[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10492-10493]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            JULY 4, 2011 NATURALIZATION CEREMONY IN HAMMOND

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 6, 2011

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and sincerity 
that I take this time to congratulate the individuals who took their 
oath of citizenship on July 4, 2011. In true patriotic fashion, on the 
day of our great Nation's celebration of independence, a naturalization 
ceremony took place, welcoming new citizens of the United States of 
America. This memorable occasion, coordinated by the Hammond Public 
Library and presided over by Magistrate Judge Andrew Rodovich, was held 
at The Pavilion at Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana.
  America is a country founded by immigrants. From its beginning, 
settlers have come from countries around the globe to the United States 
in search of better lives for their families. The upcoming oath 
ceremony was a shining example of what is so great about the United 
States of America--that people from all over the world can come 
together and unite as members of a free, democratic nation. These 
individuals realize that nowhere else in the world offers a better 
opportunity for success than here in America.
  On July 4, 2011, the following people, representing many nations 
throughout the world, took their oath of citizenship in Hammond, 
Indiana: Karen Seballos Dela Cruz, Shimei Yan, Suryaprasad Veeravenka 
Padala, Juan Pablo Diaz Avila, Luis Eduardo Rivera Ramirez, Blagoja 
Jofceski, Kulvinder Singh, Horacio Garcia Leon, Samip Rabindra Fozdar, 
Radhika Ragamanjar Chillarige, Annaji Rao Venkata Chillarige, Tin-Chun 
Lin, Magdaleno Nevarez Sanchez, Ciprian Daniel Bargoz, Leonel Alonso 
Cancino Ortiz, Mouna Youssef Mikhael, Maroun Elias Elias, Jasmina 
Salkovski, Pedro Flores Rodriguez, Agnes Joh Smith, Francisco Javier 
Jimenez, Xiao Yan

[[Page 10493]]

Wang, Mui Hiong Nykaza, Michael Franco Calonia, Alira Mae Navarro 
Calonia, Zbigniew Jasek, Claudia Jeanette Darak, James Tan Geulen, Gay 
Karen Geulen, Dung Thi Lux, Naumka Prentoska, Carlos Bayron Martinez 
Valencia, Chaudhry Ahtsham Sarwar, Mohammed Yahya Moha Atef, Gabriel 
Eduardo Orta Gonzalez, Varalakshmi Vaddi, Emmanuelle Renee Fran 
Davallet Fortney, Daisy Ngina Bakary, Juan Carlos Nielo Uy, Stojanco 
Krstevski, Sandy Yuliana Meza De La Torre, Joan John Dordea, Rocio 
Galvan, Jose De Jesus Hernandez, Javier Julian, Mahnoush Nikki Malekan, 
Olama Ziyad Mohammed, Oliberio Ortiz, Jorge Ortiz, and Bernardino 
Perea.
  Though each individual has sought to become a citizen of the United 
States for his or her own reasons, be it for education, occupation, or 
to offer their loved ones better lives, each is inspired by the fact 
that the United States of America is, as Abraham Lincoln described it, 
a country ``. . . of the people, by the people, and for the people.'' 
They realize that the United States is truly a free nation. By seeking 
American citizenship, they have made the decision to live in a place 
where, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, they 
can practice religion as they choose, speak their minds without fear of 
punishment, and assemble in peaceful protest should they choose to do 
so.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join 
me in congratulating these individuals who became citizens of the 
United States of America on July 4, 2011, the day of our Nation's 
independence. They, too, are American citizens, and they, too, are 
guaranteed the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness. We, as a free and democratic nation, congratulate and 
welcome them.

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