[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING OPERATION PEDRO PAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 16, 2005

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity 
to thank Operation Pedro Pan for inviting me to share in this dinner 
commemorating the 45-year anniversary of the Pedro Pan exodus and 
benefiting two very important causes; the New Children's Village and 
the Pedro Pan Archives at Barry University. I had the honor of being 
present 15 years ago when Elly Chovel presented the Pledge of 
Thanksgiving, which established Operation Pedro Pan. Tonight, I have 
the pleasure of giving my heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Chovel on 
receiving the Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh Award for her years of service 
and dedication to Operation Pedro Pan.
  Operation Pedro Pan is an organization, which has been influential in 
shaping the Cuban-American community, as we know it today. Many of the 
Pedro Pan children who made the sacrifice of leaving Cuba for the 
pursuit of freedom are the leaders of our community today. Among them 
is my colleague in Washington, DC, Senator Mel Martinez, who is the 
first Cuban-American elected to the United States Senate--and a Pedro 
Pan Child.
  It makes me proud to see how much Operation Pedro Pan has 
accomplished in South Florida. Operation Pedro Pan is one of the Cuban-
American community's best examples of what can be accomplished through 
dedication and hard work. Through its advocacy work for children and 
working to preserve the significance of an important time in Cuban 
history, Pedro Pan has established itself as a highly respected 
organization.
  I wish the best for Operation Pedro Pan. I hope that in the years to 
come you continue to reach your goals, so that our children and our 
children's children realize the sacrifices that our generation made in 
search of liberty. Once again, I thank you for the opportunity to be 
here with you tonight. I commend Operation Pedro Pan for the leadership 
they display in our unity year after year and I look forward to 
continuing my support for their efforts.

                          ____________________