[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6385]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING ESPERANZA BRAVO de VARONA AND LESBIA ORTA VARONA

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and honor 
Esperanza Bravo de Varona and Lesbia Orta Varona on their well-deserved 
retirement after a long career with the Otto G. Richter Library at the 
University of Miami.
  Their distinguished careers were marked by impressive contributions 
to a special collection called the Cuban Heritage Collection.
  Their commitment to excellence has truly allowed them to shape the 
lives of many students, academics, and historians, and in that I count 
my father, Enrique Ros, who authored 19 books on Cuban history and 
local politics and relied upon the original documents found in the 
library's collection. Many other authors and historians have also come 
to rely on these documents.
  I have great confidence that the library will continue in the 
positive direction that Esperanza and Lesbia have set for it and that 
their commitment will be remembered for many years to come, Mr. 
Speaker.
  As a former Florida certified teacher, I know that there are few 
rewards greater than the satisfaction of investing in education, and I 
thank Esperanza and Lesbia for having empowered so many in our 
community with the resources and guidance to expand their knowledge.
  I wish them both all the best in this new chapter of their lives.

                          ____________________