[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 28, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING HELEN AGUIRRE FERRE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2012

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Women's History Month, 
I rise to honor one of South Florida's finest award-winning, bilingual 
journalists, Helen Aguirre Ferre. Having profound experience in 
journalism, she dominates various media platforms including, TV, radio, 
and print media.
  Having more than two decades of experience, Mrs. Aguirre Ferre 
currently serves as the Opinion Page Editor for El Diario Las America. 
Her father, Horacio Aguirre, an exceptional leader in South Florida, 
founded El Diario, Florida's oldest independent Spanish-language 
newspaper. For more than half a century, El Diario has maintained a 
high level of intellect, professionalism, and integrity. Mrs. Aguirre 
Ferre is also a political guest analyst for Univision, where she 
frequently appears on ``Despierta America'' and ``Al Punto.'' She also 
co-hosts Univision's ``Prohibido Callarse,'' a highly rated daily 
political talk show, and moderates the weekly public-affairs series 
Issues for WPBT2, a South Florida PBS station.
  Her accomplishments go beyond her professional career; Mrs. Aguirre 
Ferre co-founded Operation Saving Lives, a humanitarian effort 
responsible for sending money, medicines, food, and clothing to 
hurricane victims in Central America. She is the first woman to chair 
Miami Dade College's Board of Trustees and she serves on the Board of 
Directors of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and 
Colleges. Additionally, Mrs. Aguirre Ferre is a member of the 
International Women's Forum, the Council on Foreign Relations, the 
Inter-American Institute for Democracy, the New Hampshire Institute of 
Politics, Mercy Hospital's Angels of Mercy, the Mater Center, and the 
American Nicaraguan Foundation.
  She has received numerous awards from various organizations, 
including the Cuban American National Council, Barry University, Saint 
Anselm College, the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, 
the Women's History Coalition, the American Nicaraguan Foundation, the 
Cuban Women's Club, the Latin Chamber of Commerce of the United States 
(CAMACOL) and Hispanic Media 100, among many others.
  Mrs. Aguirre Ferre has earned the respect and trust of our community 
in South Florida, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing a 
dear friend and accomplished individual. I wish her continued success 
in her future endeavors.

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