[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 85 (Friday, June 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE WESTERN NEW YORK HISPANIC AMERICAN VETERANS' COMMITTEE

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                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2013

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our Nation's 
Hispanic-American veterans with the unveiling of the Hispanic-American 
Veterans' Memorial. Dedicated to the service of past, present, and 
future veterans, the memorial honors the courageous sacrifices and 
immense contributions by the Hispanic-American community while 
defending our Nation.
   Hispanic-Americans have a storied history in the armed forces. The 
legendary 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the ``Borinqueneers,'' was 
the only segregated Hispanic-American branch in the history of our 
military. Established in 1899, the regiment made significant 
contributions to the American effort in World War I, World War II, and 
the Korean War. Locally, the Gabriel A. Rodriguez American Legion Post 
Number 1928 primarily serves and honors Hispanic-American veterans.
   The Hispanic-American Veterans' Memorial is the first monument to 
Hispanic-American veterans in our region. Thanks to the efforts of 
countless individuals, including the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and 
the Western New York Hispanic American Veterans' Committee, these brave 
men and women will be memorialized permanently along the waterfront. 
Placed among many military memorials, the monument demonstrates the 
unity among our country's noble service men and women.
   The memorial features boots, a rifle, and a helmet arranged in a 
battlefield cross to remember fallen heroes. The flags of twenty-two 
countries are engraved on an ellipse with a kneeling soldier and a 
female soldier, representing the twenty-one countries where most 
Hispanic-American veterans trace their roots, and the United States. 
Four hundred sixty personalized bricks symbolize the sacrifices and 
history of those who have fallen in battle, and allow public and 
private engagement with those who are memorialized.
   It is with great pride that today I recognize the service of over 
one million Hispanic-American veterans with the unveiling of this 
memorial. I am immensely grateful for the commitment of the Hispanic 
Heritage Foundation and the Western New York Hispanic-American 
Veterans' Committee to telling the stories of these heroes. Their 
service to our region and our Nation is inspiring, and I am proud that 
Western New Yorkers now have a place to reflect on their legacy.

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