[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 18 (Monday, May 8, 2006)]
[Pages 852-854]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Cinco de Mayo Celebration

May 4, 2006

    Thank you. Please be seated. Bienvenidos. Welcome to the White 
House. I'm honored to have so many distinguished Hispanic and Mexican 
American leaders here for the Cinco de Mayo celebration. You may have 
noticed this celebration is not on the cinco de Mayo--[laughter]--it's 
on the quatro de Mayo. [Laughter] It's such an important holiday, we 
thought we would start early. [Laughter]
    I appreciate Hector, good to see you--head of the SBA is with us 
today. Gaddi Vasquez, thank you for coming. Thank you both for 
bringing--thank you for bringing your wife, Hector. I want to thank Anna 
Cabral, who is the Treasurer, and glad you brought Victor. Thanks for 
coming.
    I appreciate the Ambassadors who have joined us--Ambassador de 
Mexico is with us today--Embajador, gracias--y tambien, mi amigo, the 
Ambassador from the United States to Mexico, Antonio Garza. Welcome you 
both. Glad you're here. I appreciate Eduardo Aguirre, Ambassador to 
Spain. Thank you for coming, Eduardo--Hans Hertell, the Ambassador to 
the Dominican Republic. Thank you all very much for coming. Thanks for 
serving the country, and thanks for serving your country, Ambassador, as 
well.
    I appreciate the military personnel who are here today. We're proud 
of you. Thanks for wearing the uniform of the United States of America.
    Before I introduce our entertainer, I do want to share some thoughts 
with you about the importance of Cinco de Mayo, for it commemorates a 
joyful moment in Mexican history. Americans must understand that it was 
a time when Mexican soldiers won the Battle of Puebla and defended their 
independence. So, obviously, Cinco de Mayo is a day of special pride for 
citizens of Mexico, but it is, as well, for Americans. It is a reminder 
of

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a proud heritage we share with our neighbor to the south. That's how I 
view the day.
    We pay tribute to that heritage, and we honor the warmth and 
importance of the friendship between our two nations. The United States 
and Mexico are united by ties of family and by commerce and by history 
and by culture and by values. Both nations believe in the rights and the 
dignity of all people. We share an important trade relationship. We have 
discovered that trade between our nations is good for our peoples. We 
believe in the ideals of freedom and independence that Cinco de Mayo 
represents.
    Here in the United States, Mexican Americans have helped build our 
country and helped shape our culture. Mexican Americans have made our 
Nation more vibrant and more hopeful--cada dia. Mexican Americans have 
enriched the American experience with contributions to business and the 
arts and music and sports. Latino entrepreneurs are creating jobs across 
the country; the number of Hispanic-owned businesses is growing at three 
times the national rate. More Hispanic Americans own their homes than 
ever before in our Nation's history.
    Many Mexican Americans have also shown their devotion to this 
country by defending it. More than 600,000 of our veterans are of 
Mexican descent. I see some of our veterans back. I'm sure--we got a lot 
of veterans here, as a matter of fact. I want to thank you for setting 
such a good example for those who wear the uniform today.
    Many Mexican Americans are wearing the uniform of the United States 
military, and they're defending our country with valor. They're making 
America more secure and, at the same time, laying the foundation of 
peace for generations to come.
    I know our citizens have enormous pride in the Mexican heritage, and 
rightly so. We also know that America has thrived as a nation because 
we've always welcomed newcomers who, in turn, embrace our values and our 
way of life. Becoming an American is a great privilege, and it carries 
with it responsibilities. Those who come here to start new lives in our 
country have a responsibility to understand what America is about and 
the responsibility to learn the English language so they can better 
understand our national character and participate fully in American 
life. That's what we want. Making this effort is also key to unlocking 
the opportunities of America, allowing new folks to rise in society and 
realize the American Dream.
    In this country, we're now having an important debate about 
immigration. And it is really important that we discuss this issue in a 
way that is worthy of this country's best traditions. Our Nation does 
not have to choose between being a compassionate society and a lawful 
society. A lawful society is one that enforces its laws and enforces its 
border; that's what a lawful society does. A compassionate society 
rejects a system that treats people as if they're something to be 
traded, honors human rights and human dignity, helps people out of the 
shadows of society, treats people in a decent and humane way.
    So I support strengthening our borders, and I support a temporary-
worker program that would match willing workers with American employers. 
See, I think we need to create a secure and legal channel for people to 
come to this country to work. It will reduce the number of people trying 
to sneak across our border. It will treat people humanely. It will get 
rid of the coyotes and the document forgers. It will affirm our belief 
that every person has got dignity and every person has got value, and at 
the same time, it will make it easier for us to be a nation of law and 
to protect our border.
    Immigration reform needs to be comprehensive because all elements of 
this problem must be addressed together, or none of them will be solved 
at all. The American people must conduct this debate with dignity. They 
must remember that we're a nation of immigrants. They must understand--
they must remember that throughout our history, people have come to 
America because this is a place where they can pursue their dreams no 
matter who they are or where they're from.
    Mexican Americans have brought with them a culture based upon faith 
in God, a deep love for family, and a belief that hard work leads to a 
better life. Every immigrant who lives by these values makes the United 
States a better country, makes our future brighter as one Nation under 
God.

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    Across America tomorrow, there will be many celebrations of Cinco de 
Mayo. The performances we're going to see today represent some of the 
very fine talent. It reminds us that we're a nation that is strong 
because of our diversity. There's going to be a lot of traditional 
music, a lot of pretty good Mexican food too, I bet you. [Laughter] Kind 
of reminds us of Texas, doesn't it, Ambassador?
    May God continue to bless all of us who are fortunate enough to live 
in this land, and may God continue to bless our country and the many 
sons and daughters of Mexico who call our Nation home. Happy Cinco de 
Mayo, and now it is my pleasure to introduce one of Mexico's great 
talents, Graciela Beltran.

Note: The President spoke at 1:57 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Robin Barreto, wife of Small 
Business Administration Administrator Hector V. Barreto; Victor G. 
Cabral, husband of Treasurer of the United States Anna Escobedo Cabral; 
Mexico's Ambassador to the U.S. Carlos Alberto de Icaza Gonzalez; and 
entertainer Graciela Beltran of Mexico. The Office of the Press 
Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.