[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12836-12837]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                FOR JOB WELL DONE DURING CITIZENSHIP DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 27, 2006

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to thank 
our staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication in holding 
one of our most successful Citizenship Days.
  Citizenship Day is an event that our office has held for the past 12 
years. It is an event that assists legal residents in becoming 
Citizens. Since 1994 this event has been one of the most rewarding 
experiences I've had since becoming a Member of Congress. To be able to 
assist someone in their dream of becoming a citizen of this great 
Nation is truly amazing. This year we were able to assist over 320 
people process their applications for citizenship.
  In order to become a citizen, one must go through a series of stages 
to fully complete their application forms. Our office assists these 
very people by setting up a one-stop application processing 
opportunity. We set up various stages where applicants were able to get 
assistance in filling out the application form, take the necessary 
pictures, purchase a cashiers check for the application fee, speak with 
and receive quality control of their application from an immigration 
attorney, and the postal service provided the opportunity to send their 
citizenship application by certified mail.
  None of this would have been possible without the help of our 
wonderful volunteers that took time from their families to be with us 
on this great day.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the members of the U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), J.P. Morgan Chase, NALEO, 
LULAC, the U.S. Postal Service and Mamacita's Restaurant for their 
dedication to the community and for the intricate role they played in 
assisting many of our residents fulfill their dreams of becoming U.S. 
Citizens.

[[Page 12837]]

  I would also like to give a special thanks to the following 
volunteers that made this day such a success: Constable Victor Trevino 
and his officers, Ms. Theresa Turnini, Mr. Charles R. Flores, Ms. 
Herlinda Garcia, Mr. Francisco B. Rodriguez III, Mrs. Margaret 
Rodriguez, Ms. Josephine Mendoza, Mr. John Martinez, Mr. Rafael 
Palafox, Ms. Juana Wilson, Ms. Anna Nunez, Ms. Mary Closner, Ms. Amanda 
Stewart, Ms. Rose B. Garcia, Mr. Anselmo Davila, Mr. Guadalupe Flores 
Jr., Ms. Frances Munoz, Ms. Veronica Sanchez, Ms. Xiaochun Zhou, Mr. 
Jaime Elizondo, Ms. Sylvia Ramirez-Martinez, Ms. Sylvia Espadin, Ms. 
Natasha Jabbar, Ms. Thelma Valle, Miss Perla Gonzalez, Ms. Sophie Hu, 
Mr. Joe Vail, Ms. Teresa Murguia, Miss Krystal Hernandez, Ms. Frances 
Hernandez, Mr. Francisco Valle, Ms. Veronica Avalos, Ms. Ursula 
Featherston, Ms. Rosalinda Salazar, Ms. Carmen Galle, Ms. Martina 
Garza, Ms. Patrese Ruffin-Bush, Ms. Patricia Perez, Mr. Adrian Espadin, 
Mr. Edward Gonzalez, Dr. Melissa Najera, Ph.D., Mr. Cassandra Juarez, 
Ms. Clarissa Juarez, Mr. John Gavidia, Ms. Esther Arrendell, Mr. Jimmy 
Jackson, Mr. Jose Henriquez, Ms. Santa Herrera, Ms. Martha Bulbai, Mrs. 
Kristen Quan, Ms. Ada Smoot, Mr. Eduardo Garcia, Ms. Cristina Valdez, 
Ms. Claudia Rodas, Mr. Eric Rodas, Ms. Ivonne Moreira, Ms. Jenny 
Marquez, Ms. Terasina Niles, Ms. Erika Faz, Mr. Kirk Savarese, Ms. 
Jeanette Niles, Ms. Tania Buitron, Ms. Veronica Sainz, Ms. Belinda 
Castro Ms. Sylvia Halfhill and Ms. Sandy Heathman.

  For too long we have been hearing that immigrants are a detriment to 
our society. Well I'm here to tell you that most immigrants are just 
like our forefathers who established this great Nation of ours. They 
are just like the millions of immigrants who have come before them 
longing for a better life, longing to become American citizens, longing 
for the American Dream.





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