon, who also 
carries his name, and also some of his grandchildren. I know that is, 
without a doubt, what I am sure he feels was his greatest legacy while 
he lived among us. I know that history would have been very different 
if he had had an opportunity to follow through on some of his ideas and 
some of his hopes.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise to speak to my colleagues on two 
issues this afternoon. One is the nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the 
U.S. Supreme Court and the second is on the public option in health 
care.

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