[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 14, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2889-H2890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE CAREER OF HUGO MORALES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a friend and a 
citizen of Fresno, California, Hugo Morales, for being awarded with an 
honorary doctorate degree by Harvard University, the school from which 
he graduated. It is fitting and appropriate, for his lifelong pursuit 
has been in service to others throughout our valley and throughout our 
country, specifically focusing on Hispanic communities.
  His story is the story of immigrants past and immigrants present. It 
is the American story. Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, Hugo and his family came 
to this country to pursue what so many immigrants have throughout 
generations, the American Dream.
  As a child, he worked in the fields alongside his parents and 
attended public schools. Despite the challenges he faced, he persisted 
and was able to receive a scholarship to Harvard University, where he 
graduated law school in 1972.
  After graduating, he came back home to Fresno and decided to start a 
radio station. Radio Bilingue is what they called it. Today, Radio 
Bilingue is the leading Spanish-language public radio in the United 
States, serving as a voice to empower Latinos, farmworkers, Dreamers, 
the undocumented, and people who are in underserved communities 
throughout our country.
  Radio Bilingue has been a critical messenger in so many issues and 
challenges we have faced over the decades, from COVID-19 responses to 
immigration policy, to encouraging participation in the United States 
Census, so many different efforts of public service.
  Hugo is a pioneer in public broadcasting, an inspiration to many of 
us, especially our young people and aspiring journalists in the valley. 
But,

[[Page H2890]]

again, his reputation has spread nationwide. Therefore, it is fitting 
and appropriate, as I said at the outset, that Harvard University 
provide him with an honorary doctorate degree.
  I congratulate my friend on his well-deserved honor. He is a role 
model and an inspiration for so many. He makes the San Joaquin Valley 
proud. I thank him very much.


                      Celebrating Dia de Portugal

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a special day for 
Americans of Portuguese descent to celebrate Dia de Portugal, a 
national Portuguese holiday.
  The story of Portuguese Americans is part of the American story, 
which is about immigrants past and present--in this case, the 
Portuguese community.
  As a proud descendant of Portuguese immigrants, the traditions and 
values that my family took from the Azore Islands off the coast of 
Portugal have never been far from my heart. It is the story of my 
family.
  The fact is that Portugal is one of America's longest and strongest 
allies. It was one of the first nations to recognize the United States 
as an independent nation after the Revolutionary War.
  As co-chairman of the Portuguese Caucus, I look forward to continuing 
our efforts in a bipartisan fashion to advance mutual interests and 
strengthen the bonds between the United States and Portugal.
  We celebrate the richness and ethnic diversity of all the communities 
in our country. I am convinced it is the secret sauce of America. De 
Tocqueville wrote a book about it in the late 19th century, wondering 
why America could reinvent itself with every generation of immigrants 
that came to these shores with nothing more than the clothes on their 
back but a deep desire to work hard and succeed for themselves and 
their families. That is the secret sauce, the American Dream that we 
share in common.
  For Dia de Portugal, Feliz Dia de Portugal.

                          ____________________