[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3462-3463]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITALIAN UNIFICATION

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, for the past year the people of Italy have 
been commemorating the 150th anniversary of Italian Unification with a 
series of events and exhibitions throughout Italy and the world.
  In this country, the Italian Embassy hosted a series of concerts, 
museum exhibitions, and lectures, which were widely attended and have 
educated and entertained Americans about the stirring story of Italy 
and the beauty of its culture. The Ambassador of Italy who initiated 
this series of commemorative events, Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, 
deserves recognition for organizing this remarkable program for the 
American people. We wish Ambassador Terzi well in his new job as 
Foreign Minister, and we welcome his successor, Claudio Bisogniero, as 
the new Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the United States.
  There were many outstanding moments on the road to Italian 
unification--most notably March 15, 1861, the day Victor Emmanuel II 
was proclaimed the King of a single Italian state. But several weeks 
earlier, on February 18, 1861, the future King of Italy convened the 
first Italian Parliament in Turin, establishing an Italian democratic 
tradition that has known both triumph and tragedy. Of course, Americans 
don't have to go to Italy or a cultural event to appreciate the Italian 
roots of our own democratic tradition. Not only did Roman history and 
conceptions of government inform and inspire the Founders of our own 
government, but the sons and daughters of Italy are all around us 
serving the cause of American democracy. It would be impossible to name 
more than a few, but even a partial list gives a sense of the magnitude 
of the Italian-American contribution to our democracy: John Pastore, 
the first Italian-American elected to this Senate; Fiorello LaGuardia, 
the legendary mayor of New York; Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to 
be on a national ticket; Nancy Pelosi, the first female Speaker of the 
House; Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito; and Leon 
Panetta, our current Secretary of Defense.
  This week the Senate adopted a resolution that I introduced 
commemorating this anniversary and the abiding relationship between our 
two countries. I am glad to be joined by my colleagues, Senators 
Barrasso, Casey, Enzi, Gillibrand, Lugar, Schumer, and Shaheen, as 
original cosponsors.
  This 150th anniversary year closes during challenging times for a new 
generation of Italians. It is worth pausing here in Washington to 
salute our ally, from whom we have drawn so much talent and 
inspiration. We wish the citizens of the Italian Republic our best, 
with knowledge that during the past 150 years their Republic has 
endured many challenges and confidence that they will rise even higher.

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