[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 11, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6371-S6372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REMARKS OF JUDGE CHRISTINA REISS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, on August 16, I had the honor of attending 
a naturalization ceremony at the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum in 
Burlington, VT, conducted by the Chief Judge of the United States 
District Court for the District of Vermont, Christina Reiss. This 
naturalization ceremony was especially timely as the Senate had in June 
voted strongly in favor of passing a comprehensive immigration reform 
bill. I am proud of the Senate's work on that legislation, and 
especially proud of the thorough process we had in the Judiciary 
Committee to give that legislation a fair and public hearing.
  I have attended many naturalization ceremonies over the years and 
never fail to come away inspired by the process and by the 
participants. Judge Reiss' most recent naturalization ceremony was a 
reminder of how meaningful American citizenship is, and of what an 
accomplishment it is for those who earn it. Judge Reiss invited me to 
address the new Americans, but I was particularly moved by her remarks 
to the 10 new Americans who were naturalized as citizens of the United 
States that day.
  Judge Reiss delivered a positive, uplifting, and powerful message to 
these men and women about what it means to be an American. Her message 
to them was one of hope. It was also a challenge to be the 
transformative force that so many immigrants have been for America 
throughout our history. Judge Reiss encouraged their civic 
participation and commitment to our constitutional values. She called 
upon them to be full participants in our democracy, to exercise their 
rights and their responsibilities by voting, and to embrace the rule of 
law. And Judge Reiss' remarks were a warm Vermont welcome to the 10 new 
citizens who chose to make Vermont their home.
  As I listened to Judge Reiss deliver her remarks, I reflected on my 
own family's history of immigration and the experience of my wife 
Marcelle's mother and father who became citizens and made Vermont their 
home. I hope the message they heard when they swore the oath to become 
citizens was as inspirational as the one Judge Reiss delivered this 
summer in Vermont. And I hope the 10 new American citizens we welcomed 
together on August 16 will take her words to heart as they begin this 
new chapter in their lives.
  I ask unanimous consent that a copy of Judge Reiss' remarks of August 
16, 2013, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

        Remarks by United States District Judge Christina Reiss

 Delivered at the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum in Burlington, Vermont, 
                            August 16, 2013

       Ladies and Gentlemen:
       It is my honor as Chief Judge of the United States District 
     Court for the District of Vermont, and as an American 
     citizen, to address you on this special occasion. You are 
     about to undergo an important transformation for which you 
     have carefully and thoughtfully prepared. By the end of this 
     ceremony, you will be a United States citizen.
       I am sure that you had many thoughts and feelings as you 
     went through the process of becoming a United States citizen. 
     I want to assure you that you are not alone. Most people 
     here, including me, have had family members who went through 
     this very same process. America is a land of immigrants. With 
     the exception of Native Americans, we all come from other 
     places. Like you, our family members made sacrifices and 
     faced challenges in order to live in this country. We made 
     this country our home. You have made the important decision 
     to make it your home. This is exciting and important for both 
     you and for our country. Your transformation is our country's 
     transformation. Our country gains strength and becomes a 
     better place with the contributions of our new citizens.
       You are about to take a solemn oath. In that oath, you will 
     claim the United States as your own country and you will 
     renounce allegiance to all others. You will swear to support 
     and defend the Constitution, and the laws of the United 
     States. And you will promise that you will bear true faith 
     and allegiance to this country. I want to talk with you 
     briefly about what some of those promises mean.
       As you know, the United States of America was created 
     through a declaration by its citizens that it would, from now 
     on, be a free and independent nation. The Declaration of 
     Independence also recognizes that we are all created equal, 
     and that we are all entitled to ``life, liberty and the 
     pursuit of happiness.'' Those rights are not just something 
     written on a piece of paper. Those rights represent an 
     agreement between us, as fellow citizens, regarding how we 
     will treat each other. Those rights also represent an 
     agreement between us and our Government, regarding what we 
     may expect from our Government, and what it may expect from 
     us in return.
       You, too, will be able to enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by 
     the United States Constitution. But as always, with any right 
     comes responsibilities. In accepting the benefits of American 
     citizenship, you likewise accept its responsibilities.
       Our society, our freedom, depends on the rule of law. The 
     rule of law requires that every person obey the laws of this 
     country. No person and no organization is above the law. The 
     rule of law is thus an agreement of the citizens of this 
     country to obey the law, to defend it, and to uphold it. The 
     rule of law is what makes our country safe, free, and 
     productive.
       If you disagree with a law, you may work to change it. You 
     may vote, you may exercise your freedom of speech, you may 
     seek elected or appointed office, and you may petition the 
     Government. In this country, we encourage citizens to get 
     involved and to work to change the country and its laws for 
     the better.
       I know that some of you may come from countries where this 
     opportunity was not available to you. Indeed, you may come 
     from places where by seeking to change a law, you put your 
     life in danger. Here, your right to lawfully seek change will 
     be fully protected.
       I urge you to exercise all of your rights and 
     responsibilities as a United States citizen. The right to 
     vote is endangered each time you fail to vote. The freedom of 
     speech is threatened when you do not express your opinions, 
     and stand silent when you should speak up. It is also 
     threatened when you do not tolerate the views of others, or 
     allow their rights to be violated. The rights of all citizens 
     must be protected, if you expect your own rights to be 
     protected.
       Before I end my remarks, I want to say a few things about 
     Vermont because I believe that you have chosen to live in a 
     very special place. As you know, Vermont was not one of the 
     original 13 colonies to sign the Declaration of Independence, 
     but it was the first state to forbid slavery in its own 
     constitution in 1777. Vermont has often been at the forefront 
     of this country in protecting human rights. This is a special 
     place. It is a beautiful place. Enjoy it, cherish it, and 
     make it your home. You are welcome here. President Dwight D. 
     Eisenhower said something about Vermonters which I think is 
     very true. In speaking to the people gathered at the State 
     Dairy Festival in Rutland, he said:
       ``There are certain things I do know about you. I know that 
     Americans everywhere are the same, in their longing for 
     peace, a peace that is characterized by justice, by 
     consideration for others, by decency above all, by its 
     insistence on respect for the individual human being.''
       It is my hope that your life in the United States is 
     characterized by justice, by consideration for others, by 
     decency, and by insistence on respect for all human beings.
       In conclusion, I wish simply to say, ``Welcome my fellow 
     American citizens. Welcome, my American brothers and 
     sisters.'' I wish you success and happiness in pursuing the 
     American dream.

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